TYLER, Texas — Hip-hop music has found its way into pop culture and on radio stations across the nation. The music genre is celebrating 50 years in August and has even planted roots here in East Texas.
Lufkin-born Christian hip-hop artist Tedashii Anderson, who is known as Tedashii, says his love for music comes from his mom and listening to hip hop in high school. He was raised in East Texas and has memories of his mom as a blues singer.
His music can be found on his YouTube channel where he has accumulated more than 50,000 subscribers. Tedashii said musicians like LL Cool J and UGK truly inspired him to create his own sound with hip-hop.
"Making the music brings a different type of level of energy that I'm excited to explore and experience," Tedashii said. "I started dabbling in music and just kind of messing around."
He says the genre has become so broad that it’s touching subgenres like his. Tedashii said hip-hop music is about expressing your truth -- which for him was his faith in East Texas.
"Being from the south as well as coming from Texas, God is a part of the ecosystem," Tedashii said. "People will respect something religious so I found myself being embraced out of that identity or that idea as well."
Hip-hop music's roots also has ties to Tyler-based radio station, The Blaze.
Program director Dewayne Blaq has been at the station since 2002 and even jokes people say he was born there. When asking Blaq about the evolution of hip-hop music, he says it's been nonstop.
"Right now the women are controlling the charts," Blaq said. "You cannot turn on the radio without hearing a Nicki Minaj, BIA, Latto or someone like that. Back in the day we had Queen Latifas but it was dominated by the LL Cool Js, Run-D.M.Cs and Kool Moe Dees."
He said five years ago, women were not dominating the hip-hop charts like they are today. Blaq also mentioned that the genre has its history of expressing negative ensembles but that's not always the case.
"There's also a lot of good artists out here," Blaq said. "There's been a lot of positive things as well so don't just look at rap as a bad thing. There's a lot of good in it as well."
That message rings on Tedashii's Christian-based lyrics and flow within his music. He continues to make songs about feeling good about life and even taking a look in the mirror for some self reflection. He also plans on celebrating hip-hop’s birthday by sharing the art with his son.
"Now he's a fan, like he's literally saying I just want to hear Eminem and Bone Thugs because I like what they do," Tedashii said. "I'm like, man, that's crazy my son is listening to hip-hop and this is great."
He also wants to honor the music genre by staying true to his roots. Tedashii has since left East Texas and grew as an artist in Houston. He now lives in Georgia where he continues to work on his music.