Born and raised on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, Play Riley has always been a “music person” as he calls it. As a child, Play Riley would attend church every Sunday with his family, in which he exercised his musical abilities and talents via the drums. His love for instruments and music itself continued growing, and by the age of 13, he began writing his own lyrics to songs. Over the course of a year, he continued writing lyrics and developing his passion for music more than ever before. He utilized his life experiences in writing songs, while not succumbing to the pressures of the streets surrounding him. Once he attended his first studio session at the age of 15, he knew this would be a safe haven for him for the rest of his life.
When Play Riley was 16, he recorded his first song titled “Yao Ming”. The artist recalls how different his outlook as an artist was when he was that age, as jitters and nerves used to overcome him. However, he knew he wanted to be the versatile artist that he is today, so he remained diligent in growing his career as a recording artist and mitigating any stressors. Adding to his versatility, Play Riley began furthering his skills in audio engineering, which immensely helped his career in the industry. His talents quickly caught the attention of other local artists, and he began writing songs for them thereafter.
Later, Play Riley dropped his next major project, “Free Smoke”. Much to his surprise, the mixtape performed extremely well on its own, without the artist putting any major push behind it. The artist’s fanbase began to grow, as people really enjoyed his vibe, musical talents and overall sound. Play Riley also remained loyal to certain producers and continued harvesting relationships and connections, which really gave him an advantage in the industry as he was well-respected. He continued to write lyrics for other artists, as he still does present day.
The Chicago artist will be dropping an album in July, which is highly anticipated within his fan base. The album, titled “Born A Trapper”, is a collection of his self-written tracks featuring production by Fabeezy and other in-house producer from his company “TDU” which he later partnered up with 804 Productions to solidify himself in the music industry.
Play Riley is looking forward to releasing his single “R.Kelly”, which features production from BEATPLUG and will be available on his Vevo channel, in addition to YouTube and all major stream sites.
The Hip-Hop artist will be performing on June 29 at one of Lil Chris’ shows, in addition to several performances planned in July. Even though the artist stays consistently busy, he never forgets his roots. “I want all my family, friends, and fans to enjoy my music, and always remember to “Never Give Up” even when times get hard,” said the artist. When asked who inspires him to do what he does day in and day out, Play Riley places a huge emphasis on the importance of his family. Outside of his family, the artist recalls how Lil Boo from Young Money has inspired him in so many ways. After collaborating together previously, Play Riley appreciates all of the sound advice Lil Boo has given to him, and continues to push himself as a result of it.
Play Riley aspires to shed positivity in and outside of his career, and aspires for the momentum of success to continue in his career. One day, the artist has plans to develop youth centers throughout Chicago as a means of giving back to the city that has played such an integral part of his life.
Make sure to follow Play Riley on his social media here!
Facebook: press.t.play.9
Twitter: @PLAYRILEY773
Instagram: @play_riley/
Instagram: @804pro/
Website: www.hit804pro.com/
