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Subscribe to Sway’s Universe for exclusive interviews! In this inspiring episode of "Sway In The Morning," Grammy-winning gospel artist Tye Tribbett shares his journey of faith, his strict Pentecostal upbringing, the merging of hip-hop and gospel music, and the transformative power of empathy. Tye opens up about his personal challenges, his thoughts on blending culture and kingdom, and how spirituality has shaped his life and music. From his roots in Camden, NJ, to becoming a leader in gospel music, Tye’s story is a testament to resilience and purpose. Tune in for heartfelt moments, reflections on faith, and an in-depth discussion on the role of Christianity in today’s culture. Don’t miss it—watch now and join the conversation! #TyeTribbett #SwayInTheMorning #GospelMusic #HipHop #Empathy #Faith #SwaysUniverse #WeOutsideTour #KingdomCulture
#tytribbett #hip-hopfaith #gospelmusic #culturalfluency #tyetribbett
CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Kirk Franklin Introduces Tye Tribbett
01:33 - Tye Tribbett’s Church Upbringing
06:34 - Finding Solid Ground in Turbulent Times
08:35 - Misrepresentation of the Gospel
10:43 - Kingdom vs. Culture: Hip-Hop in God's Kingdom
17:43 - Empathy Towards Public Figures
19:00 - Understanding Grace for Public Figures
27:11 - Tye Tribbett on Sway in the Morning
29:03 - Handling Criticism: Sway in the Morning Team
33:00 - Criticism Leading to Accountability
38:10 - Caller from Chicago
40:35 - Caller from Atlanta
44:05 - Caller from the Internet
48:30 - Last Caller
49:19 - Tye Tribbett Collaborating with Secular Artists
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
No man, first and foremost man, I want to say thank you.
0:05
Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you, brother. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You are so necessary and you are so
0:10
needed. Wow. And you reaching millions of folks. Wow. That need to hear your testimony.
0:16
Yes, sir. You've been very transparent. Yeah. You've been very devout. Yeah.
0:22
Very committed and um very honest. Wow. In your story. You know, we all we all
0:29
ain't none of us perfect. Come on, brother. None of us. But we could be perfect in our intent.
0:36
Yeah. And I I watch what you do. Good. And I want to say I commend you.
0:41
Wow. Congratulations, brother. And I'm happy to have you in our space. I'm happy to have you in our space. Ty
0:48
Triet is here.
0:53
The multiple time Grammy winner, Ty Triet, is here. Yes sir. The gospel artist Ty Triet is here. The
1:00
songwriter Ty Triet is here. The motivational speaker Ty Triet is here. The husband Ty Triet is here. The
1:07
community leader Ty Tri is here. The performer Ty Tri is here. Give it up for Ty Triet.
1:14
That's the best intro I ever got. Y word. That was the best time man. You want to bring me out on stage. You
1:20
better freestyle intro, man. Kirk wanted to bring me on stage. Worse. It's my turn now.
1:28
What up? Hey man, where you you from? Camden. Camden, New Jersey. Man, stand up. Let's go.
1:33
Philly. Oh, you you sound like a little more up north, though. I am. I'm Jersey City. Okay. Close to New York.
1:39
Oh, yeah. I love it. That's all family, though. How did you grow up? Like, what was your family? Church. Church. My dad was a pastor. Mom
1:45
was like the first lady with the big hat. All that was it. Yeah. Uh small church. Like
1:50
mostly family. Okay. You know, 50 people in there. We in there just getting in there. Everybody, my cousin, I know everybody in the
1:56
church. So, I grew up like dad, very uh strict Pentecostal, like can't do nothing, no earrings, no no no no.
2:03
You're going to hell for everything type vibe. Uh yeah, you know that that type of thing.
2:09
Yeah, that type vibe. So, my my can't even eat candy.
2:17
I rebuke you. I rebuke you candy. All right. Okay. So my dad was when I first came into
2:23
consciousness, my grandmother was actually the pastor. Dad was on the organ killing it. Mom was like the choir
2:30
director. So dad got elevated to pastor and now I'm like, "Oh, you know, it's my turn to
2:36
uh, you know, to take over the keys and stuff like that." My dad taught me how to play the organ and all that stuff. So yeah, so I started playing for the for
2:42
the main service. cuz I became the musical director of the church and they gave me so much freedom and I
2:47
just was I would put like it would be like hymns. Oh god, don't get mad at me y'all. But I would put like
2:54
I would put like like big Yeah. One more chance. The church didn't know what it was if they was rocking.
3:01
They was rocking. A couple of young people was like, "Oh, you going to get in trouble for that?" You know what I mean? So they gave me the musical
3:06
freedom to just be who I was. And I didn't know I was crazy or different until I left the four walls of my, you
3:12
know, familiar church like, "Oh, I'm different. Oh, okay. I'm w Oh, I got energy. I ain't know that. I'm at my family church. They all they know me."
3:18
So, it was an honor. It was good to grow up like that. I'm glad I grew up strict. Let me say that. Let me say
3:25
that. I'm glad. Uh, you know, Tai is crazy. So, I needed extreme boundaries. Uh, you needed that
3:32
balance. I needed that balance. That grounding. That grounding. I really, really, really appreciate it. Now, I would have done it
3:38
another way like I'm doing with my kids now. you can get the same grounding with different ingredients.
3:44
But I'm grateful for that stability, for that foundation of faith because it has kept me through a whole lot of storms
3:51
throughout the rest of my life. I love it, man. You said you said something really interesting and then I'm a father, too. I'm going to come
3:56
back to uh something you said about the upbringing. You said when I came into consciousness.
4:02
Yeah. Yeah. I came into consciousness.
4:08
He was already on the planet. I was on the planet. But when I came into consciousness, yeah,
4:13
that's when you knew God was real. God is real. Like, whoa, life is real.
4:18
God is real. I'm an individual. I'm a self self-awareness awareness of God.
4:24
And like you said, I was already a human in the earth and I was already going into church being exposed to godly
4:29
things consistently. I mean, we had church every day, not just Sunday. So, y'all know about y'all heard about that,
4:35
I'm sure. So, uh, but when I got my when I got my personal
4:41
light, my personal understanding of who who God is and like, whoa, this is real.
