University Star

His career has skyrocketed since first landing gigs at smaller venues, like Nephew’s on The Square or other dive bars around Austin. Last month, he helped sell out a show at Stubb’s BBQ as tour-support opener for the hip-hop culture icon formerly named Snoop Dogg.

“It was an experience,” said Phranchyze. “We were selling out places with just me and him. You take a step back and you’re like, ‘Wow.’ After the math, there’s always doubt about being a musician. But little pieces of success like that make it all worth the time and effort.”

Over the course of his career, the rapper has also toured or opened for big names, such as Asher Roth, Collie Buddz, Devin the Dude, Dead Prez, Kid Cudi, Too Short and many more.

He is most known for reflecting his own witty humor and ideas in notorious rap battles, and the musician has managed to acquire multiple titles while working his way to national prominence. Some of these include 2X Rap Olympics Champion, World Rap Championships Houston Division Winner, 5X No Hurt Feelings Freestyle Battle Champion, Toyota Scion “Keys to the City” Freestyle Battle Champion and 2X EpideMIC Freestyle Battle Champion, hosted by Texas State’s Hip Hop Congress. He has been voted among the top 10 in Austin hip-hop five years in a row.

His musical influences can be traced back to major performers such as Outkast, Ludacris, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg, said the rapper.

“For a while I tried to sound like others. It took time before I found myself feeling more comfortable with my own voice and song writing,” he said.

Throughout the last few years, Phranchyze has maintained an avid persistence in creating new material and perfecting his art through his albums and mix-tapes like Flowmasters (2006), Customs (2008), Errybody Hates Me (2009), The Black Larry Bird (2010), the two spring 2011 tapes called French Phrantana and Gucci Phran and S.T.A.R.S., his most recent and complete record to date.

“He has a very uncanny ability to connect with the crowd,” said Moshe Prystowsky, publicity help and part of Phranchyze’s musical family. “He’s funny, clever, and legitimately thought provoking through his message. Aside from his music’s rhythmic originality, there’s a piece of his performance that mentally stimulates you while being entertained.” The life of a musician has not always come so easy, Phranchyze said.

“Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it,” he said. “There’s just a lot of notoriety in the music business. It’s brought me money. It’s brought me no money. It’s brought it all: all the emotions you can think of, happy, nervous, sad. It’s so tied up in everything I am and do.”

As for the future, aside from his new album soon to be released, Phranye West, the rapper is insistent on refining his music and individuality together, primarily by working on his spots and keeping the lyrics crisp, he said.

“Performing, it’s like a high no drug can give you. You feel like everything is right, (that) this is what I’m supposed to be doing,” Phranchyze said. “If I keep up my passion, dedication and care for what I’m doing, then I feel as though it could go a long way.”