Indianapolis native Ronald Craig Jr. is better known by many as Tony Styxx or King Styxxers, depending on who is doing the introducing.
The multi-talented Spoken Word Artist/MC/Human Beat box has blessed the mic with some of the best to ever do it. From soul, hip-hop, spoken word, indie rock collabs and now the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO), Styxx has left his unique stamp on the pages of music history here in Naptown. There is no doubt that we shall soon see the Styxx signature etched on the hearts of music lovers worldwide.
When asked how he came to be linked with the ISO, Styxx recounts an opportunity extended to him by a friend, Malina Jeffers of Mosaic City. That opportunity led him to a breakout performance with classically-trained string trio Time for Three at TedX, an event that encourages communities to share creative ideas.
The next opportunity came after a phone call with another friend, Joseph Allen Woods. “We were talking about having the patience and the fortitude to keep pressing, to reach new heights,” says Styxx. He got off the phone call to discover he had a voicemail from Zack French of the ISO. “Funny thing about that is, I listened to the voicemail long enough to hear him say who he is and where he was from and I hung up and immediately called him back!”
That conversation led him to being featured at ISO’s Happy Hour event where selections from Styxx’s latest project titled “Welcome to Life” were arranged and performed with the symphony. “This is one of the greatest symphonies in the world to me and I’m an upcoming artist looking to get any opportunity to make my career boom and grow,” said Styxx. “It was my first sold out crowd ever – it was overwhelming. The applause, the love, the appreciation, the intensity, the focus, all of it. It was a blessing.”
On Feb. 11, Styxx will grace the Hilbert Circle Theatre stage once more for the ISO’s Celebration of Black History concert. He will be doing “Grand Opening” off of “Welcome to Life,” a project he says is a gift to his young nephew. “It is a journal and guidebook at the same time without being overly obvious and extremely preachy. I hate those kinds of albums,” says Styxx. Even though it was not in the best wishes of his family that he pursue the complicated life of being an artist, Styxx says that his latest offering is an effort to leave his nephew a “breadcrumb” for what it looks like when you push for your goals.
On the day of this interview, Styxx learned of the untimely passing of his younger sister. On the topic of grief he reveals that his dying wish is to be celebrated as opposed to mourned. Quite fittingly, a track from “Welcome” of the same title expresses those exact sentiments. “It (Dying Wish) sounds morbid at first but it’s actually a party track,” says Styxx. “It’s three minutes and 46 seconds of let’s get it in! Because when I pass, don’t cry for me. You cry for people who you feel wasted their time on Earth and they needed more time to get it right. I live my life to the fullest and I’ve touched at least one person. Let’s celebrate the fact that I had a chance.”
Concert Information
What: Celebration of Black History Concert
When: Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Who: Open to the general public
Admission: The ISO’s Celebration of Black History concert is free; however, a general admission ticket is required. Patrons can pick up tickets in advance or on the day of the concert at the ISO box office at Hilbert Circle Theatre on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.
Cash kings
The world’s highest paid hip-hop artists.
Sean “Diddy” Combs – $50 million
Jay-Z – $43 million
Dr. Dre – $40 million
Nicki Minaj – $29 million
Birdman – $21 million
Kanye West – $20 million
Lil Wayne – $16 million
Wiz Khalifa – $14 million
Ludacris – $12 million
Pitbull – $11 million
Source: Forbes.com
Black History Fact
In 1933 Florence Beatrice Smith Price† became the first African-American composer to have her work played by a U.S. orchestra. Her work, “Symphony in E Minor,” was played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
