Known for his powerful voice and captivating performances on screen, Tyrese has become a respected, sometimes controversial icon in the entertainment industry. He’s transcended from his voice as a singer to his voice in Hollywood to his voice on social media. While attending last month’s 2023 BET Awards, he delved into his recent viral moment with DJ Vlad, upcoming music with Jeezy and 2 Chainz and unwavering commitment to his craft with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur.
AllHipHop: I’m here with my man Tyrese. What’s good with you, my brother?
Tyrese: I love you, man.
AllHipHop: Yeah, I love you too, bro.
Tyrese: We are in touch. The vibes have always been real over the years, man. I’m just so proud to see you still rocking, Black man.
AllHipHop: Thank you, thank you. Likewise, likewise. So, yo, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask you about that Vlad moment, and I’m calling it what it is because I thought it was a big moment for the culture, quite frankly. Are you able to still talk about that?
Tyrese: Where is he (at the BET 2023 Awards)?
Tyrese: Wow, that’s…we’re at the BET Awards. That’s an interesting question. Yeah, you know, I just think he knows now that you can play that game. But sometimes, you bark up the wrong tree. And, you know what? He knows what it is, and everybody else that’s chimed in. Man, I’ve had the minister tap in. I’ve had every Black man of any influence on all levels, like, “Yo, man, look, don’t let them, you know, don’t let them know I hit you.” But, man, I’m so glad you… Hey, man, listen, I don’t bother nobody, bro. You know what I mean? Like, you know that’s what the hood taught me, man. You don’t go at nobody, don’t bother nobody, you just mind your own business. But, you know, you gotta remind people sometimes.
Man, I really do this, man. And there’s a lot of phone calls I’ve never had to make because I just try my best before we get to that level. Let me just say what I’ma say. But what other level you wanna take it to? You know, I got lawyers at home, they’re bored, man. They’ll shut your life down. You know, I just… I don’t bother nobody, man. Every time Boosie was doing interviews with this goofy man, he was just coming at me. And I’m like, you know what? Those things that are pretty traumatic, actually, bro, you’re talking about… What you never do, man, is you don’t ever talk about a man’s family. And you don’t talk about traumas and things that could put a Black man in a really dark place. You don’t make a mockery of that. I know we do it a lot to each other, but yeah, he ain’t… He ain’t us. He ain’t one of us at all. He’s just a dude that’s worth 10 million, and all of that money in his account came off of the backs of Black culture. And Boosie just did an interview with him. Went to jail. He’s the feds, man. That’s just how I feel. Ain’t even allegedly. I know this for a fact. It’s a fact.
AllHipHop: Alright, well, we gonna move on now. You got some new music coming. You got some new music. Talk about that.
Tyrese: Beautiful Pain. It’s a double album, 20 songs. And if I don’t finish this album by next month, it won’t see 2023. OK, so I’m in the studio, man, and we’re at it. And, you know, I’ve never worked on an album that I consider art.
I do albums, I do videos, I release it, it happens. I’ve never done art or considered an album art. But this joint right here, man, it’s gonna be on the table, and it’s going to be spinning in circles like this slow, on that slow cook.
I’m in the studio, listen, man. I may not feature any of your favorite singers of today, right? I ain’t got none of that for y’all. I’m grown, my voice is deep. I’m 44, I’m turning 45 this year. I don’t want to be like none of you young (people). My hair ain’t gonna be turquoise. I don’t have no homosexual announcements. I ain’t got nothing coming up that’s gonna have me to be a part of anything that is out here currently doing, trying to be relevant.
I’m grown, I’m fly. I look like a black ass Coke bottle right now in 2023. This “Beautiful Pain” album is coming. All I can say to you is you got a lot of options of artists, singers, actors. I have no idea why y’all love me the way you do, but I’m grateful. And I’ve let a lot of y’all down at times, but I hope I never let you down. I’m doing the best I can with what I have every day.
AllHipHop: Yeah, yeah. Can we expect a remix of “I Don’t Think You Ever Loved Me”?
Tyrese: Yeah, the remix is with Jeezy and 2 Chainz. They killed it, man. You know what? We’re gonna play this right now.