City on Fire: Your Friendly Neighborhood Neighbor T-Spade
- Eternal Kree
- Sep 7
- 4 min read
Welcome back to City on Fire! After a short pause to focus on mental health and reconnection, we’re back and what better way to return than with an interview that hits deep. This time, we sat down with Tory aka T-Spade, known to many as “your friendly neighborhood neighbor.” He’s a father, an artist, a storyteller, and above all, a human being navigating life with honesty and grit.
During this conversation, we pull back the curtains a bit to learn more about the man behind the music, what drives him, what inspires him, and how he continues to evolve in his craft.
T-Spade’s journey with music began in 1997. For years, he pushed hard at the craft until life circumstances forced him to step away in 2011. But in the past years, he’s made a powerful return. Naturally, I wanted to know what brought him back. His answer was simple: the people. “The people, my collaborators, the ones who pushed me to regain that hunger again,” he told me. “They put the wind beneath my wings and helped me realize it was time to make music again.”
What struck me most was his perspective that this dream, this career, isn’t some far-off fantasy. It’s tangible. It’s real. And when you see T-Spade perform, you can feel that authenticity. His presence is commanding, his delivery raw yet intentional. Every set feels like a direct conversation between him and the crowd. “It’s a trip!” he laughed when I asked about returning to the stage. “This second time around, it’s intentional. I’m paying attention to how it’s received by the crowd. It’s more relational.” When I asked what he hopes the audience sees, his response was powerful. “I hope they see a person can be everything that they are and still deliver you good music.”
This past year at Brodie Nation, four days of nonstop bands, performances, vendors, and art. T-Spade held down a 45-minute set on the main stage. And let me tell you, it was one of those performances you had to witness. One of the standout moments was his track “Stand in Line.” The beat alone grabs your attention, but the way T-Spade layers cadence, lyrics, and intensity turns the song into a full-body experience. At Brodie Nation, that energy spilled over. people left their seats and camping spots, drawn to the main stage by the rumble. It was unforgettable.
Every artist faces creative blocks, those frustrating stretches where inspiration feels out of reach. I asked T-Spade how he works through those moments. “One thing I believe in life is there’s in time, on time, and due time. When you wait the process out, you work during that process. You develop during that process. But when it’s your time, your due time, you step in, and everything is laid out in place for you because you’ve done the work. The Lord tells you it’s your time to shine.” That balance of patience and discipline is something I deeply connected with.
Representation matters, especially when it comes to mentors and role models in our communities. As a Black non-binary person, I know firsthand how rare it can be to have accessible Black leaders guiding the way. That’s why it’s so powerful to see T-Spade not only performing but also bringing his family into the journey. I’ve seen him walk the runway at a fashion show with his daughter right by his side. I asked him how important it is to show her that chasing your dreams is truly possible. “What I think is important is exposing my kids to things in age- and content-appropriate ways,” he explained. “I always use the example of a duck on top of the water they’re graceful, but underneath they’re working like crazy. I want them to see both: the hard work before the show and the magic of the show itself. Because how you frame it is how someone receives it.”
As our conversation turned toward the future, I asked T-Spade what he hopes to achieve. “I intend to do what the good Lord wants to happen,” he said. “My prayer often is, ‘God, what do you want me to do, and how do you want me to do this?’ It’ll take time, I want to make something impactful that will last 20, 30 years from now.”
Before wrapping, I asked T-Spade what message he wanted to leave with his audience. His words could serve as a reminder to us all, “Trust in your process. Everything starts with you. If you want your process to be true and righteous, then you need to be true to your process. Be intentional. Be decent. Trust that where you’re going is where you’re supposed to be going. Keep your antennas up so you can receive what you need for the next step. Life is about that next step, about this moment and how you’ll react to it.”
T-Spade’s story isn’t just about music. it’s about resilience, faith, and authenticity. Whether on stage or off, he’s showing us what it means to move with intention, to trust the process, and to leave a legacy that matters.
To support T-Spade go check out his profile for his latest show, as well as stream his latest album "Hometown Hero" Until next time Love, Learn, & Pass it on!
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