4:46
I haven't even developed a relationship yet, but just like, whoa, God is God is God is real. Like, and
4:51
when I came into that space was when my life began to me. How old were you? Uh, 12.
4:58
Little younger than 12. That's interesting because you have been going to church for 12 years. 12 years. But you but you crossed that
5:05
that that you hit that crossroad at 12. Yeah. When I was um 7 years old, my
5:11
auntie Lucy, I always bring her up on this show. We went It's all good though. It's all good. I grew up the rest of Power Lucy Murf.
5:17
Lucy Murf. Lucy Murf. We I came up um in Oakland, California, Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church.
5:22
Okay. And you know, I used to just go Yeah. You know, she was a usher, you know, she
5:28
was a part of all the I used to go for years. And then one year it clicked to me. I I went to her and said,
5:34
"Hey, auntie, I want to be baptized." Whoa. And she went, "Whoa."
5:42
You know, yeah. And then, um, she made me read the Bible again. Okay.
5:47
Um, and then asked me my reasons why. Give me the whole Bible or a verse. I didn't understand what I was, bro. And
5:54
it was New Testament, right? Yeah. The Old Testament. James version. Yeah. Used to scare me. The Old Testament. I
6:00
ain't going to lie. I got you, bro. Yeah. To scare me, right? And and I told her I wanted to be
6:06
saved and I I had to say that to her in order for her to to, you know, uh allow me to do it,
6:13
right? And so that's I always wonder when do people, you know, stop going through the motions
6:19
and start being real to them. You know what I'm saying? Usually, usually life will present an opportunity where you
6:25
have to make you have to make a mental decision like am I going to how am I going to choose to think about this? And
6:30
nine times out of 10, if you have some type of faith grounding, that'll be at least an option.
6:35
Yeah. Like, you know, I mean, I could try this God thing. I remember a Bible verse that said, "Weeping may endure for a night,
6:40
but joy come in the morning." Maybe that's true for me. You know what I mean? When life hits you, that's when you realize what your
6:47
dependency is. And you know what I'm saying? God doesn't enjoy his children suffering.
6:54
But I do know he allows us to experience suffering or things to see what we made of, see what our dependency is, see what
7:00
you gonna run to. You know what I mean? Uh when turbulence hit the hit the plane, you grab something solid.
7:06
Yeah. You don't grab your napkin or spoon. You grab something solid. And so when turbulence hits your life, man, God is
7:12
expecting you to grab him. He's the only solid rock. You know what I mean? What do you run to? Who do I run to?
7:18
I like that. Ty, man. Ty, did you grow up a dancer at all, man? Was you into hip-hop?
7:24
We was not even allowed to listen to circular music, bro. But but how did you know to put biggie
7:29
rhythms and melodies in in the band music? A bad kid. Probably a bad I probably was a bad kid.
7:34
Okay. All right. Since we wasn't allowed to listen to it, but I was musical and I wanted to, you
7:40
know, listen to all types of music, you know, so I would just sneak and listen to like Joe Sample, Weather Report,
7:46
Yellow Jackets, jazz albums. Okay. And then, of course, hip-hop was the was the language of our culture still is to this
7:51
day. So, I wasn't I wasn't alienated from, you know, the language of the culture all in school, all that stuff.
7:57
Even though I wore three-piece suits, I still saw the Tims.
8:03
I saw the Tims in the JS while I adjusted my vest.
8:09
I saw I used to Yo, I used to my suit. Y'all don't understand. Make sure that
8:14
crease was right, boy. I thought every day was Easter to me. Yo, I didn't know what I thought I was going to get
8:19
dressed and they gave it to the guy that wore chaps. You know what I mean? Chaps and polo. I'm like, man, that's he he he
8:25
ain't dressed. He ain't got no tie, no cumber bun, no handkerchief. I should have won best dress, but of course, you
8:30
know, I was churchy. What do you say to Cuz the churchy kids in school uh sometimes got ostracized.
8:37
Oh. And they got ridiculed, right? Yeah. And that happens to this day. The church adults it happens to, right?
8:44
How what would you say to a kid who's standing on their faith and walking a certain path?
8:50
Yeah, that's a good one. I got bullied a lot growing up because of how I I was always a skinny
8:56
black buck tube guy. Always. Always. So, I always got bullied for that. Just a laugh and teased all that stuff.
9:03
Um I would hate substitute teachers cuz you know it's their first time seeing my teeth or seeing my I was like, "Oh no,
9:09
man. I didn't even think of that." Yeah. I think that all the time. I find find ways to hold my mouth when I'm laughing. There's all types of thing
9:14
when you introduce yourself to somebody. It's all these self-conscious indu things that you just automatically adjust to not be teased or
9:21
almost noticed. So that on top of so I have a whole thing called anti-bullying campaign. I
9:27
have a whole philanthropy thing on that. Um that on top of being a young boy with
9:33
faith and and and suits on, you know what I mean? Was hard to deal with. But
9:38
anybody who's dealing with that, I think as you're being taught your faith, you should be taught that it's not
9:45
popular. You understand what I'm saying? As I think we did a we did a misrepresentation of presenting a full
9:51
gospel. Like we just God is on your side. Be saved. Come out of sin. Cool. Not really like, hey, the world is going
9:58
to hate you. They hated Christ. They may hate you. They may persecute you. You might not be have a lot of friends at
10:03
school just because of your faith. just presenting that as a thought option because it's like
10:09
a total culture shock when we get ostracized for believing in God. It's like oh I thought cuz you in your church
10:14
everybody's shouting and running around the church. So when you say God it's like what? So I think we should be taught in our
10:20
churches and stuff like that especially to the youth that listen the culture is not the kingdom. You know what I'm saying? There's a
10:26
difference between kingdom and culture. And sometimes they actually clash. When they clash and you're in the middle of
10:31
it, it is not you personally. It is kingdom versus kingdom, but you're on the winning kingdom side. So,
10:37
the culture, the culture is not the kingdom, bro. So, how does that uh apply to hip-hop?
10:45
And I was hoping you didn't ask that. No. No. 100. Cuz the culture is the voice of
10:50
the culture is hip-hop right now. I believe God redeems or use every voice.
