Different rap styles can vary from the West Coast to the East Coast, to down South; and in Anchorage, Alaska, rappers like Tayy Tarantino are creating their own unique sound. Tayy Tarantino started singing in the church choir at the age of five. He now regularly opens for big acts coming through Alaska and is working on putting Alaska on the map in the world of hip-hop.
Video and Story by Valerie Kern
Additional footage and music videos provided by Vasco Vea with Bad Agenda
Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.