Thug Life Army

Ty James

When funk rocker Rick James died in August, many assumed his musical legacy had died with his physical form. But, Rick’s daughter Ty is hoping to carry on the family name in the rap music arena.

“I’ve had music from the first day I was born, of course that’s a given. And then me studying and learning just watching, my peers, and of course people that were a lot older than me, because I had the privilege to be around educated people and music,” she told BET.com. “Today, I don’t think people are as educated as they were back then. By my dad being Rick James, I feel like I have an upper hand, you know of course that’s an honor and privilege.”

Rick James, known as the father of “funk punk,” was in the midst of a comeback when he died in August from a heart attack. James had completed a double album, won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 17th Annual ASCAP Awards and was legendarily parodied by comic Dave Chapelle on his show. 

Incidentally, the 27 year old said she was happy to see her father emerge amid his comeback, but confessed there was still a lot of pain in his life as he battled back from legal problems and drug abuse.

“It hurt then to be just helpless in the matter. I don’t know sometimes it’s like a double-edged sword,” she said. “It was really hard for me, once upon a time, just accepting it and dealing with it. But now [I see it as] my dad has accomplished great things.”

Ty isn’t as well known as her funky father but she has circulated through the music industry for years as a lyricist. Her last post was rapper in the group H.W.A. [Hoes With Attitude], a female act founded by the late Eazy-E.

“I was a member [of H.W.A.] for like six to eight months. One of the group members was actually in my family, and she asked me to do her a favor, and it went on from there. That’s when it was just discovered that, okay, you got the skills and you have a gift,” she said. “This is something that you should pursue, but at the same time there were so much negativity at that time, around that camp. And the result was unfortunate.”

After her tour of duty with H.W.A., she said she was sickened with the music industry. But now she is back to establish her own career.

“It’s street hip-hop, its me. That’s what I want to give on the album just myself that’s what I want people to feel, and hopefully I want people to relate,” she said.

Ty James doesn’t have a release date for her untitled album, but she said she’s recorded with Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, porn star India and others to be announced.

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