10:56
Okay. Period. I don't think hip-hop cannot be used in the kingdom of God. I mean, we got too many hip-hop voices in gospel
11:04
music and in the kingdom, as you know. We ain't going to name them all, but we already talked about that. I feel like there's a redemptive element
11:11
in hip-hop, meaning even in Bust the Rhymes or anybody who has a voice
11:17
strongly like you was talking about MC Hammer strongly voices their convictions about their faith,
11:23
the power that it'll have, it'll cause disruption because there are powers of darkness that hate the light. We know
11:29
that. Period. You could try You could try to have a good day and smile at somebody at Starbucks. Hey, have a good day. And they just cuz darkness hates
11:37
light. Period. Whether you're talking about Jesus and hiphop or smile and frown, it doesn't matter.
11:43
But if somebody will use their platform to strongly and aggressively speak their
11:49
faith, I think that there could be a a trajectory change. I think that there
11:55
could be at least an awareness like I think we should have more God options,
12:00
more God content. I think when something hit us, we think we think the last hip-hop song we heard
12:06
of Cardi B and I'm not mad at any of I love everybody. Yeah. But if their lyrics would help our
12:12
mental and our emotional health and our faith, the power to me will
12:18
multiply. Yeah. So kingdom and culture should collide in a good way. That's why Jesus
12:25
came because God had his heaven kingdom culture. Thou shalt not. Thou shalt not.
12:31
But it wasn't working with how we living down here. God, we don't know. Abraham messed up. David messed up. Solomon, everybody messing up. Everybody who got
12:37
flesh on is trying to do this kingdom thing in culture. We don't we don't get it. Jesus had to come and be and live both.
12:45
You can still serve God. You're going to have to take all the hits. You're going to have to You're going to have to We
12:50
don't like hits. We don't like uncomfortability. Soon as things don't go our way, we like, "See, I tried it. I
12:56
tried God. I prayed about it." Jesus had to endure. So, he was an example. Not just savior, not just Lord.
13:04
Example. The Bible says he's the first begotten of the dead. In other words, he's the first born that came from death
13:10
to life. Like when we have our awakening and we get saved and we get delivered and set free. Jesus is not just savior
13:16
and lord. He's example. He show he the Bible says he's the way sway.
13:22
Yeah. Oh, that's my first bar. All right. You got it. You got it. Beat on. We got a hyena up in here.
13:31
Please don't. Please don't. I will embarrass everybody in here. All right. All right. But he's not just good and God and God.
13:37
He's the way. Yeah. How do I get this thing together with me and my wife? I don't I don't me and her,
13:44
we not saying Jesus is the way. How do I communicate with my boss or my Jesus is
13:49
the way. How do I get finances for my that's not just read about Jesus? Jesus
13:54
being the way means when I do things like him.
13:59
Yeah. He creates the way for me to communicate with my wife, for me to communicate with my kids, for me to get resources and
14:06
provision and money. When he's the way, it means do it his way and he'll open up that way. We It takes a lot of humility.
14:14
Yeah. Yeah. We don't want to break ourselves down to that point. We we think ourselves like, "Yo, I'm not I'm
14:19
not yo, she know what she did. He know what he said. And bitterness and offense leads instead of the Lord leading."
14:26
This is something I'm learning. Which is why I'm just I'm just like blah blah blah blah blah. Because I'm like, "Lord, you got to help me with me
14:33
because I see the brick wall that my ways lead me to all the time and my I'm
14:38
I'm a little tired. My forehead is getting hurt from bumping into the walls all the time. tired of the bruises of
14:44
Tai's way. So once you get to that point, which is a hard point to get to cuz who who
14:49
thinks problems in their life is because of them? We don't we don't my problem is you. My problem is this government furlow.
14:55
You know what I mean? It ain't me. It's it's something else. When you get to the point where where you
15:02
get take responsibility for what's going on in your life and humble yourself and say, "Let me all
15:08
right. Turn the other cheek." like all we have all the answers. We don't like none of the answers. I heard someone say
15:14
there's no such thing as a not antichrist. What's the uh uh people who don't have no religion at all?
15:20
Agnostic. No, not just that. Atheist. Atheist. They said atheist. It's not that atheists don't believe
15:27
that God exists. They don't like the God that does.
15:32
Oh wow. They hate the God that does exist. It's not that I don't believe God exists, but
15:37
if I admit he exists, then I admit he's right. And if he's right, that means I
15:43
got to adjust to his way. And if I got to adjust to his, I'm not doing all that. So I rather say he don't exist.
15:49
So rather than deal with obedience and the discipline that come and the humility that comes along with God, you understand that it's certain people
15:56
in our lives, we say they're dead to me. So we don't have to deal with feeling empathetic and feeling any connection to
16:03
them. You know what I mean? So, we just say they're dead to me because there's thoughts, there's feelings, there's emotions, there's responsibility,
16:09
there's pressure I feel with that relationship. So, she's dead to me. He's dead to me. They say the same thing
16:15
about God. Because to admit that he's real is to admit that he's Lord.
16:21
He's owner. He's above. He runs all of this. And that's like, hold on. Jesus is
16:27
Lord. You know what I mean? Jesus is King. Kanye was saying that a while ago. It's like to admit that is to like a
16:35
landlord, you know what I mean? If I got a landlord and I'm renting, he really owns the house.
16:40
I'm chilling in it. I'm chilling in his flesh. I'm chilling in his body. But God really own it. So at any point he can say, "Hey,
16:47
exterminator's coming at 3. You need to you need to be Yeah, he can run that how he sees fit cuz he
16:53
owns it. He's Lord and he's Lord." Cuz he built that apartment complex. That's why he's the
16:58
aart. That's why he's Lord. Cuz he created it. And God created us, which is
17:04
why he can claim ownership of us. It ain't narcissism. It ain't a controlling God. It's is it's is it's legit.
