Features Reporter
Photo by: Clinton “Buddy” Brown
Every local artist dreams of signing with a record label. For Sly Thabit, also known as Sly Tha Deuce, this recently became reality.
“I just kept doing what I do,” Thabit said. “It’s amazing that people like it. These are my words and my life.”
Thabit sent a song of his to a couple different record companies, one of which was Tate Music Group. His song made it all the way to the vice president of artist recruitment. They called to offer him a contract.
“As of right now, there are three albums on iTunes,” Thabit said. “There is another album that exists on our website.”
Thabit also has a SoundCloud profile where he posts his free music. His main concern right now is to grow his fan base and become known in the world of music.
“I still can’t even believe I have fans,” Thabit said. “That’s the thing about me. I’m secretly famous. If I can expand my base, that’s the next step.”
The best part of growing into more than just an independent artist for Thabit is that he will be able to focus just on the music.
“It’ll be nice not to be an independent,” Thabit said. “I won’t have to learn everything about everything to make it happen.”
Thabit started to develop his talent for music when he was young. He was the kid you saw being made fun of as a child. His defense grew into his passion.
“It [rhyming] was a defense mechanism, like little rhyming jabs,” Thabit said. “Perception is reality, is my true belief. This is my story, this is my life. I hear a melody and I’m just like, this makes me think of that day out in the summer, so I write a song that’s called Summer’s Day.”
Sly Tha Deuce, Thabit’s stage name, is even about relating. His father’s name is also Sly, but when he was born and given the name Sly, he wasn’t given a distinguishing part from his father.
“I needed a way to come up with Sly and still be me,” Thabit said.
His friend Trey came up with his name. At the time, his friend was obsessed with Jordan, so he was all about 23. They went on to perform as Deuce and Trey (deuce in Italian means two or the second).
Even after years of writing his music, Thabit doesn’t know what kind of music he writes.
“I don’t consider this reflective music, or this is hip-hop,” Thabit said. “I mean, after it comes out, somebody else can put it on Pandora and stuff. They can break it down for me.”
Thabit has been writing music for as long as he could remember, but recently his major effort has paid off. Now, he isn’t just a dedicated artist, but a professional.
jkirk@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
Recent Comments