-
music
DMV Rapper TyFontaine Is In His Own Lane

Written by

No items found.
Photographed by Joseph Morrison. ![Photographed by Joseph Morrison.](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472be11ae0ca9f416e36cb0_flaunt%2Btyfontaine.jpg1.jpeg) Photographed by [Joseph Morrison](https://www.instagram.com/joseph_morrison/?hl=en). [TyFontaine](https://www.instagram.com/tyfontaine1800/?hl=en) is the next rapper to blow out of the DMV area. At 20 years old, the “Fetish” rapper is reminiscent of a young hybrid of Juice WRLD and Young Thug, equipped with the ability to both rap and sing while injecting nothing but pure emotion into his lyrics. Real name Julius Terrell describes his sound as “versatile, carefree, easy-going,” even referencing one fan on Twitter describing it as “listening to TyFontaine is like going to a carnival.” With songs like “tragic,” Ty flexes his own unique way of rapping equipped with multiple styles and braggadocious bars.  During high school, Ty worked at a sneaker store which he credits to be the reason he makes music today. With a studio in the back, he found himself recording his first song ever, “Precision,” which would later win a contest and be played on the radio for 2 weeks. Dropping out of college to pursue his dreams in music, Ty would soon connect with producer SidePCE from Internet Money via an Instagram Live — eventually signing with the Taz Taylor-lead collective and label.  Flaunt caught up with Ty who was quarantined in Los Angeles, to discuss his upbringing in the DMV, his Top 5, his new single “Fetish,” aspiring to be Taz Taylor who he’s signed to, and more! **Being from the DMV, what was the household like growing up?** My household was pretty normal. My mom’s a dentist, my dad’s a lawyer. I was the only child. I have a dog, his name’s Tanner. He’s a Husky/German Shepherd mix. I got kicked out of school a couple times. Played sports. I was a kid doing kid stuff, doing hoodrat shit with my friends.  **Who did you listen to?** I didn't get into rap until 4th or 5th grade. Before that, it was gospel and Mary J Blige because that’s what my mom and dad were listening to. Island stuff too because my mom’s from the Bahamas. It was a mix of Calypso music, then Mary J Blige, Marvin Sapp, Usher, Neyo. Lil Wayne was probably the first rapper I listened to, then [FatManKey!](https://fomoblog.com/2018/07/18/slidin-thru-key/) who’s my favorite rapper now.  **At what point did you realize music stuff was for real?** When I started, I knew that it was possible. My whole thing when I was coming up, I thought “if they could do it, I could do it” type of thing. When Taz reached out to me in October, I thought “okay maybe this could actually happen, I can do this big time.” Even before then in March 2018, I first started rapping rapping. I worked at a sneaker store back home called KickkSpott DC, they opened a studio in the back. That’s where a lot of NBA players and rappers would come through when they came to D.C. My homie was the head back there, I saw him pull in Q Da Fool to do a session. I thought it looked easy so I thought I’d try. **Rapping looked easy? Was it easy?** My first time I rapped, I stayed there for 3 hours and didn’t get anything done. I was mumbling, trying to be Lil Wayne. It turned out ass. But the second time was good because I actually wrote something down. After I figured out how to do it, not just seeing it but stepped in and figured stuff out, it was easy. I didn’t really write either. I did my first song, didn’t write anything. **Congrats on the release of “Fetish”! What inspired this?** It was a Young Thug song where he repeats the same word over and over again. Old old Thug like 2016 Thug, the same tape that “Digits was on.” We’re listening to _Slime Season 3_ like “alright, let’s go make something.” That came out.  **Whose idea was it to have the cops in the video?** Mine, if I’m not mistaken. The video we shot was last minute, it was about to be a different video. 4 hours before the shoot, Taz was like “we’re paying a lot of money for this, might as well do a single.” It ended up being “Fetish.” It was going to be a different song on the next tape, so we had to come up with an idea real quick. We had already planned the police officer and that guy who owns the house, so we switched up the whole thing. We improvised it, thought about it on the spot.  **What would you say is your biggest fetish?** I like girls with a lisp. Not with the ‘t’ lisp, but with the ‘s’ lisp. I don’t know why. \[laughs\] **Do you still like sneakers?** Mmhmm, I still indulge in sneakers.  **Do you miss that job at all?