17:11
Yeah. If you created it, you can be lorded over it. So that's the part we have I think a lot
17:18
of people have problems with. Not God existing, not God is love, not God is accepting. That Lord, that leader puts
17:25
us in a place that we have to be subjective to him in some way or follow
17:30
him in some way or reap some type of consequence. And people who can't deal with that fact of reality, I don't do
17:37
God. Tai Tribbit is here. We outside tour Kiara too much. No, you're not Mike Todd
17:45
with his transformation worship. He's incredible. Yeah. Um, I look at you, brother, and I and
17:51
and I I think of people like TD Jake. I think of Kirk Franklin. I think of yourself, you know, people who just
17:57
really dedicated themselves to the community and spreading the word, right? Yeah. And then I also look at the the fallout
18:04
y'all receive along the way. Oh my gosh, man. I mean, it's worse than rappers,
18:11
you know, but how how do we you know, and I'm not going to I'm not going to do the division thing. You're you you're
18:18
representing to me, you represent a new wave of I of of of approach.
18:23
Yes, sir. A new way of approach. And even in the church, you know, uh we
18:29
we obviously we speak on it all the time. People can be very judgmental. Yes, sir. Right.
18:34
Yes, sir. This dude ain't perfect. He never claimed to be perfect at all. I'm more Clark Kent than Superman any day.
18:40
Any day. Everybody's had problems. Finance problems, problems in their marriage, problem with their families,
18:46
all this. and you stand up and you get through it, right? But not everybody is honest about it.
18:51
Not everybody is showing it in the public eye. I feel empathy for that. Right.
18:57
Yeah. Yeah. How do we become more empathetic as believers towards those who are out in
19:03
the front lines? Oh, that's good, man. That's good. How do we get more
19:09
empathetic? That's good. Oh, I don't like this question.
19:15
That mean you gota That's mean you're supposed to answer. That's how you know it's good.
19:22
Um uh um um uh you started with the
19:27
vision being crazier than you know the hip-hop sometime. That's because we all human. I want to say that.
19:32
Okay. The common denominator is human. A lot of people say I got church hurting. Church is human. You don't say Starbucks
19:38
hurt. You don't say, you know what I'm saying, car wash hurt or 7-Eleven hurt. Even though you can experience the same
19:44
type of things there. Um, as far as people in uh in in the public eye having more grace for them,
19:50
there is to much is given, much is required, right? A lot of people's gifts got them to a certain place. My gift got
19:57
me to a certain place. The Bible says that your gift will make room for you. My gift was beyond my character at the
20:03
time. My my gift was like for big stages, but my character was really still at small small stages. You know
20:09
what I'm saying? And that's where you can start your grace for the people. Like everybody's
20:14
not like like my mom put me in front of the choir. I didn't never want to be in the front. I already told y'all buck teeth skinny black. I ain't want to be
20:21
in front of nobody. So this whole front man doing interviews with you. Nowhere in my no. I was playing the keys. I was
20:27
if I was the musical director for the Grammys, I made it like Adam Blackstone is my boy. We both
20:32
from Jersey. Jersey. That's my goal, man. That's my ball. He played for me a couple times in the early days before he
20:37
blew up. Gosh. Yes. That's my ball. So, what he's doing was like my goal, like to be producers
20:43
for these big shows and be the main guy for all these shows. So, to do this is way beyond what I could ever be thinking
20:49
of. I'm saying that in light of having grace for people who are in the spot. Like, everybody didn't want to be there.
20:55
Everybody didn't do American Idol. Everybody didn't do Sunday best. Everybody ain't trying to, you know, be be the be the best everything. Some
21:01
people, you know, like Joseph in the Bible, his dad gave him a a robe of many colors. He didn't choose it, but it just
21:07
happened. So have empathy on that. Some people just there because, yo, that's where God got them because they're gifted. Da da
21:13
da da. And I mean, you got to go back to the Bible. Like he who without sin cast the first stone,
21:20
I got you. Yeah. I was wrong. Jake was wrong. Whoever was wrong. Like that's what's up. Whoever else you mentioned, CeCe
21:27
Widers was wrong. She could do no wrong. So let me say her name. and she can do no wrong.
21:32
Hilarious. But she has her But the Bible says, y'all, this this this thing messed me up. This thing messed me up. This thing
21:38
messed me up recently, y'all. It says, "If the righteous scarcely make it in,
21:45
then whoa, what's up with the wicked there?" The righteous, the people that are living and doing right, which the Bible
21:51
admitted that they are righteous, they're still barely going to make it. So, there's something about even the
21:57
most perfect person that God still say, "Nah, you still shouldn't even make it.
22:02
You still you righteous, but there's still something about you that make you barely make it." That's like,
22:08
"Nobody's perfect." So, as far as people in the spotlight, don't put too much light on them. Don't put too much deity
22:15
on them. Don't put too much supernaturalism on them. We We do too much, which is why we fall
22:22
so hard when they fall. You understand what I'm saying? Nope. President Barack
22:27
Obama couldn't be a human for the time he was in the office. His kids couldn't be online cuz they
22:32
Oh, they drink a Sprite. You know that sugar in that sprite is that why that president got them drinking
22:38
high fructose syrup in that stand. So, you understand what I'm saying? There's such a pressure on people in
22:44
leadership because of how we have to see them perfect so we can believe that perfection is possible. Nah, man. We
22:51
have to. That's why our own relationship with God and being led by the spirit will help mitigate
22:57
our admiration of people in the spotlight and then help mitigate our our
23:03
expectation of people in the spotlight because I think the pressure creates the
23:09
problem. Yeah. You got to be tired. You got to be the man. You got Yo, bro. I'm not always quoting scriptures, yo.
23:14
Right. Right. I'm on the show. I'm speaking to a lot of people. My priority is what God wants
23:20
to say because I'm on this. I don't always quote scriptures all all day every day. Y I'm going go to Roscos at
23:25
I'mma try to eat some chicken that fried chicken. Okay. You going to eat that? Put that fried food on your clean body. Look at
23:33
you. See that? That's But that you don't see me doing that. Yeah. Right.
23:38
You don't see me doing that. You just the content that you get from Tai is Joe Holing. I
23:44
ain't never seen a man without a suit. Yeah. Does he have sweatpants? Do he have sneakers?
23:50
Like he is. Do y'all feel me? So that creates him to us. That's Joel. That ain't Joel.
