T.A.P is from the city of Cleveland. He grew up on E. 105th & St.Clair where he hustled and first noticed his hunger for music. Son of a R&B band singer and musician, T.A.P's pops has been doing gigs in and all through Ohio and bordering states for over 30 years to present.
It all started in hood ciphers freestyling about hard knock life trials and scuffles to battling other emcees in smoked out school bathrooms and hallways. Back then he was called, "Myke D". Then knowledge became born from his cousin Steve and he then learned.truly, he is Asiatic.
Local celeberties from Cleveland to include Bone Thugs n' Harmony and Mo Thugs came from his same hood, E.105th and St. Clair. Ken Dawg (Mo' Thugs) and T.A.P used to record freestyles on an old Soundesign double tape deck and broken headphones used as a mic in his bedroom. His grandfather (R.I.P) used to always yell at him to cut that shit down. So music has always played a special part in T.A.P's life.
Predominately raised by his grandfather, he always had his uncles and aunts in is ass teaching him these streets so at an early age he was exposed to things most kids shouldn't be. But with no father around and his Moms in school, he had to do him. He hustled and caught probation at 17 yrs old. Dropped out of school and hustled harder. He was placed in a predominately whit school and was fighting everyday. So hustling became a fulltime job. Doing everything from robbing d-boys and pumping grams, he still went to school and got his GED. Till he had enough.T.A.P had to jump states to make his presence known. After collab'n with various crews in Cleveland. From NYC to TX to the west coast he hustled books and magazines door to door while still working on his music. He caught several cases in California and decided to head back to Cleveland. Only to end up joining the army, after a certain "incident" to get out of the state. He was sent to Germany where he set up shop in Vilseck. 5 days in country, T.A.P is already freestyling over a DAS EFX instrumental in a club where he met a local DJ and producer named Courtney.
He was feeling his poetic yet rough style and wanted to work with him and work all the local clubs in talent shows. Murdering emcees in freestyle battles and local talent acts.T.A.P established a foundation in Bavarian Germany. While still in the military, he began hustling again to get his weight up and travel to other bordering countries to tear up the clubs.
1997, through a common source, he hooked up with Mad Rush of 1-Luv Fam based in Nuremberg, Germany. Upon the first meeting, they recorded a track for "Fun Factory", a major label. They didn't do nothin with the track but it left them two only to grow as a fam till this day. Afterwards, T.A.P joined 1-Luv Fam and they began dropping tapes, EP's, and LP's. The first major tour took off in 1999 starting in Prague, Czech. Shows included The Pharcyde, Afrodelics, etc. In 2001, T.A.P went back to the states, upstate NY. He worked a couple local clubs while waiting to get out the military. T.A.P hooked up with a couple producers and emcees in Brooklyn and Syracuse starving just as himself. Nothing came out of it and T.A.P knew he was definitely not getting where he wanted to be. He was moving backwards by the way those cats were working. So he politic'd with a few homies back in Cleveland and that pretty much was the same result. Cats were hungry but not as hungry as T.A.P and couldn't or just didn't want to sacrifice shit or go the distance and work hard and keep they ears to the streets.
Then 9-11 hit and his infantry unit was the first sent to Afghanistan. T.A.P stated " A-yo Sun, I been in many different street wars, gang bangs and shit but all that ain't nuthin' compared to war in them damn mountains, for real-for real." He took some injuries some minor and a couple major where he had serious shoulder surgery. That was his meal ticket on getting out sooner than he was supposed to. Once he got out he went back NYC poly'd and hit Cleveland once more before flying back to NBG. 1-Luv Fam click soldiers all went separate ways beside a few and NooAge Squad was formed. Ill Grill, N.A.T.O(Mad Rush & D.Phunk), B.A.G.I, & Lost Smoke.
T.A.P features on the new released N.A.T.O Debut album, "Twisted World" and performed at N.A.T.O's shows throughout Germany to include NBC and ESPN (World Middleweight Kickboxing Championship). Shows to include Killah Priest, The Pharcyde, Timbo King, R.A. the Rugged, The Automatiks, and other local talent. T.A.P dropped exclusives on mixtapes to include Dj Source "Game Over",DJ Wizzl "Wizattack Vol.3", and DJ Phast new mixtape. He's also featured on Lost Smokes' debut LP "Signs From The Mind" out now Mad Rush, "Rush iz up to something" and Bushi Eye Brows "Eurolife" Classic LP's.
T.A.P hit the ground running. Over 15 years in the game, 8 on a professional level, T.A.P is still putting it down for the streets and holding down his Noo Age Squad and his culture."HIPHOP"
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