T for Teacher

Tyke T awarded honorary professorship for music success and mentorship to Memphis youth

MTSU alumnus and hip-hop artist Tyrone “Tyke T” Stroble (’09, ’11) found himself being ushered back on stage by friend and MTSU College of Media and Entertainment Dean Beverly Keel during a concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis.

Keel had told him in advance that “something’s going to happen” at the concert in 2023, but the MTSU graduate wasn’t expecting such an honor from his alma mater—an honorary professorship in Recording Industry.

“What I’m about to give you cannot be bought,” Keel said during the onstage presentation. “Memphis is strong at MTSU, and Memphis makes MTSU strong. You make us strong, and we’re going to learn more and more from you now that you’re an honorary professor.”

Stroble shared by phone days later that he was “still in shock. I really don’t know how to accept it.”

“I was the first person on my mom’s side to get an undergraduate degree. I was the only person in my family at the time to get a master’s degree from MTSU,” said Stroble, who earned an M.B.A. and a B.B.A. in Marketing from MTSU. “It just wasn’t the path, like nobody was going to college.

“And so for me now to be an honorary professor. . . . I’m just thankful [Keel] saw something in me to make this happen.”

Before the concert, Stroble invited some high school students and Keel to sit in on his sound check for a behind-the-scenes look that many youths from that area may never see again. Keel said that in addition to his industry success, Stroble’s dedication to music education and giving back to his community makes him such a worthy recipient.

“In fact, he spends time with students from Memphis’ Crosstown High who are studying songwriting, production, and music business, and he is dedicated to building his career in Memphis, as opposed to moving to New York or L.A., and making things easier for the next generation,” Keel said.

Stroble’s career includes landing in the Top 50 of four Billboard charts with his sophomore EP, 2017’s The Prelude. He credits MTSU with much of his success.

“It means the world to stay connected to a place that literally has given me everything, because without that University I would not be the Tyke T that I am today,” Stroble said. “And the University has done so much for me, anything I can do to give back I’ll always be willing to do it.”