** Yeah, because it was a simpler time. I really wasn’t doing anything either. I was behind the register, checking people out. People would ask for a shoe, I’d know what it is. I’d be like “okay, it’s right over here.” It was a small selection, not like Foot Locker where you have sizes and shit. It was a consignment store, so whatever’s there is there. You don’t have to go into the back looking for sizes, it was easy. I made $15 an hour, just sit there and be around shoes. I got a discount, I was fly. I’d get some clout off it, seeing people take pictures with people. It was cool.  **What’s your favorite sneaker?** I used to really like the ParaNorman Foamposite shoe. It’s a Pixar movie that came out a while ago, a cartoon horror movie. They did a shoe with Nike, there were only 1000 of them. I’ve seen them in the store 3 different times, they were never in my size so I could never get them. They were ridiculous prices, like $5000, $6000. I didn’t have that at the time. Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll get those.  Photographed by Joseph Morrison. ![Photographed by Joseph Morrison.](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472be11ae0ca9f416e36cb4_flaunt%2Btyfontaine.jpeg) Photographed by [Joseph Morrison](https://www.instagram.com/joseph_morrison/?hl=en). **What can we expect from your _1800_ tape coming end of April?** Another single off the tape comes out on the 17th. The _1800 tape_ on the 24th. All these songs were done between October and January. But the stuff that I’ve really been working on recently is the stuff I’m really excited for, coming in the summer. For now, I want people to focus on this tape because I worked hard on this one.  **What’s the significance in the title _1800_?** HighTide1800 is what my friends call our little group. Hightide is when the tides are at its highest, the waves are at its highest. We came up with that in senior year, people were saying “we’re the wave.” That got old and tired real fast. 1800 basically means forever. When you put 18 on the side, you get the infinity sign. We’re going to be the wave forever.  **Being only 20, what are some goals you have for yourself?** To release my first real album. Sign artists. I signed to Taz because I want to do what he’s doing. Start a label, be a CEO as soon as possible. Because being a rapper gets you money, but being a CEO gets you money money. You could build a legacy like that. This is a stepping stone to do that really, and this is fun too.  **Taz is more of a producer right?** He just got back into making beats. He’s more of an executive producer/CEO. He has a bunch of producers signed, a bunch of artists signed. There’s 10 of us signed to him right now. He’s more of a CEO than a producer, but he still produces obviously.  **What do you like about Taz?** He’s a cool guy. He’s honest, probably the most honest person I’ve met in the music industry. Always keeps it 100. He’s not scared of what people think of him. He has a little black in him, he carries himself a certain way. When I went into other label meetings, they tried to act hip or whatever. He’s not that. He DM’d me one day like “fly out.” It wasn’t “let me check with A&R and see if they can get you a ticket for next week.” It’s like “nah, I want you to come out today. Here’s your ticket, let’s run it.” I was recording the second day I got here.  **How long have you been in LA now?**On and off since October. Now I’m here, I just moved. Got an apartment here in North Hollywood, it’s cool. **How’s quarantine life?** I don’t really feel it that much since I already spent a lot of time inside recording. I’ve been chilling, picking up my usual order from Cheesecake Factory, and then coming back home to record. Even though everything is closed, I’m really grateful to still be able to record my music at home. **3 things you need in the studio?** Water. Weed would be cool, but I don’t need weed because I’ve recorded sober. Water, weed, and beats. The last single “Moments” off the project, I recorded on shrooms. I took shrooms for the first time, I did another song 2 days after that on shrooms. Those are my 2 favorite songs. Shrooms might be the cheat code, but I haven't done them since that last time. I couldn't not think of anything to say. When you freestyle, sometimes you get lost. You get stuck. When you're on that shit, you can’t think of shit not to say.  **Who’s in your Top 5?** I’m listening to Young Thug right now, Lil Durk. PARTYNEXTDOOR, but only 2 songs so I don’t really count him. I like the one with Rihanna and “Loyal,” like everybody else. Key! I listen to Robin Thicke, but that’s been forever. Mmm, Brent Faiyaz. He’s from around the way too. **Anything else you want to let us know?** Be on the lookout for the tape on the 24th. Doing festivals once this quarantine is over!