What happens when you have an individual who’s a community leader and a rapper? You get an independent song writer and producer who embraces the extreme, freedom and truth. Living by his theme “be brave,” Shyan Selah is breaking in the industry with a brand of music that he can collectively call his own unique style. The Federal Way Washington native Shyan Selah is a young entrepreneur who hustled his way to become an entrepreneur and CEO of Brave New World LLC. The west coast rapper grew up with a taste of all aspects of life from religion to alcohol and drugs.
The 31-year-old left home at the age of fifteen only to become his own self and to find his own unique niche of a music style. Inspired by Prince, Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, Jay-Z, Shyan is a fiend for true stories. The passion of being real and deep led him start The Brave Foundation, his charitable organization. As most artists don’t experience the life of popularity and fame before they come up, Shyan has always stood out and been the popular guy. Concrete City proves that as being one of the theme songs of “True Ballers” One Love 2 DVD. On Concrete City, Shyan shines his light on what’s real.
Shyan tells Fever the story of where he comes from and how he became the artist he is today after 10 years in the game.
What category would you put your music and who is your target audience?
I would put it as definitely hip-hop, soul and a little bit of R&B but not all 100% hip-hop. My main target audience would be anyone who likes the vibe. I’m a vibe kinda cat. I’m sorta like the combo of mainstream and grass roots.
You’re the CEO of Brave New World? Was it an easy task to start up and how did you come up with Brave New World?
The name just kinda came to be in a conversation with one of my boys.
What producers did you work with?
Everything done on this album was done in house. That was on purpose because it’s part of the story. The album is called concrete city. It’s kinda like a survival guide. It’s a summary of what’s been going on throughout the course of the situation. I thought it was necessary to call it Concrete City, I was an original that came from my experience.
In the future do you have aspirations to work with other producers and other artists?
Absolutely. I wanna be able to come in offering something that’s real. I think a lot of people have the high end producers that use the cookie cutter cycle. That’s the beauty of Brave New World is that it keeps me at a stance where when I come the table I have something to offer somebody. I don’t want anybody on the phone saying yo we got 300 grand we need two tracks. I want them to really work.
What’s your mission and purpose to your music?
My mission is freedom and truth. No matter what the issue is, I’m broadcasting it. I feel like I have the right to do so.
Tell me more about the Brave Foundation?
The whole idea of the Brave Foundation is to prevent messages that are comforting with information. I believe we are in an information age so it’d be nice to know what comes with a picture. We would take a beautiful woman she can have an incredible resume, she could have two bachelor degrees, she can have two children, whatever and literally put her in a position of beauty but we’ve attached her resume to it. We just wanna show the realism behind beauty and the information that comes with it. We do the same thing for men also. The Brave Foundation is also set up to give scholarships. I’m a believer of truth. The Brave Foundation shines light on the victim or the victimizer and allows everyone to see what’s really being shown.
What can we expect from Shyan in the future?
A lot of good music, a lot of good artists coming off the label and a lot of honesty. A lot of whatever I feel. I’m gonna be diverse. I’m just gonna be me and I’m gonna constantly tell people this is me and this is what I’m about.
