“Free’d” By Tyson Crookmind: A Deeply Authentic Album Made in the Streets, for the Streets
LA native Tyson Crookmind writes stories for the streets. In 1999 he found himself in jail for robbery, kidnapping, and later, murder. At only 23, Tyson faced the terrifyingly real possibility of dying in jail. Thankfully, two years ago at the age of 39, he was released and chose to devote his entire life to music. While it was far from ideal, Crookmind wasted no time while being locked up. He used his 16 years in prison to learn from those around him and sharpen his pen game. In an interview with Hip-Hop DX, he spoke on how his writing evolved while in prison:
“I just started writing about shit that was going on around me. Next thing you know, my freestyles sort of fell off and my writing game stepped up. Every day I wrote a song. That’s how that started and evolved.”
Tyson’s early life presented him with a rare perspective on life and a set of deeply authentic stories made to be rapped over grooving g-funk instrumentals. His lyrics are deeply authentic and gives the average American a glimpse into a life they can barley comprehend. On the flip side, his music is primarily played in his neighborhood, giving his peers relatable bops from a source that understands them more than anyone else could. Whatever side of the spectrum you’re on, Tyson Crookmind’s music is impactful and tells a story that needs to be heard.
Last Friday, Tyson dropped his sophomore project Free’d. It is a follow up to last year’s Free The Real which acts as a prequel to this cinematic album. Free’d is an album about resiliency, an album about success, but more than anything, it’s a captivating story that will keep you hooked through all of its twists and turns. Five days after the albums release I was lucky enough to speak to Pusha Rod (A&R of urban music at Interscope) about the new release that he solely spearheaded. When talking about how he went about sequencing the project he made it clear that there was no choice when it came to how the songs were ordered. The album tells a story and the order the songs reside in are the only logical sequence without running into major flow and cohesion issues. The production on the tape perfectly compliments Crookmind’s LA drawl and every instrumental is soaked in South Central swagger.
The project open with “Bounty Jail Bus,” a synth driven cut about riding on the jail bus and all the trouble that can come while on your way to the slammer. While this seems like it could trigger poor memories, it’s actually quite the opposite for Crookmind. He makes these rides out to be more like a chaotic function where anything could happen. According to Crookmind, handcuffs are frequently broken for the sole purpose of attacking another convict. The third track and lead single “Lead The Way” is my favorite song on the album and contains an addicting hook with ascending background vocals that stops listeners in their tracks. Another standout is “Did That” with LA legend G Perico. This track is braggadocios to the max and sounds like a victory lap as Tyson alludes to his underground hit “Keep it Cherry” which dropped last year.
While Tyson Crookmind’s Free’d may not be original, it is real. His anecdotes are personal and you can hear the emotion in his rapping. His voice is a perfect fit for the relentless west coast beats that occupy every track and he seems like a natural successor to the LA underground. While I find it unlikely that Free’d will make any waves on a mainstream level, I can already hear “Lead The Way” and other rattling bangers echoing through the streets of Los Angeles. Tyson Crookmind writes stories for the streets, from the streets.
Best Songs:
Lead the Way (Feat. RJMrLA)
Breathe
Did That (Feat. G Perico)
Rating: 7
Stream the entire project here:
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