Life & Work with Tyler Witt of Duluth and Minneapolis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Witt.

Hi Tyler, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Tyler Witt, or “Twitt,” as I am known by my artists and in my artwork. I’m originally from Joliet, Illinois. I went to college at Western Kentucky University and Purdue University. While I work in the music and art industry, my full-time job is being a professional football player. I’m currently a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Previously, I spent some time in Las Vegas playing indoor football for the Vegas Knight Hawks. That’s where Broken Record Music Club originated.

While I was in Vegas, I had no car, few friends, and a ton of time on my hands. I got into the music space because of my artwork mainly. I’m a digital artist and was always trying to promote my work with musicians that may have needed album artwork. I did this primarily on Quadio, an app for college creatives. I saw Quadio offered a free class on starting your own record label. With all my free time, I thought it would be interesting to learn about the music industry while also networking with other artists in the class. Once I got involved in the class, I was enthralled in this side of the music industry. It became something I could see myself doing. With the help of the class, I could officially set up Broken Record Music Club and start working with artists I wanted.

Music has always played an important part in my life, especially during difficult times. Artists like Lil Peep, Juice Wrld, Nirvana, and Zach Bryan have helped me through some of the toughest times in my life. The great thing about music is that it’s an outlet for people. Artists sing or rap about things the average person is going through, and they can relate. Though the music can’t make the pain go away, it makes people feel seen and acknowledge that their problems are valid. I wanted to use this as the driving force for Broken Record Music Club. I prioritize working with artists that are saying something you can feel in your chest. Our motto is “music for whatever you’re going through.” I also want to work with artists that make music that people want to play repeatedly, “breaking the record” if it was a vinyl album (hence the label name).

Once I launched Broken Record Music Club, I began hunting for artists that fit the standards I was looking for. The first artist I signed was Lil Mojave, a hip-hop artist that is a resident of Duluth, MN. Our work in Minnesota has been to promote him and his recent show at The Red Sea In Minneapolis. We are now preparing for some releases Mojave has lined up in the next few months, including a song titled “Fairwell” that will be available on all platforms soon.

Currently, the other artists signed with the label are Supah Sayin, a psychedelic rap artist out of Ft. Worth, TX, and an indie band from suburban Maryland called Anything But Modest. We are preparing for Supah’s first live show in Ft. Worth, and he’s working on his first album with the label. Anything But Modest is working on a few singles before the release of their upcoming album.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
The biggest obstacle I face is my lack of experience in the field. I’m pretty new to the industry, so it has been humbling when I have to acknowledge that I don’t know the answer to something—being able to ask others for help when I need it has been my biggest asset. It also helps that the artists I work with are very open and help each other. It’s a constant group collaborative effort and allows us to share resources to help us all get to where we want to go.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the label owner and manager for the signed artists. I also am a digital artist for label signees. As a label owner, I am responsible for scouting talent and distributing the music of those that sign with us. As a manager, I help the artists with day-to-day things. Mostly, this is marketing. I help artists to market themselves and their work on social media as well as aid in promoting any live performances or new song releases they have coming up. As a digital artist, I create any media artists might need. This can include album artwork, concert posters, animated videos, content schedules, etc.

I am most proud of the collaborative nature of the label. There is no better feeling than knowing the people you’re working with are willing to help each other succeed. No one artist thinks they are bigger than the group itself, and it helps propel all of us to the next level as one. I think the thing that sets the label apart from others the most is the artist’s first approach I take. I want the artists to be comfortable making whatever they want. I signed them because I believe what they make is important for others to hear. It wouldn’t be the same product if I tried to change their creative process or tell them what to write about. The artists take the time to create these beautiful songs for others to enjoy. To take ownership of something that I had no part in is wrong. Additionally, all the artists I work with maintain the rights to their music and ownership of their masters. The artists always come first and will always come first here.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a very curious kid. I liked to create things; I would often draw or build with blocks or Legos; I was also big into sports. I grew up playing baseball and football. When I got into high school, I stuck with football and got into weight lifting. This defined me for a long time. I was in football 24/7. When I got to college, it wasn’t until the junior year that I started to think about life after football. I was stressed out and needed an outlet. That led me back to drawing. I got really into my artwork. During quarantine, I used my art skills to teach myself how to tattoo. I still tattoo to this day. In my final year of college, I received an iPad. My friend DJ Washington is an animator, and he taught me how to use Procreate, a drawing app for the iPad. He taught me how to use it and even taught me how to make animations using it. Once he did, I was hooked. I primarily use my iPad for my artwork to this day.

I’ve always been passionate about music. When I was younger, I got really into old-school rap. As I grew older, I found myself being drawn to music I could relate to. Artists like Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, and Dr. Dre always told a story in their songs, and I loved that about them. Mac Miller, Lil Peep, and Juice Wrld were all artists that talked about hard topics, particularly mental health. As an athlete, you try not to make your emotions evident. Everyone sees you as this person of strength who has no problems because of success on the field. Music was a big coping mechanism for me as I struggled with my mental health. The words these artists sang made my emotions feel valid and helped me get through my most challenging times.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/brokenrecordmusicclub?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=