“I’ma go hard for myself, everybody who believed in me & that kid who first had the dream to be the greatest to ever do it.“
North Carolina native TheGrandWy-Z has emerged through the noise with his newly released single “The Brink.” Making his debut in early August, Wy-Z made it a priority to use his experiences as an outlet in music. Growing up in a household surrounded by music, becoming an artist was no surprise to him or his family.
As he continues to grow his discography, Wy-Z has hit the scene with a new heart wrenching hit “The Brink” inspired by going separate ways with a romantic interest.
“This song was inspired by a split with my ex,” he said. “We had the same birthday, so we kinda buttheads a lot and we’re on and off but this time it felt like things was really over.”
The focus track comes in support for his upcoming album Chrome Hearted. This album comes just months after his first album release Hypnotic and with his hustle and drive to win on the forefront, TheGrandWy-Z has a promising musical career ahead of him.
Remixd Magazine was able to catch up the star and learn about his inspirations, upbringing and future projects. Check out the full interview below.
What city are you from/ Where are you based now?
Born in Fayetteville North Carolina. I was raised & currently based a few minutes away in a small town Hope Mills North Carolina. My dream place to live is Las Vegas, Los Angeles & Chicago. I would love to call those cities my 2nd home. Fayetteville/Hope Mills don’t really have the city lights or skyline like those cities do. So I love being out there.
What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?
My Artist Name Is TheGrandWy-Z. My real name is Paul Wyatt Baker. I was named after my grandfather Paul A. Baker. My cousin Adrian was reciting lyrics (I believed to be Ice Cube or Nas) & he said The Grand Wizard. I was already a huge Jay-Z & Wiz Khalifa fan so I made that my PlayStation 3 username at the time & everybody told me the name was hard & unique so I stuck with It. Lucky for me, I have 0 problems having TheGrandWy-Z as my username for anything.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
I’m very versatile & I love doing melodic rap & singing but I make sure I turn it on & really get into my bag when I’m just straight up rapping. I focus on making music that reflects how I feel cause this is my form of venting or therapy. Sometimes that can be a vibe for a late night car ride to clear my mind like my song “Cartier Bracelet”. Or it can be a song that reflects the pain & emptiness I feel in my heart where your just sitting the room on your bed or the floor as the darkness kinda engulfs you. I love making fun music I can enjoy, saying funny stuff in my songs to make me laugh. My music is just a reflection of every mood & every feeling of Paul Wyatt Baker.
What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
My mother always wrote poems that she kept to herself. My dad always made beats which is one major thing she always says they connected on when before they split up. He is actually a indie producer & dropped a album in 2020 called “The Anstract Stream” with a-lot of chill poetic
vibes. My mother used to play his beats around the house when I was a baby before her friend had asked to borrow some discs from her & she ended up saving her music over my dads music on the discs so they all are gone now. I mainly listened to gospel music up until i became a pre-teen. My aunt always put me onto the oldies/classics like Michael Jackson, Stevie wonder & Prince. My mother mainly played Lauryn Hill & Will Smith around me. My cousins Justin, Adrian, Chris & Aaron introduced me to hip hop/rap with 50 Cent, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West CD’s, Drake & Lil Wayne. While Tameka & Asyha Introduced me to the classics Mariah Carey & Aaliyah Dropped.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
My main music influences are Drake, Tupac, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Aaliyah, Jhene Aiko & Michael Jackson. However some of my current day favorites to add onto that list would be A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Big Sean, Amaru Cloud, J.I the prince, PND (Party Next Door) & Kaylee Ameri.
Tell us the name of the project you are currently promoting? What inspired this project?
