Wyld

Some people are born with a gift to create art. Some are able to perform and command an audience. Others are blessed with the ability to manipulate words into wondrous works. However, few are able to combine all to design a poetic mosaic that becomes a lyrical masterpiece.

Wyld , born Alan Archer, is a natural when it comes to stringing together rhymes to create both riveting stories and head-nodding music. His lexicon, dangerous. His persona, enigmatic. And the capability to take both of those talents to craft art that is entertaining and profound, remarkable. The birth of a wordsmith is no coincidence. With a poet mother, who was also an avid piano player, the narrative of Wyld's childhood was full of expressive prose and classical music training.

With old-school R&B from artistic pioneer’s such as The Jacksons, Ashford & Simpson, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder flowing through his Portsmouth, Virginia home as a child, he received a musical lesson that is rarely obtained in a classroom. Noting the beautiful intricacies in the melody of these early artists gave Wyld the capacity to filter out the fluff and develop his own authentic voice.

Even with this natural faculty to identify with these artists, the self-described “music historian” had no idea that it would be his salvation. With a rowdy reputation that earned him his moniker, Wyld was just a kid hanging on the block with his older brother on a mission to make money by any means necessary. Unfortunately, cash wasn’t the only thing they found; both landed behind bars for their moneymaking exploits.

“Where I come from, it’s easy to feel like you’re trapped and there’s no way out. That doesn’t excuse the things I did, but it does give me the ability to speak from the heart and give examples and warnings of what can happen. Your mind is the trap and sometimes you have to use it to free yourself. I know why I’m doing music and how the platform expresses my journey. I’m trying to free people’s minds through art,” Wyld explained.

Through his stint in jail, Wyld was able to funnel that hunger and energy into what mattered most to him, making music to tell his story. Penning lyrics that often mirror his gritty life, Wyld engages his fans by giving them access to life behind his lens; a journey full of flossy rhymes and true hustler tales. Industry heavyweights and fellow VA-residents such as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes and Grammy Award winning producer Nate “Danja” Hills quickly took notice of the promising MC, giving him a chance to collaborate and create music that easily permeates both the suburbs and the streets. The result? Edgy beats with lyrics that bluntly big-up life on the block while simultaneously disclosing its grim realities.

From engineering to producing and rapping, Wyld has immersed himself in all aspects of the music business; a task he sees as necessary to master his craft. Since relocating to Atlanta in 2007, he has joined forces with many of the city’s most bankable talents including Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman, Marsha Ambrose formerly of Floetry, Clipse, and Junior Reid. He has also worked with several heavy-hitting production teams such as Tha Bizness (Young Money, Lil Wayne) and Da Grindaz (T.I., Jay-Z).

Having worked with Teddy Riley on the engineering side to being signed to super producer Danja’s label N.A.R.S. (New Age Rock Stars) Records, Wyld is now shaking things up with the fiery single “G-Spot,” a party track featuring Gucci Mane that serves a wild but classic 808 beat. An ode to the rapper’s independent grind, he dropped a series of mixtapes dubbed Street Power Volumes 1 and 2, as well as Dope Boy Classic and G-Spot Music all within a 12-month time span. This year he released Street Power 3, an anticipated addition to the existing Street Power series, which included an appearance from rapper Future in the single, “I’m So Hella.”