23:58
Right. Chill. If that if the person you see online every if the person you you post
24:04
you online every day. If that ain't really you all day every day, how could you make anybody else that them all? I
24:11
guess y I hope y'all know what I'm saying. If you post every day your lashes and your eyebrows is all done and you know you
24:17
ain't got you know that ain't you all day every day you know you posting your best self right
24:23
how could you give yourself that grace and nobody else that grace I think if anybody thinks of themselves let's just
24:29
say that my sis if anybody just thinks of themselves they will chill on judgment on everybody else if you honest
24:35
with yourself and really think about yourself I try to do that I just got very wronged y'all this yesterday
24:40
morning I got very wrong by somebody very close to me really. And the ninja in me,
24:48
the Jersey ninja in me was first like, "Oh, a word." Yeah. And thank God I was in LA, so so I
24:55
couldn't even I wasn't even home to even flex anything. Uhhuh. But God, you feel me? My sister,
25:00
the fact that you you you normally I'm being real with y'all. I'm being real. I Something triggered you, bro. Yeah.
25:06
It's bad. I'm like, yo, oh word. Yeah. That's the first thing is, oh word. Oh, word. Because the flesh response is
25:13
always first. Yeah. Then I had to just chill out. Thank God I wasn't in I I had to chill out. And
25:20
what happened with me was all right. But you Mhm. I was like, "Yo, God,
25:26
this ain't time for that right now." Like this happened to me. Yeah. But I remember you. I'm not saying
25:31
it's the same thing. It might not even be as bad. But you did that and you lied to your daughter and she All right.
25:37
It's like whoa. This ain't got nothing to do with the lie. This person took my money. You talking about me lying to my,
25:42
you know what I mean? God has a way of mitigating and balancing even emotions. And when you accept what even what, oh,
25:49
I did lie to my daughter that time, it'll help you emotionally deal with the rage that you was dealing with with this
25:55
other situation. So introspection and reflection is health,
26:01
is mental and emotional health. I'm telling y'all, tie tripping, man. Give this man a round
26:08
of applause. cuz I want to play a song off the album. What you going to play off the album? Sweat. All hell. We'll start from the
26:14
beginning. Start from the top. Hello. Nobody. Which one you want to hear? We going to do this since it's already up.
26:19
All right. Turn it up, man. This is like my This is like my parade song. G. God is on the floor. And we all around
26:24
there singing Oh, hell the king. Tie tribute. Shame for five. I will not embarrass myself. I
26:30
almost had He feeling it. You almost had me, bro. I I could tell. You almost had me. You've been thinking about this.
26:36
No, I have. I have. I said if I go on show, I got to freestyle. You've been thinking about this.
26:42
I got like one line. You want to do it, bro? No, I don't want to do it. You got to do it cuz you don't want to do it.
26:48
You got to do it because it's uncomfortable to you. Here you go, sweetheart.
26:53
And then you be the example. I'm not the face they feel. I'm not listening to him, y'all.
26:59
Don't do it. What's the next question? Yo, the next question.
27:06
I I was had I was I was working them almost almost maybe maybe in the next
27:11
couple minutes in a few minutes. Todd, thank you. I don't think we can thank you enough for being here and I got to pull you back
27:17
behind the curtain a little bit because um as we talk about Christ and spirituality and discipline and
27:24
obedience, what I've learned and and Sway and I talk about this a lot off camera um and on Mike too, you know, to
27:31
be intentional. you you have to be intentional and um even with work and the things that we're doing on and off Mike
27:38
and it it it is it's got my mind going. What brings you here? Like what you have
27:43
the opportunity to be at a lot of different platforms in a lot of places. What made you want to come to Sway in
27:49
the morning? This is but this what cuz we've been talking about this since we saw you on the schedule. We were like what? Like he's
27:56
coming here. We were we're thrilled to have you bro. Like I don't know if you understand that. Like we welcome this.
28:03
We welcome you. We welcome your spirit, your energy, everything. But like what are you doing here?
28:09
Houseway. That's what that's what started it. Kanye.
28:16
Thanks. Um I know I I I felt like you said you felt like you met me but I we didn't we
28:21
met. I just felt you. Wow. I really felt you. I said, "Yo, if I get if I can get in a room with him, I know
28:26
we can have a conversation. I'm not intimidated by anything, you know. It's not so different from me.
28:32
So, I wasn't intimidated by anything. I was just excited to get in the room with
28:37
you and not because of anything, but I I just feel you. You know, you think you know somebody cuz you hear them talk all
28:42
the time. And I know I don't really know you, but the part that I do know, I was like, "Oh, I can rock. I can I can rock. We can have a good conversation." That's
28:49
a good dude. So, that's that's what I thought, my sis. You know what I mean? So, and and I feel like we're we're having just that this communication. And I feel
28:56
like besides you trying to, you know, n man strong arm me into a freestyle,
29:03
harassing me, I talk about that for a second. This
29:08
ain't my interview at all, but how are y'all with cuz y'all on on on communications broadcast. How are you
29:14
guys coping or dealing with or do you even think about all the ramifications, boundaries, and
29:21
offenses and you have to say unal alive now instead? How do you feel about all
29:26
all all of the censorship censorship and censorship and tensionship
29:32
from society? Like like we just we playing around junk like all that glucose in the in the in the Sprite. I
29:37
just want a Sprite. Now you harassing me to is harassment. I just asked you to you know what I mean? It's so sensitive
29:43
in the world right now. I almost don't want to talk. So that's the only thing that made me almost not want to come
29:48
here cuz I know when I get here I'm going to be free. I'm going to feel good. And I don't know what I'm going to say. Uh-huh. How do you How do y'all do y'all think
29:55
about it? Yeah, I I I've been doing this along. I'll go first. And I would love for Mike Muse to jump in on this, too, cuz he's
30:02
And Tracy, Trace, I've been on I've been on the radio since 1990. Prior to that, I was an
30:08
artist uh put out music, you know, um with major label, the whole nine. So, through the 90s, I was
30:14
in the public eye speaking to people, and I start receiving um any opinion you had is going to get
30:22
rebutted, right? And and then then people tell you damn if one opinion doesn't align. And then
30:27
when I went to MTV, it just went 100fold. I'm like, people recognize you
30:32
everywhere you go 25 years later. But everything
30:37
um that I asked for, I received, right? Yeah. you know, uh, things that I
30:44
set my mind to do, how I wanted to utilize these platforms and bring worlds together, bring conversation, be able to
30:51
have discourse even with people on opposite ends of the spectrum so we could hear everybody's voices,
30:57
right? All of these things have come to fruition. So, the critique, yeah, the backlash, all of that stuff that
31:04
comes with it, that just comes with it, right? It's going to happen just like you said with
31:10
with Christ with Jesus Christ with yourself. You know, when you when you're on message, like Heather said, and we we
31:17
definitely are intentional in what we're doing here. Yeah. Those things don't affect me, right?
