Tay Money is a Texas ranch girl turned rapper with incredible confidence, glamour, and bars for days. In 2018 she dropped critically acclaimed “Trappers Delight”, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Coming off a strong 2020, Her song Bussin became a viral sensation last year on Tik Tok, with the sound being used in over 1.7 Million videos, and has more than 11 million views on YouTube.
Tay gave us a taste of what Blockedt would become when she dropped a sequel to her previous hit with Bussin 2.0. featuring fellow hit maker Saweetie. At the very end of 2020 she surprised dropped her album, Blockedt which contains some high profile features from Key Glock, Mulatto, and Saweetie. Blockedt contains some of her best work to date, notable songs being Brat, On Me, and of course Bussin. We caught up with Tay Money right before the new year. See what she had to say below!
Blockedt
I want to congratulate you on the release of Blockdt. This was a surprise album!
I’m really kind of big on like, I wouldn’t exactly say like ‘element of surprise’ but I’m like, you can talk about it or you can be about it and like I just love to put it out and just give them what they want.
When did you start working on Blockedt?
Probably I want to say, like four months ago. I went to Miami and my management had me lock in for like a week to two weeks with just my producer and one of my best friends. He was like, give me a tape. I was like, easy! we just were in Miami catchin vibes. Like you put me in Miami, i’ll go get some good music. Like, how can you go to Miami and not make good music.
What made you decide to put Saweetie on Bussin 2.0.?
Saweetie just DMd me and she said she wanted to be on it. I was like, “Hell yes you can. I’m going to send you an open right now.” She was so nice and it was such a compliment. It was so flattering and it was it was just like an honor to have her on it. I wouldn’t have wanted anybody else on that song.
Do you think we’ll get a Bussin 3?
No, but if y’all make it platinum you’ll get Bussin 3. But I do love it and I will tell you that. When I hear it, I can hear the bass, I can hear the sound before I even hear the words. I’ve been on the street before and I’ve heard it in a car. I was at a club one time and before it came on, I could hear the bass. It was just so crazy. It’s like a magnet for me, I know that it’s coming. It’s so crazy.
What does it take to get blocked by Tay Money?
Don’t try it. Whatever it is don’t try it. My block game is strong. Don’t disrespect me, don’t ignore my feelings. Basically, I want you to treat me how you want to be treated. If you do something that you wouldn’t let me do to you, you’re getting blocked period. Girls or people that just try to get to you. No. You can’t get to me. Blocked, period.
The Tay Money Show
Do you think you’ll do a virtual performance of blocked at some point?
I won’t say no, but I have done a couple. I did a rolling loud one and I actually did one for my homies blog. It’s called The Daily Ooze and it’s out of Dallas. He’s like very in tune with the scene. He does a lot for us. His name’s Roman. And it was great, I mean, it was weird if that makes sense. Like you’re performing for the camera, I do that on my live you know what I’m saying. Something about performing for actual people is a rush that you can’t you cannot duplicate. So I can’t wait to get back to shows. I’m going to show my ass.
What’s your favorite thing about performing?
I like when they’re really, really overwhelming and like they know every every word and then I start giggling. It’s just very unreal. I was in the studio and I created the song and I made it and I liked it, but I didn’t expect someone else to like it as much as I did. Then to see how piped up they are and like, they’re like trying to touch me and like, take pictures of me. It’s such a rush. It’s so moving. The best feeling in the world. One of the best feelings is walking into the place and they take you like this special room and your drinks already made, like here’s a microphone and they put it in your hand and you’re like, oh my God.
The last concert I went to before the pandemic began was when you headlined SOBs and Abby Jasmine opened up.
SOBs was my favorite show, literally my favorite show, I think about it all the time. It was like pre pandemic, like right before everything got really, really bad. It was the most fun one I’ve ever had. I have flashbacks to that all the time.
Is that one of the last shows you did live too?
Yeah I played SOBs and I had one in Chicago and then that was it. I think not even one to two days afterwards.
What is on the Tay Money rider?
The Tay Money writer consists of Crown Royal, Coke, Swisher Sweets, and I started asking for extra cheddar goldfish. And if anyone’s listening and you want to book Tay Money, you now have to have mimosas for me to come.
Tay Money In The Studio
Have you been in the studio a lot?
I have been in the beginning, I was staying put because it was so scary. So I won’t lie to you. In the beginning, I wasn’t in the studio. Then once I got comfortable with certain people, I definitely was in the studio. Dallas is one of my bigger places to make music and Miami is like the place to make music. I sometimes makes some in L.A.. L.A. and Miami are where I made the songs off of Blockd.
Who is your producer?
So he’s been a long time friend and he’s actually his name is Dustin Cavazos and he has been with me my whole journey. He’s been there every step of the way.
Other producers that I’ve noticed that you work with heavy is Bankroll Got It
I love bankroll Got it. They are like, so hospitable. It’s ridiculous. Let me tell you want to go to bankroll studio. You want to have a session with bankroll. The vibes, the way that the studio has set up, they’re professional. They’ve got some of the best working engineers and producers there. It’s like an artist’s dream. If they can get like three or four days locked off with bankroll Gotit, you’re good to go.
Is that what you did?
Yes. I went out to L.A. and I locked in three days with them. Sometimes they’ll send you a pack if you ask for it. I like working in person with them a lot. But of course, send me the beats, ima get on them wherever.
Of course. It’s not only important for rappers/artists to always have their producer go-to producer but also to have a producer that knows their sound.
