We recently connected with Tyler Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tyler thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

I feel as if I’ve been misunderstood and mischaracterized in almost every aspect of my life I hold valuable enough to recognize such treatment. My career choice, my race and culture, my sexuality, my art styles, the list goes on. Combating it, I walk into situations with an open mind, forgiveness, self-awareness, and direction in the sense that if I want something I will have it and nobody can change my stance upon that. I know, love and invest into myself more than anything that bleeds the same blood as me, so there is no one other than God that can tell me what’s possible and not.

Tyler, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m born and raised in Houston, TX, currently residing in New Orleans, LA after recently graduating from Tulane University with an Economics major. Peers consider me to be quite the renaissance man as I’ve heard. In the scope of my career path, I am an artist, producer (primarily hip-hop and RnB, but have tapped into many other genres, as well), and trumpeter/musician (primarily jazz & RnB). I’ve been making music since I was 14 and a musician since I was 9, and music has been rooted in my family for generations with my Great Grandfather, Prof. Conrad Johnson, being the biggest and first Black Jazz big band director in the state of Texas. Outside of that I cut hair as a business, I like to play basketball and thrift as hobbies, and I’m big into fashion, as well, and quick to overdress for an occasion.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I can give a lot of answers to this, for my list is truly endless, however, I’ll hold to these two key things. 1) My introduction to Loyola University of New Orleans’ music scene. I’ve never been in such a welcoming environment surrounding like-minded and passionate individuals within the same career field as me, and they surely pushed me to my highest limits and have been even better friends and family to me, even though I went to school across the street. Hence, Mynthia, THEE Icon’s, referral landing me here today!
2) Collaborations with different entities of entrepreneurship through the people I hold closest to my heart. D.J. Edgar, also known as Rico Rio, has been my best friend since high school and we are now young black entrepreneurs that feed off of each other and consistently put our mind together to create a reality out of dreams. He owns an LLC named “Ten/18 Productions” and we’ve collaborated through music (we even have a collab tape out called “Me Personally…” on all platforms) and through clothing designs and general motivation and friendship which has all credited our successes.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Following and adding to what people already know and are fetishizing, is the worst hole that I’ve fell into in my career. It was the only time I’ve felt out of touch with my music where it actually felt like just business, for it was since because that’s what I thought the people wanted. I doubled back and learned to be myself, everyone else is already taken, and there’s no easy way to the top for everyone so if you don’t aim too high, then you aim to low.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/mr.dufflebag?fbclid=PAAab2NKV4NB9wIljKri6NwDvcUTnVtaRaqYPqBPcAkWqXurqfAmVVP_kqy6s_aem_Af0NDcQNI5mPg9pADytIh2hYP68UkCBDkuzzvVWTbntQ1OypIx724Tq89VwyNAF7D9g
• Instagram: Mr.dufflebag
• Other: TikTok: mr.dufflebag

Image Credits
Lauryn Alexander Millie Lecesne Amaris