31:23
I'm smart in how I discuss certain things. I I am cognizant of that. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
31:29
But for the most part, the backlash, the critique, those things, we got to keep moving, man. That that
31:35
comes with it, right? I love it. Comes with the territory. Comes with the territory. Nobody said it was going to be a perfect journey.
31:40
Right. Right. Right. You know, nobody said people all going to receive you 100%. Yeah. And it ain't about me.
31:46
Yeah. That's good. Yeah. So when they get at me, I It's like, "Oh, y'all coming? You don't know who you coming against."
31:51
Yeah, man. I love that. Y you want to jump in? I love that. Ty, I think for me, and I've been in the
31:56
industry for some time as well. Um it's important to have folks around you and your team. Ultimately, God is first that
32:05
protects you. I love it. What what Sway has been brilliant at and at the same time very kind and generous
32:12
is lending his protection. He protects his team. I love that. You know, like cuz there are times where
32:18
I'm on a whole opposite end like well he won't say I will and he's like you can't
32:24
say that. I'm like when we stop saying that. Why we can't say that word? What happened? This is what we talk about in
32:30
the hood like you know. So, but somebody has to protect you. And then as a woman,
32:35
being a black woman in this industry, and Sway doesn't have one, but two. And then black women behind the scenes that
32:42
he works with. He protects us. And I think that's very important to make that conscious decision as a man to not just
32:50
protect your team, but specifically the women. I love that. We got No, it's all good, man. I'm
32:55
coming on tour with you. All right. Traas is insane.
33:01
HR HR HR T HR. I I love that you asked this question, Ty, and I love that you're with us. You have
33:07
such a captivating personality and I've just been enjoying Yeah. the whole conversation. Um I agree with everything
33:14
that Heather and Sway said. I think it's good for us in general because it
33:20
raises the bar for accountability. I think for a long time the only requirement in a lot of cases for being
33:26
on the mic was simply being charismatic, simply being entertaining. Um, but today
33:33
you can go further with more emotional intelligence, with empathy that you speak of, you know, with more like
33:41
cultural fluency because we can communicate with so many people via the
33:47
internet. you are going to be learning about so many different people's lives, you know, and I think that helps us to
33:54
be more inclusive and deepens trust and I would say like widens reach, you know,
34:01
because there's so much to be learned about race. There's so much to be learned about um gender identity.
34:08
There's so much to be learned about mental health. A lot of conversations that weren't being had prior are being
34:14
had now, you know, and so there also, to your point earlier, there's grace that
34:19
needs to be extended because we're still learning. People often times just see you on a with a mic and feel like you
34:26
have superiority or you are perfect. You know what I mean? But you're also a
34:31
student and you're allowed to learn while being a broadcaster.
34:38
So, I think there's um a lot of good that can come from it. I love it. I love it.
34:44
Mike, you on um ABC. You on about how many 15 networks you congrat about four
34:50
shows. Three different channels. That's the best I wore in 10th grade, bro. You look good, man.
34:56
I said he had to wear that. And I hate to tell you, Ty, but I did get best dressed.
35:05
I love it. I love it. What's up, Thank Thank you. Thank you for that question. But I do have a question for you after I answer if that's okay. Sway.
35:11
Yes, sir. Um Yes, sir. Yes. I think it's actually harder and I think
35:17
the work is actually much more difficult. Um I think that um in this
35:22
era, you are so easily cancelled. Um and
35:27
in this era now where freedom of speech and the first amendment is under attack.
35:32
um and what your definition of democracy is and what your definition of truth is
35:37
and what your definition of facts are are not the same as the next person's definition of truth and facts
35:44
impartiality. Um and in a space where we are more divisive than other ever in
35:49
political ideology um it is much more difficult uh to speak freely. Um you
35:55
always have to be three steps ahead or almost three words ahead of your sentences. Um you have to think of the
36:01
ramifications that could come if I was to say this. Um now it is um popular and
36:07
acceptable for individuals who have large platforms and I'll leave it at that uh to come at you um and to
36:15
encourage removal. Um and so and then this idea that we always have to be like
36:21
what aboutism right where you always have to say the other side uh and and often time when that other side is not
36:27
applicable um you still have to say that in order to protect your job um because like you said you're imperfect as well
36:35
but we still have mortgages to pay we still have tuition to pay for we still
36:40
have rent to pay for and to know that that could be taken away from me or the ability to do that uh because your first
36:47
amendment looks different than my first amendment. It's challenging and even take politics out of it. Culture um I'll
36:54
look at black people. Black people were not one accord and I love that. But because of that, we're also too very
37:00
critical of each other. Um and culture there is this oppression Olympics and critical Olympics. How can I clap back
37:07
at you the best in the comment section? Um how can I tear you down the most in the comment section? and your black is
37:14
different than my black and my black doesn't define your black and you ain't as black as I would like for you to be black, right? And so there is that
37:20
element at play. Well, then you bring Tik Tok as I rap. You bring Tik Tok into the play now and Tik Tok has two
37:26
different factions. You can get in the algorithm because you hate something. It's you may not even view the product,
37:32
watch the television show, listen to the music, know the artist, but it's cool to hate that entity because that gets you
37:38
more likes, more views, more shares. And so there is this celebration and rewarding of bad behavior and bad
37:44
commentary that gets you likes and algorithm even if you don't believe it. And so truth isn't truth anymore. And so
37:51
it's hard to do that. And then people who don't care about it, they they don't have moral construct, they can say
37:57
whatever because they love to go viral for anything as long as I'm popular and famous. Um and so it's challenging.
