Teddy Walton
Lee V.
Memphis native Travis Walton, also known as Teddy Walton, has had an incredible year. Most recently, he became a Grammy-nominated producer for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s “LOVE.” as well as GoldLink, Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy’s “Crew.” The up-and-coming creative is being heralded by industry insiders as the next great producer, and it’s obvious from his vision and insistence on doing work that has substance that he has a shot at greatness.
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Influenced by artists like Three 6 Mafia and Tame Impala, Walton first gained buzz in the industry by releasing a project in 2012 called EVOL with his brother June. The record made its way around the Internet and soon caught the attention of the likes of Drake and others.
However, a year ago, Walton was dead broke, making beats at home in Missouri — a place he moved to when he was 15 — with no money to his name. Holding true to his ambition and character, Walton kept working and eventually caught the attention of Kendrick Lamar after working with the artist Zacari, who also appears on “LOVE.” His relationship with RCA’s Tunji Balogun would also prove instrumental in landing him a placement with GoldLink for his popular record “Crew.”
When asked about what kept him focused during times of hardship, Walton responded by saying, “for three years straight, I told my self that a lot of stuff that doesn’t make sense, I’m throwing it out. Like madness. After you get mad at somebody, what happens? Nothing. It doesn’t make any sense, I don’t get anything from it.” He added by saying, “I just practice treating people the way I want to be treated. Once I started doing that, things that were bad for me like finances did a 180 overnight.”
Billboard spoke to Walton about growing up in Memphis, making music and what he wants people to pay attention to.
When did you know music was your calling?
I knew it was my calling basically when my brother June and I put out our project EVOL. The reviews it got (Pauses) back then it was so crucial to be on blogs and we didn’t have the PR. We literally just put it on Dat Piff and it was on every blog. It got to the point where my brother got invited to go to the Smoker’s Club Tour. I saw 200 people at once sing his words so I knew then it was real.
Speak about the relationship that you have with your brother and how it was pivotal to your career?
When I started doing music, he was actually in jail. I was just making beats before we did the EVOL project. Now, my work relationship with my brother is so crazy and is at the craziest point right now. It’s like me and brother talk on occasion, but when we do, it’s super serious. It’s on a whole other level where he’s making sure I’m saying something. My brother is an artist, writer, producer, motivational speaker, all that.
He tells me if I’m going to get this far, make sure I’m self-aware. Me and his conversations be about what people want musically. For example, tracks like “Crew” with all of the ’90s vibes, sounds like SWV, [and] TLC. My brother was on that four, five years ago. Me and my brother were putting out those vibes a while ago like that and people liked it.
How did you keep your spirits up when you were broke?
Throughout those three years [after making EVOL] of practicing music and being broke, people who saw me as a good person helped me out. I have a lot of people willing to help me anytime just because of the energy I bring when I come around. It’s priceless to be a good person.
In your opinion, what’s special about “Crew?”
The magic behind “Crew” is really early 2001, 2002 J.Rule and Ashanti, DMX vibe. It’s that feel good vibe without Auto-Tune. It’s bringing the real and the feel good back. I feel like there’s no point in time in the day that you can’t throw that on. You can wake up in the morning or before you go to sleep. It’s a universal vibe. It touches everybody.
What were you thinking about when you were making the beat?
[Laughs] Do you really want to know? I made that beat like four years ago for my homie Tyler from LA. I’ve been working on his album for like five years. The beat was his at first. He lived with my brother in Missouri, I met him there.
How did it make its way to GoldLink?
I sent Tunji the beat. I sent it to him in an email and he had it for a while. He knows what’s up. Even when I first met him, he knew about my brother and I’s project EVOL. He told me I was ahead of my time. He knew what was up. That was a super organic track. I did all of the paperwork for it before I went home for Christmas last year. I thought it was a dope vibe, but it definitely became the people’s choice record.
What made you want to do a project like Mental Health?
I was in a world where I was thinking, how did I get comfortable in less than 24 hours, but at the same time, I was doing the same things. Nothing changed really in my life. I realized money really is a leverage thing. It’s really nothing. It’s some people out here that are super paid and super sad. So, after I got signed, I was thinking if I’m going to do something and spend money or drop music, I’m going to let somebody know something that’s going to help them out.
I get a lot of messages where sometimes I think, “Damn. Did I sign up for this?” But then, I’ll get a message and think, “Whatever I’m going through, I can throw that out the window.” That’s why I named my project Mental Health. My mom also talks to mentally ill people. She works at Boys and Girls Clubs and other places as a social worker in Illinois. She’s back and forth between Memphis and Missouri.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on a short film. It’s about different moods and relates to mental health as well. It’s about being a human and not taking things in life too seriously. It’s real life. It’s going to make you connect with more people.