JJ Tyson’s path into music started the way most teenagers’ dreams do — with a drum kit at 15 and some high school friends ready to jam. What’s happened since then reads like a rock autobiography that nobody saw coming.

The Pennsylvania native, who proudly notes his home state produced Poison, Halestorm, and Live, spent years drumming for popular local bands before stepping away for two years to write his own material. That break changed everything. When he reconnected with a former bandmate and released “Walk Away,” the song exploded online, racking up over a million views and birthing Black Water Greed.

“The popularity skyrocketed,” Tyson recalls. “Magazine covers, interviews — it all happened fast.” But success brought its own complications. Internal tensions split the band apart, leaving Tyson at a crossroads.

Rather than retreat, he pivoted. Working with producer David Mobley, he created The Tyson-Mobley Project, an album that performed well enough to convince him solo work was the next step. Four solo albums followed: “Back from the Ashes,” “Digital Mine Crime,” “The Other Side of Me,” and his latest, “Cellar Dweller.”

Released August 1st, 2025, “Cellar Dweller” doesn’t pull punches. The 18-track album stretches over an hour, diving into trauma, betrayal, and personal demons with the help of studio band Crosswindz and co-executive producer Mobley. Songs like “Unleash the Rage” and “Haunted Hallways” tackle isolation and survival head-on — no sugarcoating, no easy answers.

But here’s where Tyson’s story gets interesting. While “Cellar Dweller” delivers hard rock intensity, he’s simultaneously working on his second Christian album, “Army of Faith,” due late September, plus a Christmas album featuring 12-14 original songs scheduled for November. It’s a range that would give most artists whiplash.

The reason becomes clear when Tyson talks about his fans. “I write meaningful lyrics that have touched a lot of hearts,” he says. “Hopefully my message can help them cope with issues they may have.” He shares stories of listeners who’ve told him his music helped them through breakups and toxic relationships. One fan said he “wrote her life in five minutes.”

Looking ahead, there’s talk of touring in mid-2026, though for now, the focus remains on perfecting the music. His message to fans mixes rock attitude with spiritual conviction: “I love my hard rock roots but I love my messages I put in my Christian songs, to spread the word of God to the world. This world is falling apart and we need to pull together and love one another.”

His advice for others cuts through the typical music industry noise. “Just do your own thing and what makes you happy — it reflects on your fans, and they are the ones that make you or break you. Stay focused and loyal.” It’s the kind of wisdom you only get from someone who’s watched a band implode at peak success, rebuilt from scratch, and discovered that authenticity matters more than any genre boundary. The guy making rage-filled tracks about personal demons is the same one writing Christmas songs and Christian albums about bringing people together.

What stands out is how he treats fan loyalty as a two-way street. They’re not just consumers — they’re the reason he keeps pushing boundaries between hard rock and worship music, between anger and healing. When someone tells you your song helped them leave a toxic relationship, that changes how you approach your craft. Tyson gets that. He admits it’s been a long road, crediting the right connections and people along the way, but ultimately his message stays consistent: stay true, stay focused, and remember who you’re really making music for.

Fans can find Tyson’s music across platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and connect on Facebook.

Fort Worth’s music scene has always been diverse, but Turo Rose is carving out his own lane with something different entirely. For the past three years, he’s been developing in own unique interpretation of what he calls “chill emo rap” – a sound that prioritizes emotional honesty over the braggadocio that typically dominates hip-hop. The independent artist recently started performing live and is working toward bigger exposure, with a Dallas show coming up in November and an upcoming album called “Demons” set to drop December 2025.

What makes Turo Rose stand out isn’t just his sound, but his motivation. Born and raised in Fort Worth, he’s struggled with his own obstacles over the years, and through music, he aspires to help others get through theirs as well. We caught up with him to talk about his journey, his approach to hip-hop, and what sets his music apart.

How would you describe your music to someone hearing it for the first time?

I’d describe it as chill emo rap. It’s not what you’d expect from most hip-hop coming out of Texas, but that’s kind of the point.

What do you hope listeners get from your music?

I hope they get the emotions from my music and that the vibes help soothe their own negative thoughts. I’ve been through a lot, and if my music can help someone else get through their stuff too, that’s what matters to me.

Was there a moment that made you realize you wanted to take music seriously?

Yeah, there was a point in my life where I felt like I lost everything I built. I was weighing my options in life and I already had a hobby with practicing my vocals and creating beats. After I saw some of my songs were getting high streams compared to other friends of mine that made music, it boosted my confidence up a little bit. That’s when I thought, maybe I can actually do something with this.

What’s the story behind “Message 2 You”?

Message 2 You I created as a farewell to my ex girlfriend. We had spent 7 years together and it was my first time being single since high school. It was rough, man. Writing that song helped me process everything.

How did growing up in Fort Worth shape your mindset as an artist?

There’s many different types of artists in Fort Worth. But when it comes to hip hop/rap, they mostly tell the same stories or rap about the same things. I wanted my music to be different and have a new take. Instead of rapping about guns, drugs, and violence I wanted to be on a more personal level with my audience. That’s just not my story, you know?

What can fans expect from your upcoming album “Demons”?

My newest album will have a more party style, sexual, fun vibe to contrast my older music telling more of a sad feeling. My personal favorite track from the album is called Demons as well which is why I decided to name the album the same. It’s going to show a different side of me.

