Khrysis

A key member of North Carolina's Justus League collective, Khrysis is a veteran beatmaker whose tracks tend to combine rugged drums and intricate melodies with heavy usage of soul samples. He established himself in the early 2000s as one-half of the Away Team, partnering with MC Sean Boog for four albums (2005-2011) while producing tracks for Justus-affiliated projects from close associate 9th Wonder, Little Brother, and L.E.G.A.C.Y., as well as Boot Camp Clik and Slum Village, among many others. Extensive work with Rapsody -- most notably on the rapper's Grammy-nominated 2017 album Laila's Wisdom -- along with smaller-scale connections with Black Thought, Conway the Machine, Busta Rhymes, and Phife Dawg, has continued into the 2020s. Khrysis' own catalog of beat tapes, albums, and co-headlining projects is extensive. It includes The Hour of Khrysis (2021), the beat tape series Khrysis on the Boards (2007-2022), and multiple Pure IZM projects with the Musalini (2022-2025). Born Christopher Frederick Tyson in New Jersey, Khrysis took interest in beatmaking in his early teens. Utilizing his father's massive jazz and R&B record collection, he would record an album onto tape and then use a dual cassette player to extract drums, hi hats, and whatever sounds he needed in order to make loops. His involvement with the Justus League began at North Carolina Central University in Durham. He worked at the college's radio station, WNCU, while in high school, and met up with Justus rapper Chaundon, who introduced him to 9th Wonder. Once Khrysis started attending NCCU, he crossed paths again with 9th, who then presented him to the rest of the Justus League. With fellow JL member Sean Boog, Khrysis formed the Away Team, who appeared on the 2003 Justus League compilation N.C. State of Mind. Khrysis and Boog made four albums together, starting with 2005's National Anthem and concluding with 2011's Scars & Stripes. During this period, Khrysis issued his first two beat tapes through the Hall of Justus label, and placed additional beats on projects by the likes of Cesar Comanche, Little Brother, Masta Ace, Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Jean Grae, and more. Khrysis also naturally linked with Rapsody, starting with her breakthrough 2010 mixtape Return of the B-Girl, and including Laila's Wisdom, which was nominated for a 2018 Grammy in the category of Best Rap Album. Having further bolstered his reputation with beats for Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Conway the Machine, and Smif-N-Wessun -- as well as three tracks for Phonte and Big Pooh's return as Little Brother with May the Lord Watch -- Khrysis stepped into the spotlight in 2021. That year, through 9th Wonder's Jamla Records, he released The Hour of Khrysis, a cohesive production showcase on which he featured many rappers within his inner circle, as well as De La Soul, Pharoahe Monch, and Busta Rhymes. Prolific as ever, Khrysis then teamed with the Musalini for the full-length Pure IZM, and additionally in 2022 produced two tracks for Phife Dawg's Forever and another for JID's Top 20 album The Forever Story. From 2023 through 2025, he released the instrumental set Follow the Music and co-headlined Destined 4 Greatness (with KEL), Perfect Time (with Silent Snipers), Hocaine (with Wais P), The Green Bottle (with T.F), and Pure IZM 2 (again with the Musalini). ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi