Today we’d like to introduce you to Notty Taylor.
Hi Notty, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I dabbled with recording myself and putting songs out in middle school and then again during my first year of college. Still, I only started taking it more seriously once I reconnected with an incredible artist/producer from the city named ‘t.ANT.’ His youngest brother is one of my best friends, and he helped me get reacquainted with t.ANT by just doing me a solid because he knew I wanted to be more invested in rhyming and recording. ANT entirely produced the demo version of my first album, ‘CUTLASS,’ that we pressed up on CDs and hit the city, trying to spread the sound later that summer and fall of 2014. He molded my sound and taught me to be a recording artist, producer, and, most importantly, an idea builder. The city responded to the CD so well that we ended up selling and giving away over 500 copies of that initial demo before we went live on streaming services that year. I was going by ‘Taylor, Br-ndn’ as an artist during this period. I lived with my uncle in Charlotte, NC, and would commute back to Tennessee for classes, tests, and recording sessions with t.ANT. We had not set a real price for the music then, but I knew I wanted people to hear it even if they weren’t willing to buy it. To foreshadow some – in May of 2015, I would graduate college with a degree in Radio, TV, and film, and wanted to pursue my dream of being a recording artist and creative.
While pursuing all these opportunities, my uncle introduced me to a friend of his, a producer named ‘Millionaire Marv.’ After meeting Marv and letting him hear my demo, we became friends and started working on music that would eventually end up on the more official ‘CUTLASS’ album. In the summer of 2014, I went with Marv to Atlanta, where we worked on a song titled ‘The Ritual.’ I also credit him with showing me the art of recording and songwriting, but even more so the music business. After cutting the song, Marv put me on the road to perform in a showcase up in NYC at Webster Hall, where I opened for CloudStroud Media. It was my first taste of the bigger stage and an opportunity to spread Knoxville, TN, further than ever. So, in the winter months of 2014, the music started to circulate online between blogs and just a general following of people I knew from East Knoxville and people I met in various places.
Long story short, Marv pushed me to submit ‘The Ritual’ to a Samsung Milk Music contest that picked 52 songs that were ‘hot’ or on the rise that year. Steve Rifkind and Russell Simmons had just started their label ‘All-Def Digital’ and were signing certain artists that won the contest for recording deals. I was the 52nd artist selected by their A&R Jason Kpana, currently the SVP Artist & Label Relations over at Tidal. Jason not only believed in ‘The Ritual’ but also loved ‘CUTLASS’ and wanted to sign me to All-Def, which was working as a subsidy of Universal Music Group at the time. So t.ANT and I put our heads together to figure out the best option for me and for our business, Purple Room Creative – and how we could put our ideas on the biggest platform. We went back and forth with Jason for at least 4-5 weeks, and I didn’t sign my contract until around February 2015.
So boom, I’m now a signed recording artist with a pending advance and no idea what to do next. I just knew I had 2 years to grow from that moment regarding the contract terms. At that point, we were instructed to remove ‘CUTLASS’ from streaming sites momentarily and work on more music to present on that project and release it officially under All-Def Digital. Maybe 2 months into the deal, I get a call from Jason Kpana, and he’s like, man, the label is going through a transition, and we won’t be able to honor your recording contract. He told me he’d be moving over to Tidal as a part of ADD’s restructure and find a way to get me over there.
What’s worse, about 2 weeks after getting dropped from the label, my grandfather passed away in April. This was one of the most challenging periods of my life – feeling like I had everything in the palm of my hands, to end up grasping for air and answers. A situation over at Tidal didn’t materialize, leaving me and t.ANT at ground zero. We lost some of the traction and buzz we created with the demo version of ‘CUTLASS,’ but we knew we had something special and limitless potential. I was still working with Marv at this time, too, but I moved back to Tennessee in May. Being back home and close to what I thought was a ticket out was tough to deal with, but I was motivated to rebound. With ‘The Ritual’ and ‘CUTLASS’ in my back pocket, I knew I needed to get hot again and aim for greater heights. We quietly put the demo version back up despite being advised not to. t.ANT went back in and remixed and remastered ‘CUTLASS,’ we added ‘The Ritual’ to the tracklist and stashed the album in our vault. My grandfather earned the nickname ‘Notty Taylor’ in his younger street running days. Everyone he took me around as a kid would say boy, that Notty Taylor was something else before you came along! I never knew what it meant then, but after losing him, I thought that adopting the name as my own would be the best way to keep his memory alive. I also felt inspired by his journey and the stories I began to hear after losing him and felt it could give me a creative jolt.