I am currently promoting my new Song “The Brink”. This song was inspired by a split with my ex. We had the same birthday (May 8) so we kinda buttheads a lot & we’re on and off but this time it felt like things was really over. I feel like the best things are created In the dark or when
your back is against the wall & this song was one of those moments for me. I had originally wanted to save this song for next year but i went into the studio & i was actually on FaceTime with her. & she said I wanna sit on the phone and listen to you record if that don’t make you
nervous. I had no plans on recording “The Brink” until I realized she was gonna be on the phone with me & listening. So I told my engineer “change of plans” we doing The Brink first & I got into the booth & I was singing to her, letting her know how I felt when I thought I lost her for
good. By this time I’ve only had 2 studio sessions at Red Room Studios & the engineer Tev be working all day so he be tired ready to go the second the session is over. But this time at the end of the session at 2AM, he went back to the song the brink after he sent me my files & he
put it on repeat for like 8 times straight. & he was taking his sweet time walking me out cause he was vibing to the song. The second we get to the door he’s like “Yea, that’s the million dollar song”. He asked me about if I was looking to sell it & I heard him out but music was always a
dream of mine so I kept it for myself.
Date that this project dropped or is set to drop?
This single “The Brink” is set to drop on October 13th 2022 at 8 PM PT In celebration of my Dads Birthday on October 14th. This is the first Single/Intro for my upcoming album “Chrome Hearted” which I am currently in the final stages of completing right now. Hope to have a
release date in mind for that soon. I recently dropped my first album HYPNOTIC on August 23rd 2022 & I just wanted to keep pushing. My Dream has always been to be the Greatest rap artist of all time. We only have one life, I’ma go hard for myself, everybody who believed in me & that
kid who first had the dream to be the greatest to ever do it.
What is this project about in your own words?
My first Album Hypnotic was for those who couldn’t see the vision to not only see it but to get Hypnotized. A lot of people told me I should just be a writer for someone else, I wasn’t built for this & that I should just drop 3-5 song EP’s until i get established. But I believe in go hard or go
home. I love music too much, i wanted people to know i was taking this serious by dropping 14 songs & lastly I’m 96’ Established. I feel like the vibes on that album is more than melodic, they are Hypnotic. Hypnotic was also alot of music I’ve wanted to make since I was a kid. This
Chrome Hearted album will be alot more personal. You will learn alot more about me. You will feel a-lot more pain, emptiness & struggles I’ve faced that made me Cold but those experiences is what helped me shine today. I look to capture that in a more of a fall & mainly winter type of
vibe. I will also be Rapping alot more as well.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
I am Most definitely looking forward to working with Samod Wilson (Painting On Purpose) & Debryne Graphics do some of my Single/Album Covers. I have a Song with DJ Chase & another track I will be dropping with TerrellGW. Most def will have a collab EP’s drop with producers
PreezyBeatz, JUSTWILL beats, Dosxx, & Melagne since I already have so many beats from them. & hopefully get some features with local artists such as Julian Argo, Ben Concern, & non local acts such as Malu, Amaru Cloud, Eli Sostre and Kaylee Ameri.I’ll throw in Kanye & A Boogie Wit
Da Hoodie as 2 Hail Mary’s as well. Gotta speak it out into the universe. No dates right now, but stay posted to my Instagram page @TheGrandWyZ, YouTube channel (TheGrandWy-Z, or Snapchat (TheGrandWy-Z) & follow me on all streaming platforms cause I drop music consistently & have a lot of songs in the tuck right now.
What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from this project?
I hope fans learn a couple things… That life is the most balanced thing I know. We were created to create. It’s ok to be yourself. Humans naturally feel all emotions. You feel happiness, you feel sadness, you get mad which provokes you to act a certain way sometimes but that one mood or
that one mistake/narrative doesn’t define you. Always accept, & embrace yourself & who you are. & to always chase your Dreams no matter who said what or when cause your whole life can change in one second. As long as your breathing there is always a chance to do something special & you can always influence or be that spark that impacts the greatest in the next generation.
A Jack of all trades can be a master of none but is better than being a master of one. Try your best, people these days made it seem corny for you to try your best & they hate you for the lil confidence you do have. It’s always cool to try your best, & try new things. We only have one life, don’t treat it like you are going to live again. And God is Great.
