Tay Dizm Talks Nappy Boy Digital, Working With T-Pain and Fallen Rapper Dolla

Showcasing musical versatility in rap and pop music, T-Pain's artist Tay Dizm is ready to lead the Nappy Boy Digital movement.

Based out of Miami, Tay flexed his range on Akon's "Dream Girl"  record, along with his features on Dolla's "Who The F Is That" and 2 Pistols' "She Got It." Tay recently chopped it up VIBE.com and discussed the advantages of being on Pain's digital label, what to expect from his music, and reflects on late rapper Dolla and what he learned from him.

VIBE: Who is Tay Dizm?

Tay Dizm: Tay is just somebody who likes to have fun. Someone who enjoys making music for the people. I’m a regular person and a real person. I’m just me.

With Nappy Boy being a digital label, do you feel you have an advantage branding yourself as opposed to a regular artist?

Honestly, I do feel like it's super different because the digital world is taking over, and we seen it was taking over back then. So I got put in a situation to go digital. Pain being the genius he is was like 'Tay I got a great idea, lets go digital.'  We started putting it out and it was working, so then we followed up with visuals and kept feeding the people.

What was your craziest moment with T-Pain?

That would be London. We were doing the MOBO awards, and we went on stage to perform. Yung Joc was out there, too. It was such a great performance. We had the crowd going bananas and then at the after party that night we had a big battle, with half of the club against the whole Nappy Boy family. And it was just crazy, we were fighting like warriors. It was kind of fun but it was kind of dangerous.

You’ve been featured on some big records records (2 Pistol’s “She’s Got It,” Dolla’s “Who The F Is That”). Do you feel any pressure to match the success of those records?

I don’t feel no pressure because I’m just doing me. I’m just going make music the way I feel it and the way I love it. And nine times out of ten when you be yourself, you touch thousands of people without even knowing it. The main thing is figuring out the formula, but other than that I don’t feel no pressure because I’m just going to do Tay Dizm.

You’ve collaborated with a couple of big artists, what is your most memorable collaboration?

The most memorable collaboration is what I did with Dolla. We were in the Chevy Shack [Nappy Boy Headquarters] we were just chilling, me and Dolla, and we did a song called “Phone Home” and we were just sitting there talking. And he was just telling me 'Keep working hard, keep doing what you doing,' and I just really seen a different side of Dolla that people didn’t get to see and he was just really encouraging me and really being a friend.

Since his unfortunate passing have you viewed life in the music business differently?

I mean you could be here one day and gone tomorrow. And to do what I got to do to get where I got to go and keep God first. In terms of music, what can people expect next from you? Somebody who has really been putting in overtime working hard. I been putting in a lot of hours. That’s what you can expect, somebody who really went to work. And I’m going to make sure that after my fans hear my music they’re full.

What else should we look out for from you?

I got a song called “I’m Happy.” That one means a lot to me so get ready for that. Its gonna make a lot of people feel real, real good.