About

The Emerald City–sky scrapers, mountains, evergreens, overcast skies, and unceasing rain. The Pacific Northwest holds a certain kind of beauty that Nat Tillis has grown accustomed to and has gained a real appreciation for. Considered the Music Mecca for giving birth to musical legends such as Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, the diverse music scene and culture has been influential in the rapper’s eclectic style of music and is very apparent in his raw, gritty, soulful sound, delivery and flow.

Tillis is currently working on a 3-4 track EP, a cross between blues and hip-hop, each song reflecting a part of his journey as he struggled to find purpose amidst adversity. His heart behind this project is to use music as a platform to give God glory and to shed light on His ability to use our struggles to refine us. With a heart for at-risk youth and a passion for music, Tillis is striving to relay his past experiences in order to promote a message of hope and encouragement.

Having lived in Bellingham, Ferndale, and Seattle, WA, Tillis recalls moving a lot, though he spent most of his childhood in Bellingham, a small city located 80 miles north of Seattle. He grew up in a single parent home, and he and his sister were raised by their mother. He recalls the effects of having an absent father as well as the aftermath of his family’s exposure to domestic violence and abuse. Those effects became very apparent early on, as Tillis struggled to stay out of trouble, which led to him attending multiple schools. As a minority, growing up in a low-income home in an affluent community, he felt out of place and struggled to find his niche. Without a lane and lack of purpose, he was headed down a destructive path. He soon began to feel like an imposition as he added more stress to his mother’s plate, as she diligently worked, struggling to make ends meet in order to better their lives. In hindsight, he is thankful for his mother’s faith and indomitable spirit as she never lost hope, working to instill Godly values in their lives.

Although Tillis was introduced to hip-hop in his early adolescence, he began writing poetry first which later transpired into rap. “Initially I started writing as a way to cope. I had all this anger, built up animosity, and resentment with no outlet. We never brought up the past or shared our feelings at home–everything was brushed under the rug. Writing became a way for me to vent; it was almost therapeutic,” he explains. As time went on and he met various local musicians and artists, Tillis began to delve into the hip-hop world. Gleaning bits and pieces from his favorite artists’ and styles, he began to cultivate his own art. With an eclectic taste in music, he grew up listening to anything and everything, deeply rooted in an array of genres such as hip-hop, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, blues, gospel, and soul. However, music that resonates most with him is music that is honest, inspired by artists like Neil Young and Tupac Shakur for their transparency and vulnerability on every track. Tillis too desires to bring that same level of authenticity to his music, as he pours his soul and passion for God into his heart-felt lyrics.

After years of working on music, Tillis is looking forward to seeing his first EP come to fruition. “If I could convey one thing with this project, it’s that no matter our situation, no matter our past, it doesn’t define or determine who we are or who we become. We don’t have to be held to confining expectations. If we find our identity in Christ, He gives us the ability to rise above our circumstances. God transcends all of that.”