Photo credit:  Clayton DeLa Chappelle

Nigel Ridgeway aka TREW has a love for DJing that began in grade school when using two tape decks to spin basement parties. TREW’s main aim is to weave a common thread through seemingly disparate genres. Drawing inspiration from the early 1980s NYC art/music world, he believes no genre is off limits and no collaboration too outlandish. Honing his chops with the east-coast Rave & Hip-Hop scenes (Baltimore/DC), it was Chicago’s wealth of musical and architectural history that pulled him westward. “Like most kids back then, I thought ‘Percolator’ was a Baltimore club track. Once I found out the truth, I knew this is where I was meant to be!” he exclaims. Soon after, he quit his corporate job, cashed in the 401k, and invested his life into music.

Since landing in the “Windy City”, TREW has performed or held residencies all across Chicagoland. He’s played stages at West Fest, Spring Awakening, Do Division, Taste of Randolph, and North Coast Music Festival. He has been lucky enough to perform with artists like Snoop Dogg, Mayer Hawthorne, People Under The Stairs, Keys N Krates, Nightmares On Wax, Mint Condition, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Jeremiah Jae, Bobbito, House of Pain, Van Hunt, Jneiro Jarel, Devin the Dude, Bonobo, Cut Chemist, Quantic, Currensy, Afrika Bambaataa, MF Doom, Mos Def and dozens more.

When not DJing, he co-owns Ground Lift Media – a digital marketing company, he’s 1/2 of the DJ/Production duo Altered Tapes, owns and operates Heat Rock Records, and is deep into vinyl excavation, having amassed thousands of rare Soul, Funk, Disco, and Jazz records. This is a hobby/obsession he shares with the world via his Miyagi Records Shop.

GO BANG! Magazine: Where did you grow up and where do you call home?

Trew: I grew up on the east coast, in and around the Baltimore/DC area. But, I’ve lived in Chicago for 23 years (Jordan!) and for a while now, Chicago has felt very much like home.

GO BANG! Magazine: When did you first become interested in the music industry?

Trew: Well, I don’t know that I’ve ever been interested in the ‘industry’ per se, navigating the business and politics side of things, but I’m a 100% fan of making a living from my craft(s)! How I first became interested in music itself is an entirely different story though. The way my Mom tells it, I was heavily into anything musical from a very young age, toddler style. What I remember however, is my first electronic instruments and getting into cassette tapes.

Once I learned you could record onto cassettes, it was over! My debut ‘mix’ was made using songs from the radio. I was a huge fan of ElectroPop 80s and Freestyle – Nu Shooz, Taylor Dayne, The Miami Vice theme (lol), Expose, Giorgio Moroder, Newcleus, Shannon – so that was the vibe for those early mixes. At some point, it wasn’t enough to just listen to the music, or make a mix… I had to do the thing I loved so much.

On that first keyboard, I was a beast playing “Greensleeves” and making weird tracks with the ‘Rhumba’ drum accompaniment. Or replaying the simplest melodies I could figure out from songs like “I Need Love” by LL, and “Lean On Me” by Club Noveau. What really changed the game though was getting my first drum machine…a little Yamaha four-pad electronic thing. I was and am still, a percussion guy and have owned mannnyy different drum machines. That, along with a set of 1200s has been the most consistently present pieces of gear in my studio over the years.

GO BANG! Magazine: Growing up, you liked the sounds of House music and realized that it originated in Chicago. Soon after learning this, you relocated to Chicago. What is it about the sound of House music that attracted you?

Trew: It was good dance music, plain and simple. “Perculator” was my gateway drug because it was constantly played by Baltimore club and Rave DJs. At that point in my music discovering journey, everything was informed by what I was hearing from Rave DJs and on the late shows/college radio. Honestly, I hadn’t even really discovered the depth of Disco yet, so once I got here House started to make much more sense. What I definitely understood is Chicago is a music town. Not as in, everyone enjoys music (although that’s probably true!), but genres are created here. Movements are created here. So, between the allure of House music / DJ culture, and visiting a few times a year for Jazz & Blues Fests, I knew I wanted to be here more than I wanted to be there.