38:04
Uh I got it to say the least. Challenging. Um, let me do this and then let me do this real quick because I want
38:10
to uh and then we'll come back with the question, but uh I appreciate all of the responses and thank you for asking us.
38:16
People don't always conversation. Um, but we got callers who've been waiting for a long time and so I want to give
38:23
them an opportunity to talk you talk to you. Ty tribute is here. Let's go to Chicago. We have Jeffrey on the line.
38:30
What up Jeff? What up Jeff? What's going on? How you feeling Jeff? How y'all doing
38:36
today? Great, man. We got Ty up in here, man. What's your question, man? First time calling. First time
38:42
calling. I've been
38:48
welcome, man. Let's go. Hey, welcome to the sermon,
38:55
man. What's up, baby? What up? Following you, man. I've been following you since 1997
39:00
when you did the McDonald's competition, man. Like you and J been so lit.
39:06
Even when y'all came to Chicago, did the Gospel Fest last year, then you came to the Auditorium Theater last year, I was
39:13
in attendance, man. My wife know that there's two artists that I absolutely
39:18
love is you and Balo and today is her birthday. I love
39:25
Yeah, man. Triet, as long as I have y'all two on my Spotify playlist, I'm a
39:30
fool. That's great. We got to do a song together. That's dope. That would be great. Thank you, brother. I appreciate it.
39:36
Definitely, man. So, so like I man, I love your energy. Like when when you
39:41
come to your live show, it's like a worship experience. A worship. Yes, sir. Intentional about
39:47
and it take on a totally different platform. I swear when my mother passed away three years ago, all I could
39:54
remember is like I have no other choice but to trust you. You know what I'm
39:59
saying? Like, hey man, feel that. your your words have really resonated in my
40:04
heart. So that's all I needed to say. Thank you, bro. Condolences. Condolences. Condolences to your uh to
40:10
to you, man. You know, for your family. I just lost my father a couple two months ago as well. So I feel that. I
40:16
feel that for real. So hey, I'll be in Hammond, Indiana, not too far from Chicago. November 8th. We outside tour
40:23
November 8th. See if you can find yourself there, man. I would love to meet you if you can come.
40:29
Absolutely. Love you, man. God bless you, brother. God bless you, man. You're a super citizen, brother. This way in the morning.
40:35
Kirk in Atlanta. We We only got a few minutes. Kirk in Atlanta.
40:40
Hey, what's going on, ATL? What's going on, man? Yo, I'm so I'm so elated to be
40:46
talking to you right now. Tell me real quick. Uh my mom, I I'm a member of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. So, you
40:53
know my pastor, Jamal Bryant. I know y'all talked and everything uh in the past. Uh, tell me about your your
40:59
journey because I knew you before the dreads. And tell me also this new generation, what's going on with the hip
41:06
hop, uh, the gospel. I'm not really feeling it because I came from a Pentecostal church, too. So, I I I'm a
41:13
third generation PK kid. So, let me know what's what's up with that. What you what you
41:18
think about that? Well, you want to know what you think about Christian rap? Christian rap? Yeah. Because I I don't
41:24
really find myself with the spirit. I don't really find myself leading on with that spirit because Kirk Franklin y had
41:31
y'all had saw on yesterday. She said that um you know Kurt Franklin didn't work with nobody. He wouldn't work with
41:37
no other anything outside the gospel. And you know it it just it bothers with
41:42
my spirit when I see Christian rappers. I see the generation. I see what they trying to do.
41:47
But what he said was she was she was the first rapper that he he what was the
41:53
song called? Stomp. Stomp. Yeah. out. She was the first person. And we recently had Miles Minnik, we had John
41:59
Keith, we had um Mike, DJ Mike LV, we had we did a a
42:05
fixture here. Holy smoke. The holy smoke. Yeah. The We had the whole Holy Smoke cipher up here two weeks ago and
42:12
we had them. You should have been in it. I'm saying you could have been in. I'm get my two bars before I leave. My brother, to answer your question though,
42:17
I came up Pentecostal just like you did all that stuff. And I'm doing some of the things that some Pentecostal people
42:23
saying, "Oh, I can't get with that tie. Ty, you're going too far. My earrings, my when I had my hair, my little hip-hop
42:29
stuff, they can't get with." So, I understand where you are in that language. My thing for you, I would I
42:35
would just make sure my heart remains pure. If I was you in in saying, "Okay, I don't understand it. I don't get with
42:41
that. My boundary is I don't do that music." But don't condemn. Don't down talk. Don't cause this the division or
42:48
or strife or why you listen to that or or try to encourage others to get on your page because you could be just not
42:54
understanding something that God is doing. God has done so many things in the Bible that people didn't understand.
43:00
And just cuz we don't understand it doesn't mean it's not him. Somebody could be getting the same breakthrough
43:06
and speaking in tongues and running around the church that you got in 85, they can get it from Lra. You don't.
43:12
It's a different time. It's a different tone now. Today, God is using a different tone. So, I'm not dismissing
43:17
the songs and the ways of the past, but also make sure you don't dismiss what God is doing next. He says, "I'm doing a
43:23
new thing." He says, "Remember not the former things." He said, "Don't even think about how I used to do it." Yo, and when he said remember not the former
43:30
things in that scripture, it's not talking about remember all the toxic things. Remember all the trauma, the bad. No, remember not all the bad stuff.
43:37
No, he's not saying don't remember the bad. Don't remember the success, the great revivals in I'm doing something
43:42
totally different. Mhm. God is too vast for us to get stuck on one way. So I wouldn't talk about
43:48
another way because I don't understand it cuz you could be talking about God.
43:53
Kirk, thank you for your call. I love you and I appreciate you. I understand you. I understand. Okay, Kirk, take care, brother. You're a
43:58
super citizen. Way in the morning. Yeah. Wow. Is everything
44:05
Mike? I want to let Mike and Tracy jump in real quick. We We only got so much time,
44:10
but u Mike, you mind going ahead? Yeah. So um great answers Ty. The question I had for you is what what is
44:16
your thoughts on the role uh that Christianity is now taking almost center stage within political discourse?
