Cooking It Up with "Since 96"

Stephen Byron,23, also known as “Since 96,” is an Oklahoma native who wants to be known for his creative abilities. 

Byron is majoring in psychology at Langston University where he is established as a well-rounded individual actively participating on campus.  However, outside of school his passion is music.  Currently he is working as a sound engineer and his own musical career as an upcoming artist.  Byron’s artistic endeavors began at an early age while attending a school which required him to play an instrument.  The piano was his first instrument which sadly wasn’t his cup of tea, he then decided to learn to play guitar.  As he grew older being constantly around people with shared interests, he gained some confidence and began making his own music at the age of 16.  Byron began cooking up some heat through the app Garage Band on an iPad.  All it took was one compliment on his music for him to continue grinding them gears.  It was all fun and games until he began attending college, transformed his room into a studio and began producing.

Byron is a guy who likes to keep his distance and not really get out of his shell, for that reason his friends call him “MIA Sway.”  Some of his obstacles are money, making constant updates, and fearing rejection; but I mean who doesn't?  He works hard to get better, he’s a grinder who does everything himself.  Byron brands his own music, designs his own logos, and produces his own beats because he's a believer on not needing to pay others whenever you can do everything yourself.

Byron is a firm believer in creativity and keeping it alive.  He makes his best music by simply living his life and having new experiences.  What makes him so special is that he isn't your typical artist who sticks to one genre. 

“I want to be like Drake who does different types of music, not only hip-hop or R&B,” said Byron. 

Byron is the artist who doesn't just sing lyrics to sing; he wants the listener to feel the lyrics in their soul and be able to relate to it.  His infatuation with beauty is what produces his heart felt lyrics. 

“I find beauty in little things.  Whatever I felt in that moment, I write it down and start making music,” said Byron. 

In his recent release “Purpose” Byron sings about finding his role in life.  “Purpose” features his roommate DP, who Byron describes as a very supportive friend.  Although DP is not an artist but a gamer, he hopped on the track and began spitting straight heat.  The making of the song was made in 30 minutes but wasn’t released until 4 months later. 

Byron states that if he starts crying while writing he knows it’s real and will hit.  One of his most popular songs, “Toxic Relationships” is about his last relationship where he goes into detail about how toxic it was and how you need to just keep it moving.  “Toxic Relationships” is a catchy and soothing song that will get replayed over and over.

Having a good support system is important for Byron.  He admires his mother most because she is one of the smartest and wisest women out there who puts him on game.  Both of his parents support his music journey, but respects them enough not to play his music in front of them due to the explicit content.  Additionally, one of his goals is to be a Christian singer in the future but is currently just riding the wave to see where it takes him.

Byron lives by the quote, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”  He believes life is adaptable, and there is more than one way to do everything and anything. 

To conclude, Byron Is a creator with many talents who wants to be known. Make sure to follow him on all of the social media platforms and tune into his music.

Artist Instagram : @thereal_slickrick

Personal Instagram:

@Stephenb___

Twitter:

@since969