Macc McCray

Kyle McCray, better referred to as Macc McCray, has always had a passion for creating. With a childhood heavily influenced by a love of every art form, from fashion, to music and even food, McCray was inspired to create at a very young age. Growing up in West Orange, New Jersey, his father, a skilled baker and chef, introduced him to his first tastes of old school rap and classic hip-hop and its history. “As a child, [my dad] would have me guess the names and artists of old school rap songs. I would study them and then eventually I got the idea to try to rewrite the songs myself.” As he found his footing, McCray focused on a career in music by writing his own music, rapping, and went on to study audio engineering and production at SAE Institute in NY. He credits his time there to gaining industry experience and later moved on to work on production for a number of artists in New Jersey and beyond including collaborations with the likes of Kaytranada, Quentin Miller, HBO and more.

No stranger to setbacks, McCray says he’s gotten this far by taking everything in stride and not allowing challenges to blur his vision. He credits his successes to learning how to work at his own pace. “My speed is for me, so I try to focus on all my achievements. None of them are lesser than the next.” Among his most recent achievements is the release and success of his 2020 album “Roll the Dice” and recent single “TUNNEL VISION” a 2-minute track packed with McCray’s energy and messages of pushing yourself past your greatest challenges. He ends the song with the mantra “Anything in my way I’ma move it”.

McCray’s music style can be described as honest, relatable storytelling and he prides himself on creating music based only on his own knowledge & experiences. “I want to show especially young people that it’s cool to rap about what we actually know and what others can truly relate to instead of the illusion of someone else’s experiences.” As a grounded creative, he’s also been on a consistent bout of self improvement. Whether he’s working on growing a following, creating and maintaining his clothing business, RichPeopleSleep, another way for him to express everything he stands for. “My message is simple. Hard work wins. That’s pretty much what I stand for and what “RichPeopleSleep” means.” He makes music and clothing for those like him who cannot afford to go to sleep, who stay up in those late hours and put in the work, especially those who do it all on their own.

As a hands-on creative, McCray says that he wanted everything associated with his brand, from music, to apparel, to artwork, to represent his message of hard work and self-sufficiency.His clear perspective allows McCray to be a vessel for creative connection as someone who is not only motivated by his own growth but encourages other creatives where he can. “Sometimes as creatives, we get motivated by seeing others prosper. That’s definitely been the case for me on both sides.” He keeps himself and others going by working closely with other creatives and feeding off of like-minded energy, sharing ideas and creating projects with others. I’ve always been very determined about my craft so “the challenges I face never take me off course.” For some extra motivation and inspiration, follow Macc on social media @MaccMcCray and listen to “Roll the Dice” on all streaming platforms. His clothing is available for sale at the link is his instagram bio and online at www.maccmccray. net/shop.

Photographer: Lacquan Scott www.lacquanscott.design

Artist: @missirissah Brand: @Richpeoplesleep

Photographer: Lacquan Scott www.lacquanscott.design

Artist: Karma www.lovekarmamusic.com