NEWS
Tyga has explained that creating his new $TARFACE identity has helped him produce music without feeling pressured by expectations.
The rapper formally unveiled the persona, influenced by the 1980s, earlier this month while previewing his latest single, GAVE U RACKS, using the $TARFACE moniker.
He later confirmed his new album, $TARFACE, on 22 July and released the project on Friday.
During a conversation with People, Tyga, born Micheal Ray Stevenson, shared that performing as $TARFACE has allowed him to explore fresh creative ideas without carrying the expectations attached to his familiar stage identity.
"I just feel like there's no rules anymore," he said. "You don't have to put yourself in a box on what things have to be creatively. I've been in the game for 15 years-plus. So, after a while, you just got to try different stuff."
The Taste rapper added, "You have to just be okay with taking risks and doing things that you aren't used to doing and get different results."
Tyga, 36, also clarified that $TARFACE exists as a completely different identity from the public image he has developed throughout the past 15 years.
"This is the first project that people are seeing that's completely different than other things that I've done," he told the outlet. "This character, $TARFACE, is a completely separate artist, completely separate aesthetic and everything."
The musician further disclosed that his latest album drew significant inspiration from his mother, Pasionaye Nicole Nguyen, who passed away in 2025 at 53 years old.
"Honestly, it was really just inspired by my mom," he shared. "This was her era, and this is something that always felt like we shared a close bond with the '80s. Just '80s music mostly, but really '80s films and just the whole culture of the '80s."
While discussing the origins of $TARFACE, Tyga revealed that the concept grew out of a different artistic venture.
"What was crazy (was) I started with another project," he recalled. "Last year I wrote a movie and filmed the '80s movie (Baby, You're a Star). From there, I spun off into the $TARFACE character, which is completely separate than the movie."