Final Thoughts

Where authenticity often gets lost in the pursuit of viral moments and industry formulas, Turo Rose represents something refreshingly genuine. His willingness to be vulnerable in a genre that often rewards posturing suggests he understands something many artists miss – that real connection happens when you’re brave enough to tell the truth. While he’s building his career one song at a time, his approach indicates he’s not just chasing trends but creating something that could outlast them. That kind of artistic integrity, combined with his growing streaming numbers, positions him as an artist worth watching in Texas and beyond.

Find Turo Rose on Spotify and Instagram.

When Daniel Hartnett first heard the term “corporate thief” in a Michael Moore documentary during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, he had no idea it would become the foundation of his music career. What started as a casual YouTube channel name has become something much bigger—a go-to spot where struggling hip-hop artists can actually find affordable beats without getting ripped off.

Hartnett’s path to hip-hop production wasn’t conventional. Growing up in Ireland, his mother encouraged him to explore various instruments, from the tin whistle and accordion to keyboards and guitar. At 13, he formed a grunge band with friends, teaching himself guitar and developing what he didn’t yet realize was a natural musical ear.

“I was all about grunge and barely gave any other genre a chance,” Hartnett recalls. Everything changed when his college friend Mike handed him a laptop loaded with FL Studio and introduced him to Kid Cudi’s debut mixtape, “A Kid Named Cudi.”

That single moment completely shifted his musical world. Cudi’s vulnerable, honest approach to hip-hop hit different—it felt genuine in a way that resonated with people his age. Combined with Kanye West’s “808s & Heartbreak,” these influences began reshaping how Hartnett thought about making music.

The switch from acoustic performer to beat maker wasn’t planned. Before long, he was uploading type beats like mainstream rappers, along with trap beats and pop instrumentals, to YouTube under the alias “The Corporatethief Beats.” He’s always been fascinated by stories of white-collar crime—documentaries like American Greed or films like Wall Street really influenced his branding. That’s why you’ll find beat packs and mixtapes on his site with names like Greed I$ Good, Money Never Sleeps, and Anacott Steel.

What gives Hartnett an edge in today’s crowded beat-making world is something many producers don’t have—he can actually play instruments. While most rely entirely on software, his years of playing everything from tin whistle to guitar taught him how melody and harmony actually work.

“Having a musical ear gives me a definite edge,” he explains. “Many beginner producers struggle to tell when a note is off or when two sounds clash. That intuitive understanding has saved me countless hours in the studio.”

His creative process always starts with a concept. Whether it’s a specific mood, an artist he wants to channel, or just a moment he’s trying to capture, Hartnett needs that spark before he can stay focused and inspired.

After teaching himself the basics, Hartnett decided to get serious about his craft. He studied Music Technology at Galway Technical Institute, then moved to Dublin for the Academy of Sound, where he learned proper studio techniques with Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and actual analog equipment. By 2015, he had a four-year Higher Diploma and the technical chops to back up his natural talent.

These days, 99% of his beats happen in Logic Pro—he just loves how it works. When he’s engineering for bands, though, he switches to Pro Tools since that’s what most professional studios expect. Having both skills means he can work on whatever project comes his way.

Here’s where Hartnett saw a real problem: independent artists were getting screwed by beat licensing. Basic leases cost $50-$100, often with confusing contracts and multiple pricing tiers that didn’t make sense. Artists would buy a beat, then discover they needed to pay more for different usage rights.

His answer was Rap Beat Packs—bundles with anywhere from 10 to 150 beats covering trap, boom bap, drill, and pop. Every beat comes with unlimited licensing for one price. No fine print, no upsells, no surprises.

“Producers these days tend to overcomplicate things with five or six different license tiers,” Hartnett notes. “I’ve tried to make everything simple, clear, and affordable for serious artists.”

Beyond making beats, Hartnett has become something of a teacher. His “Rap Lyricist’s Handbook” runs over 250 pages, packed with real advice on writing, recording, and marketing music. It includes QR codes for bonus content and works more like a reference guide than something you’d read straight through.

His website has become the place artists go when they need help—beat packs, production tools, marketing courses, ebooks, and blog posts that actually explain how to get your music heard. It’s designed for artists who want to build real careers, not just chase viral moments.

Hartnett has worked with artists like Kid Berg, Sam May, and Ricky T, plus collaborated with producers like Lazy Rida Beats. His dream team? Kanye West, Kid Cudi, and Drake—the three artists who basically shaped his entire approach to music.

His advice for aspiring creatives gets straight to the point: learn to market yourself, ignore sketchy promo deals, and don’t be ashamed of having a day job. Most importantly, stop obsessing over numbers that don’t matter.

“Stop obsessing over likes, views, and vanity metrics,” Hartnett says. “Focus on making genuine connections and building a fanbase that actually cares about your music. That’s how real growth happens.”

While the hip-hop world keeps changing, Hartnett stays focused on what matters—making quality beats and helping independent artists succeed. He doesn’t get caught up in who’s-the-greatest debates or industry drama.

His real message to struggling artists? “Stay grounded. This industry will test you, especially if you’re selling beats online. Just keep showing up, stay focused, and always keep learning.”

For more information about The Corporatethief Beats and available resources, visit the official website or follow on YouTube and X/Twitter.