GO BANG! Magazine: As a DJ/Producer, what type of events have you worked and what type of production do you do?

Trew: My production style is as varied as my musical tastes. I’m currently making a lot of Dancehall / Reggaeton influenced remixes of classic Hip-Hop and 90s RnB, and some Steppers too. If there’s a common thread through it all, it’s that I love to use samples.

As far as performing, I’ve worked with artists in most all genres I enjoy. Definitely grateful to be able to perform / produce multi-genre and not be pigeon-holed! To even have the opportunities to be on stage with these folks, I’ve worked my way onto lineups. Let’s see… Bone Thugs. I earned my stripes that night I think. It was at House of Blues, and I was supposed to only be the opening DJ, but the lead-in band decided they wanted to go on early. This boggles my mind to this day. What an opportunity lost! Anyhow, I ended up being direct support for BTNH. Everyone at HoB was already salty about the high drink prices, and was getting impatient… So when the curtains came up and they realize it’s me and not Bone, I knew from that moment I had my work cut out.

Quick side note, if anyone reading this was at the Doom / Mos Def concert at Congress many years ago, you know what the vibe was like before Doom appeared. I remember we were awaiting his truck at the stage door inside the green-rooms. We were hoping he’d show, but also wondering if maybe he’d be the supervillain that night. A local MC had to take the stage next. I’ll always respect Qwel for how he handled himself, getting 4,000 angry Doom fans to come to an almost complete silence and put their focus back on the music. So that night at HoB, I like to think I was able to channel a bit of that Qwel energy.

Everytime the crowd erupted, chanting ‘Bone, Bone Bone!’ I hit them with a track as a reminder of who was on stage. I’ll never forget that night and lesson. My nerves are wrecked, no matter who I’m performing with. The exception was probably People Under the Stairs (RIP Double K). These guys were so utterly genuine about feel-good music and wanting to rock an old-school-vibe Hip-Hop show. It was tough to feel anything but excited about wanting to do the same. Plus, their crowd is easy. They come ready to GO.

GO BANG! Magazine: In addition to being a DJ/Producer, you are also a businessman and an entrepreneur. Can you please tell our readers a little more about your businesses Ground Lift Media, Altered Tapes, Heat Rock Records and Miyagi Record Shop?

Trew: Short version, they’re all related to music. When I moved here, I was the weekend resident at SubT for a good six years. But, as soon as I lost that gig due to the changing neighborhood, I realized I hadn’t put in the proper work building myself, the TREW brand. I should have been putting a value on the party I’d created and the dollars I was bringing in. Most importantly, I hadn’t built strong enough connections with the patrons I’d met during that time. I forgot to make an email list, which is now why that’s the first thing I do whenever beginning a new endeavor. Definitely won’t make that mistake twice.

But anyhow, lesson learned. I dove into marketing and design, because as most DJs know, DJs aren’t just DJs. They’re a 10-person team all-in-one. By working in any one of these roles – promoter, designer, website builder, street team manager, etc – I was able to bring together a decent resume and rep that allowed me to branch off as Ground Lift Media. This is currently my event marketing and brand strategy company. We focus on contracted Street Level marketing these days, but there was a time when we mainly did concert production. Along with my production partner and friend Patrick Grumley (Cold Grums), we produced dozens of large-scale concerts and events over the years. I’m proud to say we did Mayer Hawthorne’s first-ever show in Chicago, which was a sold-out heater of a night at Darkroom.

All my other projects focus around the tangible aspect of music. I release remixes as Altered Tapes with my buddy Marco Jacobo (Maker). Just two years ago, we began an all-remix 45rpm vinyl label which is distributed globally as Heat Rock Records. Most recently, I launched a record shop, Miyagi Records, in the summer of 2020. That’s my baby at the moment and I spend much of my time now digging for vinyl, making road trips, and slapping ads wherever it makes sense. (haha)

GO BANG! Magazine: Recently, you had an event at The Silver Room in the eclectic and trendy Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago. Please recap that event for our readers and explain why it is important to you to support local small businesses.

