An underrated – and understated – decade-plus rap veteran, Blakchyl's Austin roots date back to her formative years in a youth hip-hop program and exploits with longtime musical group Mindz of a Different Kind.
I point out that she perhaps forgot a key identifier in that last sentence.
"There are some gems in Austin. There's a lot of talent here. I feel like unity is making its way, even though we don't always see it publicly. I do feel there is hope."A crucial part of Blakchyl's story began in October 2007 when she joined the Cipher ATX, a nonprofit organization co-founded by her first mentor, Chris"Gator" Ockletree, and social worker Shannon Sandrea.
"I felt like I was already a hip-hop head, but it was just so different and informative learning more about business and artists," remembers Blakchyl, who was nicknamed T-Fly within the group.
"Before our tour, we talked about not trying to put a certain limit on what we want the group to be," Blakchyl says."[MDK is] always our foundation, it's what we go back to, especially when we're working with kids and expressing where we're at individually. We don't always have to come together and make music. We can do a children's book together.
"That was another way for us to show that unity," she says."Not just Black and brown unity – people from the east and south side can come together, and we've been doing that."Pomegranate "I studied a lot of people, people you wouldn't even expect," she says."From just people singing background for Mariah Carey – getting to know her backup singers. Whitney Houston, studying her ad-libs. Teena Marie. Atlantic Starr. So many random R&B acts."Elevate Network
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