Astray, a new Shady Music Publishing/ Universal Music Group signee is one of the highest-selling hip-hop artists from his hometown, and his career includes work with the likes of Eminem, Paradime, and more Michigan rap royalty. But now, the multitalented rapper/producer/singer-songwriter is creating hits for some of the countries top selling artists.

Growing up in Saginaw, MI with parents who adopted him two months after his birth, Astray grew an affinity to rap after studying cousins’ cassette tapes of Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and Run-DMC. After a brief stint at a growing local record label, he founded Self Made Recordings with a childhood friend.
With the one-two punch of his clever, multisyllabic rhymes Astray built a reputation as one of the city’s strongest rap acts. He built a foundation with two solo records, and his third disc, “Who’s Coming With Me,” earned national attention by landing in the Billboard’s Top 200 and Heatseekers charts. 
A deal with TVT Records was all but complete when the label folded due to the shrinking music industry and ASTRAY was forced to go back to the strategy that had been successful all along.

“I started looking at hand to hand sales as a job. I got kicked out of every Michigan mall you can think of,” he says. “I still believe it’s a good way of selling music, despite the Internet and all.”
With the success of “Who’s Coming With Me,” Astray began to accumulate studio equipment and ventured into production while sharpening his choruses. After showcasing his talents on his mixtape “Entourage,” he became an in-demand producer around and chorus writer the region, arming area artists with a mixture of club bangers and album cuts.
Detroit indie rap heavyweight King Gordy enlisted him to produce the bulk of his underground classics “King of Horrorcore” and “Van Dyke and Harper Music,” helping Astray land an internship at Eminem’s studio 54 Sound. While there, he continued to build relationships with Detroit music scene heavyweights.

Since then, Astray’s body of work includes music for Maybach Music Group, Jon Connor, MTV, and Atlantic Records. With a growing resume including music, film, television and digital media production, ASTRAY is creating music to further the careers of some of today’s hottest artists and brands.

Currently ASTRAY is working on his fourth LP that will showcase his abilities as an Emcee, singer and producer, expected for a summer 2015 release and building his production company SMG Music that will continue his work with national artists while showcase unsigned talent.

Grace Phillips is following