Matty

Matty is the stage name of Belgian rapper Maarten Mets. The name is also used by a separate solo project from Matt Tavares, keyboardist in the jazz band BadBadNotGood, but the artist described here is the rapper. He is associated with indie pop, indie, pop and psychedelic tags, though his main output is hip hop.

Background

Matty is raised in Salem-Keizer, Oregon, and first encounters hip hop in middle school, listening to artists including 2Pac, Nelly, Biggie and Mos Def. He starts writing lyrics in high school and turns those ideas into songs.

Recordings and releases

He releases his first EP, Blowin Up, in 2006. It is a low-quality, limited-quantity release recorded in a garage. In 2007 he follows it with the full-length album Where I’m from, which is recorded in a professional studio and includes appearances by local artists The Kid Espi and Amber Rushton. In 2009 he releases The Good Years, a third album that features 2-time world rap champion Illmaculate, Portland rapper Mac Smiff, and local artists The Kid Espi and JG.

Later projects and collaborations

After those albums, Matty releases four smaller projects: three mixtapes titled The NW Standup Mixtape, The Healthy Release Mixtape and The Trending Topics Mixtape, plus a short EP with fellow local artist Payne. He also records more than 50 guest verses for other artists’ albums.

Live work and local scene

Matty performs more than 150 shows from Eugene to Seattle. He appears at music festivals and charity events throughout the Northwest and shares stages with Twista, Braille, Cool Nutz, illmaculate, Grynch, Alphabet Stew, Spaceman, DJ Fatboy, DJ Flip Flop, Luck One, T&E, Deizel P, Living Proof and The Kid Espi, among others.

Online presence

In January 2010 he launches ThisisMatty.com, which he updates with a blog, videos, pictures and show flyers. He is described as building a network within the Northwest hip-hop scene.