On Valentine’s Day, Money Man released his staggering 22nd project, “Purple Heart,” an album geared to his female audience. Now he’s hitting the road on the Purple Heart Tour, which comes to the Vic Theater on April 17. He said he chose to kick his tour off in the Windy City because this is where he’s earned the most support in his career since 2016.
“Chicago is one of my biggest fan bases and the streets of Chicago just rock with me so it wasn’t a bad place to start off at, and I haven’t been in Chicago in a long time,” Money Man said.
Money Man, whose real name is Tysen Jay Bolding, has long held an appreciation for Chicago given its longstanding influence in business and entertainment, as he’s watched so much of the world copy Chicago’s distinct culture.
“People in Chicago are warriors,” he said. “It’s one of those cities — I’m from Atlanta, Atlanta’s got culture, all of that. Chicago’s the same way.”
Money Man, who is an avid investor in cryptocurrency and a gun collector, often centers an album on a theme for fans who come across his music through various subcultures like crypto (2021’s “Blockchain”), growing cannabis (2018’s “Grow God”) and shooting for sport at gun ranges (2023’s “Red Eye”). With “Purple Heart,” he wanted to celebrate his love for women, partially because of the growing dominance of women in mainstream rap like Sexxy Redd, Megan Thee Stallion and Latto, and because more male rappers are leaning toward making their own variants of drill music, neglecting an entire demographic of female fans.
“I wanted to do something solely concentrated on the women because everybody’s so gangsta with it now so I’d rather be the opposite. I don’t never follow the crowd,” Money Man said. “What woman don’t enjoy being gifted something or something dedicated to them?”
The Atlanta native says “Purple Heart” was made to celebrate women from all different walks of life and give women fun and exciting music to jam to with deep bass-driven, slick and aquatic-sounding tunes like “Love in the Booth” and “Understand This Lingo.”
Money Man said his appreciation for women stems from having grown up with positive women in his life such as his mother, grandmother and later on, former lovers.
“(Women friends) handle business, they’ll look out for you, they’ll die for you — certain ones. Of course, there’s the other side, but to each his own,” said Money Man.
Proving his point, he tapped two of Chicago’s best female rappers, Mello Buckzz and Dreezy, as his openers in addition to fellow Atlanta rapper CEO Trayle. He says his female audience is able to spread the word faster, in addition to supporting the women rappers on the tour.
“It’s kinda women’s time. They’re rising up. They got passion because they feel like they’re the underdogs and they’re going to go harder,” said Money Man.
But as women rappers continue to garner backlash for their unapologetically blunt lyrics about challenging gender roles, sex and violence, Money Man recognizes that many men hold a resentment for their hard-earned success.
“And a lot of men are getting jealous, but it is what it is,” he said.
Fans should expect Money Man to deliver an all-out experience as he says he’s prioritizing giving his fans amazing shows over making a profit, saying that his profit will come further “down the line.” He also says he will be giving out a number of authentic Louis Vuitton bags.
“I’m not even making no money from this tour. All my money is going to the look of this tour rather than make a profit off this tour,” Money Man said, adding that artists ultimately have to spend money to make money.
“That’s how this world works. You got to keep spending, you got to keep promoting, perfecting your craft and this needs to be your lifelong mission,” Money Man said.
Mark P. Braboy is a freelance writer.
8 p.m. April 17 at the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.; tickets $45-$66 (ages 18+) at www.jamusa.com