Before color-haired mumble rappers were the face of commercial Hip Hop, artists like 50 Tyson were taken half-seriously as they filled YouTube and WorldStar with their videos in efforts hoping that something latched on to the general public.
Hailing from Minneapolis, 50 Tyson (born Antonio Henderson-Davis) got his start as a high school teen back in 2009 by releasing disjointed rap freestyles that gained attention, mostly from people laughing at him. But when his YouTube views hit the million-plus mark and co-signs from the likes of 50 Cent, Tosh.0 and Kevin Hart came, it was apparent that there was something unique about his movement.
“I looked at it like I opened the doors and paved the way to internet viral stars like … it’s a lot of them like Lil Uzi Vert, Ugly God, Lil Yachty and 21 and 22 Savages. It’s a lot,” he said after being prodded by Mr. Music, the host of MNTC Radio.
50 Tyson also went to name Welven Da Great and Lil Terio as other viral stars who benefited from his waviness.
AD LOADING...
“They the main reason they doing this because of me,” he said, matter-of-factly.
The Minnesota rapper was once signed to Hudson Records and revealed he was autistic in a Huffington Post op-ed. As the interview transpired, 50 Tyson revealed he was no longer signed to Hudson Records, alluding to a business riff but he did let on that he planned on putting one of those aforementioned co-signs to good use for the sake of his career.
“I’m fitna get ready to do something with Kevin Hart real soon,” he revealed. However, when asked if it was officially in the works, 50 Tyson called a slight audible.
“Not official yet,” he said, “but I’m getting to that point that whenever I go back to L.A., I’ll chop it up with his management people and try and chop it up and get into that Hollywood type situation.”
AD LOADING...
Watch the full 20-minute interview on the return of 50 Tyson up above.