44:29
I hate this question as well. That's a great question. Yeah, it's such a f it's such a fine
44:34
it's such a fine line between you know uh I I don't think I'm not a very
44:41
political person. Mhm. I'm very much kingdom, right? Kingdom means led by the spirit, right? I follow
44:49
I try to follow the Lord, follow lead by the spirit. He then guides me to certain, you know, things, affiliations and things like that. The Christians
44:56
getting involved in the politics is it's it's is it's shaky period because
45:01
politics is not based on Christ
45:07
to tie. Politics is not based on Christ. And that's the whole argument. Oh yes,
45:14
love. Love is not in there. Any fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
45:20
meekness, kindness, none of the fruit of the spirit or what God expects out of our lives is in the constitution to to
45:27
me and I'm not that well verssed in all that stuff. I I think the mix needs to be very very sensitive and very very
45:33
careful. I don't think everybody's called to it. I don't think everybody should speak to it publicly because it
45:39
just rages. It just adds fuel to fire. Uh I don't take my platform at my
45:45
church. I'm a pastor as well. Live Church Orlando. Shout out Live Church. I love y'all so much. I don't use my platform to speak
45:51
politics. Um majority because
45:57
my foot is not in in it like that. My foot is not in it like that. I encourage, support, and pray for those
46:03
who are frontlininers in things like that. I'm not a front liner in that. I'm a frontliner in worship, praise, and
46:10
God's way. So, I try to stay on on my side. Not that that don't affect me, and not that what I do don't affect
46:16
politicians, but we are many members and one body. I'm not trying to be the thumb right now. I know the part that I play. But to
46:23
answer your question, what do I think about it? I think is very sketchy and needs to be very because either the
46:30
Christian is going to become more political and and leave the foundation and the and the you know what I mean and
46:36
the convictions or the or the or the foundations of the faith to be more you know hey y'all we need to rally we need
46:43
to we need to and there's nothing wrong with that but I just feel like we lose I I don't know I don't know you said it
46:48
yeah I said it all right cool I don't want to say nothing now you're good man I ain't giving y'all no viral moments viral moment I'm just playing I'm just
46:54
playing It's sticky sticky, bro. It's a very tricky thing and a lot if you don't
46:59
know somebody, if you don't know somebody, if you can't sit and have a conversation with certain people like
47:04
these people in the comment section you was talking about and they just going back and forth and it's people who don't know each other that's triggering each
47:11
other that if they were face to face and had a conversation could probably come to a resolution. So I think that's the
47:17
same thing talking politics over a huge stage with so many people who got so Jesus oh God did not have every
47:24
discussion with everybody. The woman at the well who was sleeping with so many
47:29
men he didn't say over the stage hey he had a personal conversation with her cuz certain stuff I just got it just got to
47:36
be personal. So though I have my convictions and though I have my beliefs everything is not to be broadcasted
47:42
unless it's a conversation. And it seem like I'm just talking to you, Mike, but I know it's thousands upon thousands of
47:47
people listening. So, yeah. So, it's still certain things is just me and you.
47:53
And that's how God leads all of us. Just me and you. And that's how it's going to be when we get to heaven at the throne.
47:59
Just me. I don't care what President such and such did. I don't care what such. Why didn't you listen to what I said? Why didn't you go with what I let?
48:07
That's the conversation I'm trying to keep strong here because that's the same conversation we're going to have there.
48:13
That's my take. Ty trigger. Thank you, Mike, for that question. Thank you, Mike. Good question, man. You tried to stop me, bro. You stopped
48:18
me, bro. Oh, there's no get triggers, man. You done too many interviews.
48:24
Call me grammar school suits. Yo, them grammar school suits. He's still dealing with that sway. Tie trigger.
48:30
Tracy, you want to take us home? Tracy, you going to have a prayer for me for my emotional uh stability?
48:37
We got you, Ty. We got you, Ty. Trigger. Tie triggers. No,
48:42
the alliteration is there. You know what I'm wondering about? There's a lot of people who have um felt burned by the
48:50
church, but they still crave God, right? And so, they embrace the title of
48:56
spirituality more than like religious. And that could be for numerous reasons.
49:01
Some people feel like God transcends pronouns, you know. Um,
49:07
some people feel more drawn to maybe a polytheistic type of religion, maybe
49:13
going back to Euroba, right? Or something like Hinduism. And I know oftent times like Christian artists are
49:19
asked, would they collaborate with a secular artist? But I wonder would you collaborate with someone who had who
49:27
believed in God but through a completely different framing like someone who
49:32
practice Hinduism but there are multiple deities under that package of belief.
49:40
I'm not that ambitious to just want to hit or let me do this with I will be
49:45
down to have a conversation with any anybody who's ahead. I am not intimidated by any any of those things.
49:51
is I I I welcome that. I accept it. Not that I agree with it all. I believe there are many gods, most of them that
49:58
man-made and there are many lords, but he's the Lord. I believe when I when it
50:03
comes to all that, how do we feel about Christ? How do we feel about Jesus? That God, God for the son, that God, the God of
50:09
the moon. Okay. To me, he's the Lord. He's the Lord of lords. So, he runs the
50:14
son. So, I wouldn't pray to the son because I know the God of the sun. I wouldn't pray to such and such cuz I know who the Lord of that. I to me is
50:21
Jesus over everything. So I will have those conversations openly understanding all that all the history and all that. I
50:28
I accept all of that, embrace all of that and with love or have a conversation. My first thing wouldn't be
50:33
a song unless it's like I really like that artist. Unless it's really authentic. I'm just I'm not at the place
50:39
where it's just like, you know, just doing stuff like that. Makes sense. Ty trib. Hey man, how you
50:45
feel, man? Man, I feel like this is home to me, man. Y'all made me feel at home. The New York accent.
50:51
Jersey. My bad. My bad. Oakland. The The New York accent made me feel at home. The triggers made me feel like
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family. So, thank y'all. Okay. No problem, man. Hey, we outside tour featuring Pier.
51:05
I think Bri Chill, too. Bri Chill. That's my girl. Yo, that's your Okay. Okay.
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Man, go to tyriet.com. Get your tickets. We outside.
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We outside. I'll see y'all outside a couple of weeks. You okay? Thank you, brother. Give me a hug.
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Love you, Todd, man. Love you, citizens.