Nicolas-Tyrell Scott

Name: Nicolas-Tyrell Scott

Company: Freelance

Job Title: Culture and music journalist, speaker, consultant, and writer

Nicolas-Tyrell Scott is a London-based music and cultural journalist and editor with his work printed/published in Pitchfork, GQ, The Face Magazine, Huck, Dazed, Redbull, Audiomack, Apple Music, PAPER magazine, Complex, OkayPlayer, Crack, and wider titles. Nicolas-Tyrell intersects his analysis in a socio-political hue, bridging the gap between what’s happening in the world and how cultural and musical happenings shape or reflect that.

As a speaker, he’s been featured on BBC, Channel 4, Wray and Nephew, The Grapevine TV, No Signal, Over the Bridge podcast and has spoken at Soho House, London Jerk Festival, Harvard’s Model United Nations summit, and more. Nicolas-Tyrell’s cultural commentary has been featured in the likes of Bustle, Yahoo, Indy100, and The Huffington Post. In his copy-writing experience, Nicolas-Tyrell has crafted corporate album biographies for Headie One, Adekunle Gold, Tai Verdes, Kris Yute, Mahalia, and other renowned talents.

Nicolas-Tyrell has an informed view on music, which spans hip-hop to R&B, to emergent genres like drill, future-sounds, and afro-swing, always sure to tie lineages to each before framing their futures. His experience spans from profiles and reporting to features and op-eds. As a former columnist at HYPEBEAST, he acted as a cultural tastemaker, establishing underground acts across the UK for the title.

In 2023, Nicolas-Tyrell launched The Town Hall in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), the series speaks to polymathic purveyors in music in a live-conversation format focusing on their career, intersectionalities, and influence on culture in London and the world.

Nicolas-Tyrell Scott is currently freelancing in the music and culture space.

Question 1: Who would you say is someone pivotal to your journey so far?

Elijah C. Watson – From providing me opportunities at OkayPlayer, obscure chances to document, the sometimes ignored areas of music (and wider avenues like tech), to coming to me for Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’, he pushed me to be better, more critical, to ‘go there’ in my work. A truly, pivotal force in our industry and an even better human. Honoured to have met, and worked under him.

Question 2: Who would be your ideal mentor, and why?

Elijah C. Watson, Ade Onibada or Ivie Ani – all possess the quality, diligence, resilience, and ultimately ethics I value dearly. All push media forward with a consistent and unwavering precedent. Truly admirable.

Question 3: What advice would you give the next Trailblazer looking to break into your field?

There doesn’t have to be a formal, step-by-step way of breaking in. From a journalism POV, as long as you’re learning the fundamentals, the practice and craft of being a journalist, learn from any respected, ethical newsroom or figure. Find your voice, never rely on other molds as being indicative of your distinct tone of voice, story-telling and perspective, be accountable to the general public as you navigate the truth, and always, always fact check. In wider media and culture, look to things and aspects of the industry that inspire you, provoke your thought, challenge you in ways you haven’t imagined before (but that strikes excitement in you). You’re not alone, ask that question, reach out to your peers both above, laterally and below, be teachable. Never let ego drive your career, put purpose. Always remember the job at hand, the shiny, materialistic parties, events, proximity to celebrity don’t matter, the job does and the truth at the end of the day. Saying that, take time to enjoy life also, we are only promised one. Make your community, your genuine community, a priority as much as the craft, because when the laptop closes, or the gig is wrapped up, they are the ones you want, desire, and ultimately craft your soul with.

Question 4: Who would you like to spotlight as your Trailblazer?

Tami Makinde – she’s essentially been one for years, building NATIVE. A true gem that deserves more acknowledgement for contemporary Nigerian storytelling