Career of Hits, Features, Leon Thomas, The Weeknd, Mustard, Post Malone, Vultures
Ty Dolla $ign is one of the only artists in the last decade to earn two diamond records, and he built that run on something most artists in his lane rarely talk about: real musicianship. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he grew up surrounded by live music through his father, musician Tyrone Griffin Sr. of Lakeside, learning instruments at a young age and developing a deep respect for craft before fame ever entered the picture. This is a musician-to-musician conversation about a career built on trust, taste, and timeless records.
Ty walks Elmo through the early days of Beach House, the breakout impact of "Paranoid" and "Or Nah" with DJ Mustard, and how features like "Loyal" and "Psycho" helped shape his rise. He reflects on the making of Free TC, the emotional weight behind that album, and what it has meant to carry his brother with him throughout his career. They also dig into his approach to features, treating voices like instruments, focusing on frequency, tone, and feel over star power.
They also get into Ty's role as a label co-founder with EZMNY Records, signing and developing Leon Thomas, and watching Leon go from development to Grammy-nominated albums. Ty shares his philosophy on mentorship, long-term friendships, building a label rooted in belief, and then they get into Vultures, his ongoing collaborations with Kanye, and his return to solo work with Tycoon. This is an honest, in-depth look at a career built on the long game.
"The hits, the craft, the relationships, and the long game."
How Ty's father Tyrone Griffin Sr. of Lakeside shaped his relationship with music, learning instruments young, South Central LA, and what developing real musicianship before fame looks like.
The early Beach House days, the breakout impact of "Paranoid" and "Or Nah" with DJ Mustard, how features like "Loyal" and "Psycho" built his profile, and the road to Free TC.
How Ty approaches collaboration by treating voices like instruments, focusing on frequency, tone, and feel over name value, and what working with The Weeknd, Kendrick, Skrillex, and Kanye actually looks like.
Co-founding EZMNY Records, signing and developing Leon Thomas from the ground up, watching him become Grammy-nominated, and the philosophy behind building a label rooted in belief and musicianship.
The emotional weight behind Free TC, what it meant to make an album carrying his brother through every track, and how that project changed the way he thinks about music and purpose.
Creative collaboration at scale on Vultures with Kanye, returning to solo work with Tycoon, and what longevity really means when you define yourself as a musician first in an industry built on moments.
Ty breaks down how growing up around his father's live musicianship fundamentally shaped his approach to every feature, every collaboration, and every record he has ever made.
The story behind Free TC, what was going on in Ty's life when he made it, and why carrying his brother through that album is one of the most important things he has ever done as an artist.
Ty explains his approach to doing features — why he thinks about voices as instruments, treats frequency and tone over fame, and how that philosophy has made him one of the most in-demand collaborators of his generation.
The inside story of signing Leon Thomas, believing in him early, and what it felt like to watch someone you invested in become one of the most exciting artists in music.
A candid conversation about Vultures, what it is really like to create at that scale alongside Kanye, and how collaborative energy at that level works differently from anything else in music.
Ty's honest take on longevity, what it means to him to stay rooted in musicianship when the industry rewards moments, and how he thinks about the next chapter with Tycoon and beyond.
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