#MCM: Marquis Tashawn Taylor
Tashawn Taylor was born and raised in Cambridge MA, listening to various hip hop artists such as Rakim, LL cool J, Kanye West, Run DMC, and Nas. He grew up in an apartment as the middle child of four siblings. While everyone was practicing basketball with his father, Taylor was seeking out other interests from comic book writing to video game design. Around this time, Taylor went through many trials and tribulations that shaped his mindset and emotional stability, from money struggles to being bullied at school and at after school programs. This caused Taylor to develop constant anxiety in crowds, social interactions with peers, and develop a crippling emotional imbalance at a very young age. At the age of 13, Taylor picked up the pen and decided to write his very first 16 bar verse. During his freshman year of high school, he released his debut song “For The Hell of It” under the rap alias TashawnGrey on Soundcloud. During that same year, Taylor released a mix-tape titled “starting from the top” that was only available on CD-ROM. In 2014, Taylor released another project titled “1Life” that consists of 5 songs that includes a remix to the song Pound Cake by Drake and Jay Z. After this release, Taylor attended a program called “The Hip Hop Transformation” through MSYEP (Mayors Summer Youth Employment Program).
The Hip Hop Transformation is a youth program that actively works with students and youth from ages 14–18 to educate them about the history of hip hop, as well as the different forms of hip hop. During the education process, they explore the talents of the participants with deejaying, rapping, singing, poetry, and beyond to prepare them for a showcase event towards the end of the summer. Tashawn, along with The Hip Hop Transformation composed, written, and recorded two albums together: The Transformation (released in 2014) and Say no Mas (released in 2015), which featured artists such as Flash from N.B.S, Latrell James, Fran-P, and many more. Taylor is currently Co-Directing The Hip Hop Transformation and will be assisting the program with music inquiries and outreach events.
Follow Marquis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and his website.
Who Has Been Your Most Influential Mentor?
I think my greatest mentor has been my dad in terms of music. Even though we rarely see eye to eye in most cases, he has always inspired me to take myself more serious and to express myself in a more intellectually appealing way.
How Did You Get To Where You Are Today?
I’m not even sure how I got here to be completely honest. It wasn’t from working harder or smarter than the next artist I’ll tell you that. It all started with me and The Hip Hop Transformation, and from that program I learned how to appreciate the culture of hip hop a lot more and I just give my best work possible without feeling insecure about anything. Then a couple of years later people just stated to gravitate to me. So if I’m here, it’s all due to my appreciation for everything, from the producers to the engineers to the promoters.
Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
I see myself still making music, but on a more professional tip. I’m teaching myself how to play piano and I am brushing up on my songwriting more, so I wish to see myself writing songs for big name artists and then composing music for not only the people in my community, but also the people outside of it as well. 4.
What about this city inspires you?
I think the amount of diversity inspires me the most about Boston. There are so many different types of people in this city and I honestly see myself connecting with all of them. Oh, and the amount of creativity that lives in Boston also inspires me. People are able to express their views in so many different ways, whether it’s by making clothes or by making music, the diversity is so amazing to me. 5.
Boston should be… considered the greatest city ever in terms of talent.
Boston could be… considered the greatest city for aspiring artists.
Boston wants to be… a safe haven for creative minds.
Boston needs to… embrace it’s diversity and realize it’s potential.