Yes, absolutely. Like you have a certain sound. I don’t think the my songs all sound alike, but they have a similar vibe, but they don’t sound alike, if that makes sense. The more I get comfortable with people, the more I really let loose in the studio. If I’m really comfortable, I will go in and freestyle or punch in all of it. If I’m not that comfortable, I’m going to sit on the couch, I’m going to write it out and then I’ll go in. I’m getting so comfortable with people, I just feel like I’m right where I need to be.
Everyone who is on blocked is like family to me. It doesn’t get closer than that. I’m just thankful that I have those resources and those connections because that is a big part of my success. Having those resources in those connections and those people that want to help. I remember when I was first starting music, I didn’t really know where to go, who to ask, what studio to go to. It’s all about, who you know and what you know. I’m just really thankful that that’s my team.
Are there any other female artist that you are really fucking with right now that you want to shout out?
There’s lots of girls out. I want to work with Doja Cat. One of my favorites is Sukihana. There’s this girl out of California, her name is Narissa. I like Queen Key. When she reached out to me and sent me the song, I literally recorded it that night it was so hard. There’s these girls named 9ina & Bidney Blood.
I really want to reach out and and work with smaller people. I would’ve wished that somebody would do that that for me. You know what I’m saying? It was kind of hard to get started on the feature roll. Like, either they didn’t want you to be better than them or they just didn’t care. That’s why I have so much respect for Saweetie. You know, she’s huge and for her to reach out and say something like that to me. Like if ever feel like you suck, well now I know I don’t, period.
Are you on Tik Tok?
I thoroughly enjoy Tik Tok. I probably don’t use it as much as I should, but I love to watch the videos. Everything is so entertaining. So if I can join in on those trends I love to do that. I wouldn’t say that Bussin went viral off of just Tik Tok but it definitely gave me longevity and kept me alive during the pandemic. I feel like the pandemic really cost a lot of people, their careers and stuff.
Tay in Texas
Would you say that “Duh” is your catchphrase?
“Duh” Is my catch phrase and when I hear people use it I’m like stop, that’s mine. You know, people say it every day. I am going to capitalize it until the day you no longer know Tay Money.
And it’s your instagram handle
Yes. I thought about getting just the handle Tay Money, but I was like, it has to have the “Duh”.
Are you from Dallas?
I’m from this really small town called Athens. It’s an hour and a half from Dallas, it’s east Texas. I found the Music and found really who I was in Dallas. So I claim both of them. Athens is where I grew up, like I was a kid in Athens. I grew up and I was there probably until like twenty one years old. Then I came to Dallas and started exploring with the music thing. People up here were doing music. And I’m like, we can do that? Like, I’m trying to do that!
Did you grow up on a ranch in Texas?
Yes, that is true. All we had were cattle and dogs, you know, a few cats. But I’m allergic to cats. So they were outside. I would have loved to have had a horse.
Were they like the regular like milk cows or like the Longhorns?
I wish we would have had a longhorn. They were like milk cows, except we didn’t use them for milk. it was kind of like a tax write off. we would sell them at like an auction house or things like that. We had lots of them and my dad would take me to feed them with him and it was so entertaining. So I would actually help my dad load the hay stack. It goes like on a needle and you drive it out and drop it off. And he would call them and they would just come running. I don’t know if you know what a cattle guard is, but like a cattle guard prevents cattle from walking across. Some of ours would walk through them and come into our front yard and like I would walk outside and there would be a cow in my face.
You got a new dog recently!
I did, I miss her so much! She didn’t get to fly with me this trip, but she is to die for. Her name is Moon, and she’s a little chow chow, a little blondie. And she’s so amazing. Like, I think everybody should have chow chow.
Do you feel like Texas has really shaped your sound and how you make music?
Without a doubt. Like everything is so Texas. It’s a culture. It’s a lifestyle and I love it. I’m addicted to Texas music. If you’re from Texas, I’m automatically attracted to your music. It’s definitely a different sound. Meeting people from other places like up north hearing their choice of what they’re going to play in the car versus what I’m going to play. I’m like, you probably won’t like this.
Pandemic
How has been Pandemic been treating you?
Well, you know, I’m really ready to be out of it. I’m still really safe. I’m praying, you know, like healing prayers over everybody. I can say that I went through a pandemic and my kids are not going to believe it. One day I’m gonna be like yo,”for like a whole year and a half, almost two years. We had masks and we couldn’t we couldn’t go do things and we couldn’t have shows. It was just a really crazy time.” But it’s history, and I got to be a part of it, even though it’s not really something to brag about. You know, when my grandparents would tell me stories, I’d be like, no way! And now I’ll get to do that.
Have you been in Texas most of the time or have you done any traveling?
I’ve been split in between Chicago and Dallas. Those are like my two main places. When it first happened, I was in Chicago, so I just stayed put because we were really scared. We didn’t know what was coming next. So I was in Chicago for a big majority of the time. And then I was like, I want to go home to Dallas. So I’ve just been in between those two places. I have had to travel to L.A. and Atlanta and Florida during this for work. I just was super safe. But I was paranoid. You know, I didn’t want just anybody coming around me.
How have you grown since Trapper’s Delight?
The most thing I’ve learned is just life. That probably sounds so crazy. I’ve learned so much just about being a human being and also being a woman. What I want to share with the world and what I don’t want to share with the world, what I want to say and what I don’t want to say. I’ve just really kind of figured out who exactly Tay Money is. I just want to keep being there for the girls who feels like no one’s there for them. That’s really why I started. I was like, no one gets me, like no one understands, there’s no one like me out there. I’m going to do it right. I’ve learned so much, I’ve just learned life.
Interview by Calvin Schneider
