Bio

Tyson Tyler’s still pretty young – in the way we look at these things, his prodigy-like presence on the mic is shockingly youthful. He’s old though, in MC years – he’s been doing it since the tender age of 13 and his skills have grown from strength to strength in the last few years. After some time on the grind, he’s renamed himself Kron, and feels he’s ready to walk the solo path. “I always felt the support of the people meant so much to me, I wanted to be worthy of that,” he says, explaining his reasons behind the 'Doom’s Day' mixtape, which dropped on October 8th. The mixtape revised all his fans on the path he took in the interim, the transition to an MC worthy of the title “artist”.

Through this artistic flair, Kron moved towards becoming a street journalist and his unique ability to mediate the story of his home without glorifying the “gangsta” image is both admirable, and surprising. “I’m a reporter, I give you knowledge from my observations. And I try and speak to everyone, not just a few people,” he says. From these humble intentions, Kron has managed to carve a communication line uniquely his own. Even more surprising perhaps, are his roots. Half-tongan, half-Fijian but born in Australia, Kron moved to NZ when he was still young and struggled to attain a normal life. It was through this time he made his keenest observations, making the friends and acquaintances he holds dear to this day. His first musical experiences, however, were actually in a rock band in high school, as lead singer! It wasn’t till his 4th form year that he became a fully fledged delinquent MC, wagging school to record at Str8 from the Streetz, a programme run for talented but underprivileged kids. Here his MC career began with Verbal Assasinz, culminating in his first release on record at the astounding age of 15.

And why did he start rapping? Tyson says he felt the narrative of South Auckland was not the reality as he saw it. “It’s not a Dirty South scene, we have more of a New York thing going here. I didn’t think anyone was telling that story properly.” An affiliation to the some of the realest MCs in the country has announced to everyone important that Kron is no wannabe gangsta rapper straight off the production line, but instead a thoughtful, appreciative young man who found his outlet early, to our good luck and benefit. Kron’s style is powerful, fiery, he’s captivated audiences already- his music is for teenagers and older people too. He wants to tell the old school where they’re at in his own words and perception – that’s his respect, he says. But he aims at the younger generation, “That’s who I relate to, that’s the people who know what I’m talking about – I’m just offering my words.” Ask him what he wants his “fans” to know and he surprises again. “I’m not here to sell my image to anyone. People should judge me on the music, not on anything else.” Continual chipping away at this goal, new found levels of maturity and obvious vocal changes that come with age have inspired and acquainted. “Rapping is my voice,” he gushed, ending with “But I don’t want to be a superstar.” He probably won’t have a choice.