Today we’d like to introduce you to Kye Harris.
Kye, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m just a kid from Killeen, Texas. Killeen is known for being one of the largest military towns (Fort Hood) in the United States. Fort Hood is ranked number four within the largest military bases in the United States. Growing up in Killeen, I’d run into so many military brats such as myself on the daily. We would exchange stories of where we had traveled based on our parents’ jobs in the armed forces. Though Killeen has been my home for over ten years, me and my little brother moved around a lot as kids. It wasn’t until we moved to Fort Hood, where despite the troubles I would face, things would become extremely clear. It was here in Texas where I found my identity. My identity was birthed by creativity. Music served as the vehicle that drove my creative ideas. I began my musical journey in the 6th grade at Union Grove Middle School. I would always seem to land myself in trouble while at Union Grove. In School Suspension was my best friend while at Union Grove. In a weird way I.S.S. was where my mind was liberated the most due to the rule of no talking. It was in this silent room where I began to write some of my first rhymes, they were dope too.
Fast forward to high school, I would continue to write rhymes, but I would never share them with anyone. Well, maybe one person, my best friend, and sister Stephanie Jordan who passed away pass December. Though she was not my biological sister, blood couldn’t have made us any closer. She was the first person to believe in my dreams of becoming a world-renowned hip-hop star. While attending Harker Heights high school, I continued to struggle with my behavior. My behavioral issues stemmed from the various deployments my parents would embark on as well as me wanting to fit in with the cool kids. I was a mess. Rather than fitting in I was made fun of and teased often. I felt so out of place that my behavior became worse as I would get into fights day in and day out. My behavior would ultimately land me in an alternative school. The name of the school was originally called Haynes Alternative but was eventually changed to its current name, Gateway Alternative. I attended Gateway three times during my high school matriculation, twice my sophomore year, and once my senior year. Mixed with my behavioral issues, my grades didn’t reflect a student who wanted to graduate high school.
Ultimately, I ended up having to go to Central Texas College to obtain my high school diploma as they had a program designated to helping high school students graduate. After I received my diploma, I wanted to join the Army. I mean what else is there to do when you are from a town where the military is often the meal ticket out of a place that can keep one bound to the same routine? I tried for a year to join but I kept getting rejected. That was God’s way of showing me that he had different plans for me. I was in a state of depression and sadness because I couldn’t join the army. However, another shift happened in my life, my little brother came to me with a college application that read at the top The “Art Institute”. I filled it out with the quickness, the following spring semester I was enrolled at the Art Institute in Austin, Texas. It was in Austin where I started the journey of becoming the emcee I aspired to be. While at the Art Institute, I was surrounded by so many dope emcee’s, that all I wanted to do was write more and more to get better as a lot of them were more advanced than I was at the time. While in Austin, I released some of my first projects. My very first project was an EP titled “A King’s Word” me and my homie Mister Frosti cut that whole project in a closet in his apartment. Though the Art Institute was the place I developed my passion for music, I had my eyes set on a bigger city where the culture was and still is hot; Atlanta. The A really peaked my curiosity regarding the culture of rap. I just needed a way to get Atlanta because my parents weren’t going for me just moving to Atlanta with no plan. That’s when I saw Morehouse College as my outlet to manifest and push my dream. I figured if I could attend Morehouse College, I could build a buzz in the AUC as a creative. Now, that I have attended Morehouse College, I would say my plan worked to my benefit; I had a vision and I stuck to it.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road getting here has been tough, and I’ve shed some tears along the way too. While on this journey, I’ve lost myself and some friends as well. I lost myself by wanting to be like everyone else but Kye TaRon Harris. However, this journey of manifesting my dreams has taught me to love myself more. On December 3rd, 2018, I lost my best friend and supporter Stephanie Jordan she was a sister to me. Her passing is something I’m still wrestling with. I ran some of my first rhymes by her. Her approval meant everything to me. Moreover, we would always put each other onto new up and coming artists before mainstream would get ahold of them. However, the artist that Stephanie put me on would change my whole life not only as a music lover but as a hip-hop artist as well. His name is J. Cole. Cole has a huge impact on me as an artist. If I decided to sign to any label it would be Dreamville off the strength of me and Stephanie’s love for Cole and the Dreamville Camp.
Please tell us more about your music, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Well, I’m currently working on a t-shirt brand that I want to push along with the music. That’s all I can speak on regarding the t-shirt brand as it is currently in the developmental phase now. I am a hip-hop artist, who specializes in telling stories within my music. I make sure that real life is incorporated in my lyrics because life can be hard, and I want to champion people who muscle on when life gets hard. I’m known for putting visuals out with my songs, the visuals have such powerful imagery in them which forces people to be intrigued. I am a storyteller which means not only do my lyrics take you on a journey, but the visual also takes the viewer on a journey as well. My creativity sets me apart from my peers, I’m always looking for ways to do things differently. I literately think of concepts for songs, videos, and photoshoots every day. Sometimes that’s all I talk about, I have to remind myself to talk about other things. My creativity sets me apart because I love the task of figuring out how to bring an idea from your head to something that can be seen or heard, I get so much joy from that.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
God has always had a hand in what I have created content-wise. That’s all I can say on that. Before I start on creative work I ask God to guide me with the execution. God has gave me four homies that help me express my thoughts. When me, DopeZulu, Eddy Ozz, L.O.W, and Thecamkilla (Ralph Simien) get together we always create dope content. It’s a synergy that we all have when we lock in and create. So, I wouldn’t say its luck; its God, creativity, talent, and execution that has played a major role in what I’ve been able to accomplish thus far. Regarding my life, God has kept me in the palm of his hands and for that I am forever grateful.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 254-630-3378
- Email: kyetaron@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.am.kye/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kye.j.harris.5
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/_KyeTaron
Image Credit:
DopeZulu, Thecamkilla, DGxclusive
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