Free Play Music Group
Troy Mathews
Freeplay Music Group traces its beginnings to Legends Live Forever, a group formed in 2009. From these roots, Troy Mathews branched off to create his own brand in extension, and Free Play Music Group was born. The music label, whose mission is to “inspire people to live and create freely, at your own disposal”, was initially spawned from Mathews’ music career, at a time where his focus was centered around creating a tangible experience he could successfully associate with his art. In 2021, after garnering attention through his innovative “cereal box” approach to selling his merchandise, Mathews’ began to strategize with his family on ways to increase brand visibility, while not limiting himself to music-based endeavors. His multifaceted entrepreneurial interests came to include an athleisure streetwear brand under the same umbrella, called Freeplay Music Group. The overarching theme across both entities is Mathews’ dedication to “freestyling”, which is a form of hip-hop artistry that requires instant free thinking on the spot. It pays homage to the dynamic nature of hip hop culture, original free expression, and daily style others can resonate with.
Freeplay Music Group began after Troy released several music projects in a short amount of time which included the Free Play Series, engaging the streets with his witty lyricism and raw delivery. As his popularity grew in 2015 and beyond, the brand became official, prompting Mathews to take time to study business, marketing, and effective management. Despite the pandemic, in 2021, the label became fully-functional. Mathews has always incorporated his San Francisco-Fillmore roots into his brand, noting that in his neighborhood growing up, people were either “athletes or drug dealers; so the struggle is real.” His desire and mission with Freeplay Music Group is to be an example, and change people’s “can’t” to “can.”