In the fall of 2015, I still had not officially changed my name, but I knew it would happen before I released another song. I worked at Verizon then and met Colin, who owned the Orange Mixtapes blog. Colin founded the blog with his guy Logan Garrett. Logan is Starlito’s official tour DJ. While I was working on resetting Colin’s phone, we started to talk music. I told him I was an upcoming recording artist and asked him to check out my demo – which was still under Taylor, Br-ndn. He listened to the demo and called me back that same day, saying that his site wanted to promote the project as an official release that the blog stamped as the next big thing. At that moment, we decided to go through with the name change and prep an official release of ‘CUTLASS.’ After becoming Notty Taylor that winter, we finished the updated album to head into 2016, ready to roll. After releasing the album as an official mixtape of ‘Orange Mixtapes,’ in February, they booked me to open up for Starlito at the 2016 SXSW festival.
The official ‘CUTLASS’ album containing ‘The Ritual,’ reimagined songs, and a more concise track list hit the internet 3 weeks after we got home from SXSW in Austin, TX. Later that summer, I performed at the A3C Music Festival in Atlanta for the first time. Since then, I’ve gone on multiple regional tours, touching Georgia (Atlanta), Florida (Hollywood, Miami, Orlando), D.C., and Tennessee (Chattanooga, Johnson City, Knoxville, Nashville). I’ve also performed multiple shows in Brooklyn, NY, as I continue my entrance into the music industry. I licensed and placed songs with NBA2K21, The Overtime Elite Basketball League, and Netflix. I worked with Prentice Penny on his directorial debut ‘Uncorked,’ an entire feature film on Netflix, a dream collaboration. I’m a massive fan of his work. I’m also hoping to land some placements with the NBA this year. I’ve been on their radar for several years, so we’ll make something official soon. My latest output will arrive on Thursday, October 26th – which is a single titled ‘NOT THE RIGHT AMOUNT’ produced by DevanThatDude. And to make a longer story even shorter, I’ve been on my grind ever since.
It had obstacles, but the journey has been relatively smooth.
The journey has been remarkable and full of wins. Every moment is a win because you learn lessons, apply that knowledge, and build character. Anything worth having will come with ups and downs, but how you respond to adversity matters most.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in idea creation and execution, but I’m more known for my output as a recording artist. I’m most proud of becoming a better all-around artist with each release. My ability to wear many hats sets me apart from most artists. I record and engineer myself (at times), produce, write songs, and I direct my visuals in collaboration with Bryan Deon. I’ve also started creating my cover art too.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Rom Pablo’s by far! They serve the best wings and tacos in the world, and beyond that, they’re just extraordinary people. If you still need to get their food, stop reading this interview and check them out on Monday, Wednesday & every other Saturday! There’s no place in the world like East Knoxville. Everyone knows everyone, and there’s always been a massive pride in coming from there. The food, the lingo, and the easy access to downtown/UT campus – it’s just a vibe. I would love it if the city opened up more to hosting concerts that allow hip-hop to be put on the same platform that country and rock genres receive.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktree.com/nottytaylor
- Instagram: @NottyTaylor
- Facebook: @1NottyTaylor
- Twitter: @1NottyTaylor
- Youtube: @NottyTaylor
- SoundCloud: @NottyTaylor
Image Credits
Off-Record Photo (self taken), Gas Station Photo (Astute Lens), Staircase Photos (Adzima Visual Arts), Black/White Photo & Performance Photos by Bryan Deon
