Episode 99: Ty Dolla $ign.

One of the only artists to earn TWO diamond records in the last decade, Ty Dolla $ign joins us for a deep, musician-to-musician conversation about a career built on trust, taste, and timeless records.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ty grew up surrounded by live music through his father, musician Tyrone Griffin Sr. of Lakeside, learning instruments at a young age and developing a deep respect for musicianship before fame ever entered the picture. In this interview, Ty breaks down his journey from South Central LA to becoming one of the most trusted collaborators in modern music.

We talk through the early days of Beach House, the breakout impact of “Paranoid” and “Or Nah” with DJ Mustard, and how songwriting and features like “Loyal" and “Psycho” helped shape his rise. Ty reflects on the making of Free TC, the emotional weight behind the album, and carrying his brother with him throughout his career.

Ty opens up about working across genres, collaborating with artists like The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, YG, Wiz Khalifa, Terrace Martin, Kanye, and more. We talk his songwriting and production process, and how he approaches features musically, treating voices like instruments and focusing on frequency, tone, and feel over star power.

We also dive into his role as a label co-founder with EZMNY Records, signing and developing Leon Thomas, and witnessing Leon’s rapid rise from artist development to Grammy-nominated albums (Electric Dusk and Mutt). Ty shares his philosophy on mentorship, artist development, long term friendships, women, and building a label rooted in belief and musicianship.

We get into Vultures, creative collaboration at scale, returning to solo work with Tycoon, and what longevity, growth, and being a “musician first” really mean to him today.

This is an honest, in-depth look at Ty Dolla $ign’s career. The hits, the craft, the relationships, and the long game. I hope you enjoy episode 99. Lets go!!

Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

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