Trew: This event series was attached to Miyagi Records and came about via a conversation I had with Eric (Williams) at The Silver Room. I recently set roots on the south side with my beautiful and brilliant partner. Part of the reason for moving here was to bring everything that I do culturally, to the south side. Miyagi is still in startup mode and we setup shop at our pop-up and wherever else that will host us.

I’d always admired Eric’s work as a community business. He was the first person I’d hoped to work with in Hyde Park. The Record Store Day series ended up being a happy coincidence since we both wanted to produce something cool for the celebration. So over the course of two events, we hosted 10 DJs, two live performances, and eight local, indie record dealers. The overall goal was to bring some light to these sellers and give people live music again! I’d say it worked.

Well enough that we’ve expanded the event into the Chicago Vinyl Connection. This is technically a record show, but it’s more about bringing together the vinyl-loving community in Chicago. My production partner on this one is Grant Crusor of South Rhodes Records. This was another happy coincidence. We both wanted to fill a void in the world of record shows. To give businesses help they need, while also bringing a community together.

To finally answer your question, I support local and small because that’s who need it and that’s also who I am. What Miyagi is. Chicago is a big city, and the south side is whole world. We need all the help we can get!

GO BANG! Magazine: GO BANG! Magazine see’s that you like a wide variety of music genres including Rave, Hip Hop, Soul, Funk, Disco, Jazz and House. On an average night, when you’re trying to chill, what songs would most likely be found on your playlist?

Trew: When I’m at home just listening to records, it’s all about Jazz. I’m a big fan of 60s Soul Jazz stuff and 70s Fusion. I was introduced to Jazz via reading cassette tape liner notes, looking at which songs were sampled. Then a good friend gave me Herbie Hancock’s ‘Headhunters’ album. Things just got out of hand from that point. 70s Spiritual Jazz is my all-time chill soundtrack though. Stuff like Alice Coltrane, Nathan Davis, Phil Cohran, or The Awakening. But most importantly, New Jack Swing & 80s/90s Slow Jams will always make an appearance at some point!

GO BANG! Magazine: Being a DJ/Producer, you have a musical style / sound that identifies you. How would you describe your sound, as far as a DJ and producer?

Trew: As I mentioned before, I’m big into sampling. So that definitely influences my sound. But if I had to describe it as a whole, I’m just trying to make soulful music with dope drum programming, except when I make Drum and Bass. That’s 100% me trying to work out some feelings. Most everything I made last year was Drum and Bass or related.

Nowadays, I’m channeling Island vibes because my band Guayabera Unlimited has been on hiatus since Covid, and the Islands are where I’d rather be this winter.

GO BANG! Magazine: If you were not involved in music, what would you be doing?

Trew: I’ve thought about this in depth many times over the years. I even thought about it this weekend. The answer is always: I have no idea. This is it. I’ve tried working in my other passions (Engineering, Architecture, and Interior Design) but they all felt like jobs. And without fail, while working these jobs, I constantly had music on my mind. It’s the one thing I’m able to do, day in day out. No question, and so far, it’s been great. I’ve seen the world, met and worked with some amazing talents, and have found a way to make feeding my record collecting addiction a full time thing 🙂

GO BANG! Magazine: COVID 19 has hit the world hard. How has it affected you and how are you dealing with it.

Trew: Well, outside of the bigger lessons about humanity I’ve learned, it basically killed my performance schedule and tour plans for 2020. But on the flip, it finally gave me the time and space to focus on launching Miyagi Records and doing more A&R work for Heat Rock Records. That’s where I’m seeing my future. I still love to perform, but I’m more particular now and only do it when the gig is right. I don’t see that changing once things actually return to a state of normalcy.

I feel that Arts & Culture has helped and is still helping save the world during the pandemic, when they are one of the most affected industries. Also, I think this is only one of many trials to come for the world. I want to be prepared to do all I can to help where I can. So overall, I’d say Covid has made me more focused and ready for action.

