PODCAST: From St. Pete Stages to Viral Wordle Raps

A Conversation with Tyrese Pope

How does an artist transition from the technical world of theatrical sound design to reaching millions of viewers on TikTok?In this episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast, host Avery Anderson sits down with Tyrese Pope—a local entertainer who has mastered the art of the "zig-zag" career.

Tyrese shares the accidental beginnings of his sound design career at American Stage and his courageous decision to leave a stable job to pursue content creation full-time.We dive deep into his unique creative process, the challenges of building a digital community, and why he’s traded "influencer" labels for the title of entertainer.Whether you know him from his viral New York Times game videos or his work on the St. Petersburg stage, Tyrese’s journey is a masterclass in creative determination.

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Episode Highlights

• The Unseen Art: Why Tyrese believes the best sound design is the kind the audience never notices.
• The "Zero Dollar" Risk: The story behind quitting Airbnb in 2020 to build a life on the internet without a backup plan.
• Wordle Raps & Logic Puzzles: How a love for games turned into a million-follower platform and international filming opportunities.
• Thinking in Rhythm: A look at Tyrese’s "melody-first" approach to writing lyrics and rapping.