You can follow Trew on ALL social media platforms @trew3000



Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, and on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.

Photo credit:  Kevin Corbett

Songwriter, Producer, Vocal Arranger/Producer, Recording/Mixing Engineer, Videographer, and Visionary are a few of the hats Tyrone Corbett wears to accomplish his goals in the entertainment industry.

He studied Commercial Music at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va. and has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years.

Tyrone has worked with artists from DK Khaled and Diddy’s TV show, The Four, ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’; artists signed to Wyclef Jean, Kay Gee (Naughty by Nature) and Diddy’s ‘Making the Band’, as well as artists signed to Clive Davis’ J Records, Bad Boy and Def Jam. His work has attracted the attention of record executive, Vince Herbert; producer, Daryl Simmons; legendary songwriter, Carole Bayer Sager; and super producer, David Foster.

In 2020, Mr. Corbett pitched songs to a variety of well-known artists including Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Chris Brown, Brandy, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Kem and Joe.

“As a singer, I’ve had the great opportunity to work with some of the industry’s top Jazz and R&B artists”, says Tyrone. The list of esteemed artists includes Will Downing, Gerald Albright, Lalah Hathaway, Onaje Allan Gumbs and many others. With these veteran artists, he’s toured nationally and internationally.
Additionally, Tyron has developed a unique ability to work in all genres of music and has a diverse catalog of songs, including releases in R&B, Pop, Gospel, Jazz and Country. His discography includes having worked on a #1 Billboard R&B/Hip Hop album as an engineer, while also providing background vocals on a Grammy winning Folk album.

“I am passionate about music and the artists I work with.” “Music is my life!”

GO BANG! Magazine: Where were you born and raised?

Tyrone Corbett: Richmond, VA

GO BANG! Magazine: How did you first get started in the entertainment industry?

Tyrone Corbett: My father use to take my brother and I out and stand us on a shoebox to sing as an opening for his community work in activism.

GO BANG! Magazine: When did you get that first “big break” in the industry, where you had an opportunity unlike any other before, up until that point? Please describe it and how you felt.

Tyrone Corbett: My first professional break started during my collegiate tenure as I had a band that opened for artists like MTUME, Miles Jaye, The SOS Band and others. It was an exciting time to be able to share the stage with those I had revered.

Several other big breaks came along my musical journey. As a background singer, working alongside Gerald Albright, Lalah Hathaway, Norman Brown, Will Downing, Phil Perry and others was another milestone for me.

Later on, being invited to LA to meet songwriting legend, Carole Bayer Sager (Burt Bacharach, Marvin Hamlisch) and super producer, David Foster (Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Toni Braxton) was an incredible milestone as well. As a result of my relationship with Carole and David, I was introduced to Babyface and Daryl Simmons.

As a songwriter, having Lady Gaga record one of my songs has been the absolute highlight of my career, but getting a song recorded is still not the same as getting a placement. There are many factors that are out of the songwriter’s hands, but cutting through circles that big is still an incredible achievement. My fingers remain crossed that the song gets released as I’m not looking for the moral victory. 😉

GO BANG! Magazine: You’ve worked with several famous artists over the years. Is there any artist that you would love to work with, that you haven’t as of yet?

Tyrone Corbett: I’ve worked artists signed to Clive Davis, Wyclef Jean, Kay Gee (Naught by Nature), as well as artists who were on American Idol, The Voice and Diddy & DJ Kaled’s tv show, The Four, Ali Caldwell, Anwar Robinson and “Big” Mike Lynche are a few of the artists I’ve worked with.

As a songwriter with an eclectic body of work and large catalog of music, I have songs I’m shopping for artists like Arianna Grande, Beyonce, as well as Andrea Boccelli, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber and others. My work covers R&B, Pop, Gospel, Country and Jazz. I’m always swinging for the fences, so any (and all) of those above are on my radar for song placement.

GO BANG! Magazine: Being a multi-talented artist, you are a songwriter, producer, vocal arranger/producer, recording/mixing engineer, videographer and visionary. Of all of the talents and skills that you possess, which do you enjoy doing the most, and why?

Tyrone Corbett: I really enjoy everything about creative process as a whole, so wearing all of those hats are actually exciting and enticing to me, but I think songwriting still sits atop the list as I love telling a story and seeing how it is related to by the listener. I love taking the listener on a journey.

GO BANG! Magazine: The music industry is totally different now, as far as the type of music that is popular and the stars that are doing the performing, in comparison to the “good old days” of music. How would you describe the difference in the industry now, in comparison to let’s say the 90’s or 2000’s?

Tyrone Corbett: The music industry as a whole has evolved…in some ways good, and in others not so much. Recognizing that having a great song or even having a great team can have staggering limitations is sobering, but understanding that evolution can’t be fought is the key to forward movement. There was a time when a great song got you in the door and further, now it’s “How many views do you have?” Networking is still a constant though and a necessity.

Lastly, there is also something to be said about the “good old days” sometimes just being “old days with good memories”.

GO BANG! Magazine: What advice would you give to someone that is trying to get into the “behind the scenes” part of the entertainment industry, the technical or creative side, not the performance side?

Tyrone Corbett: Learning your craft remains high atop any list of advice offerings I have. Obviously though, for someone just starting out, ones skills will be lacking. The advice I give is to pair yourself with someone who can take your game to the next level. Never be afraid to acknowledge your short-comings, as that is the key to overcoming them.

GO BANG! Magazine: You are capable and talented in several genres of music including R&B, Pop, Gospel, Jazz and Country. Who are your favorite artists in each genre?

Tyrone Corbett: Here they are, in the order of genres listed:

R&B: Chris Brown
Pop: Arianna Grande
Gospel: Yolanda Adams
Jazz: Lalah Hathaway
Country: Dan and Shay/Rascal Flatts

GO BANG! Magazine: Who is your overall favorite entertainer, producer, and songwriter? It can be one person or several people.

Tyrone Corbett: This is a difficult question to answer as I love different things about different artists and genres of music. Having said that, I tend to stay with older songwriter / producers because of the longevity of success they have had in the entertainment industry. Considering that, LA, Babyface, Daryl Simmons, as well as Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are amongst my favs.

GO BANG! Magazine: Carrying on the legacy is something that parents want their children to do. I’ve seen you work with your son during the interview that you had with me. Your son seems to have great knowledge of the videography industry. Tell our readers why it is important for you to teach your son the business.

Tyrone Corbett: Having my son work alongside me is the best part of my day. He is talented in music and videography. Teaching him a skillset(s), while also spending that additional quality time, is truly invaluable in my opinion. I remain open and supportive to whatever choices he decides to make career wise, but providing a hands-on experience will prove useful with whichever direction he decides to go.

GO BANG! Magazine: On a personal level, I can tell that family is important to you and you include your son in your business operations. Can you tell us a little about your son, who is somewhat a miracle?

Tyrone Corbett: We found out at birth that my son has a catastrophic brain illness called Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). He is considered both the worst case in the world and the most successful case on record. The ongoing procedures to cure him have as much of a detrimental consequence as the illness itself, as leaving him untreated will cause an aneurysm/stroke, but the repeated treatment to sustain him can cause blindness, mental retardation, paralysis and or death. We were told to anticipate 10 years to life of brain procedures and 25 years later we are still on that course. Saying it’s been difficult is beyond an understatement, but I am grateful that he continues to flourish despite this devastating illness.

Go Bang! Magazine: Looking towards the future, what do you hope to accomplish businesswise, and what would you like your legacy to be?

Tyrone Corbett: I continue to be vibrant in the creative space and have a number of projects at hand…songs and music video releases, I am working on a video interview series, as well as a documentary of my life in music while contending with my sons’ catastrophic brain illness.

In terms of legacy, I’m a southern boy, so I continue to do the work so that my family is proud of me. That’s all there is for me.

You can follow Tyrone by logging on to his website




Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, and on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.