Today we’d like to introduce you to Shrista Tyree.
Hi Shrista, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Shrista Tyree, a Portland-raised comedian, host, entertainer, and the founder of Nexxt Up Entertainment LLC and Late Lyrics Hip-Hop Open Mic. Depending on where you met me, you might know me from stand-up, hosting hip-hop shows, performing music, or producing events. All of those parts of my life connect through something I’ve loved since childhood: making people laugh and bringing people together.
I grew up all over Portland because my mom moved around a lot—Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and the original Villa, before it was remodeled into those super nice townhomes. lol. I didn’t have the easiest childhood, and laughter became my outlet. I loved going to school because I could connect with people, joke around, and make somebody laugh. I was always the class clown, sometimes to the point of getting kicked out of class for joking too much. Everybody knew me as the funny, loud person in the group.
Even with all that, I never really considered doing stand-up. Someone’s mom was actually the person who convinced me to try. She regularly attended comedy shows and told me she thought I was funnier than people she was watching onstage. She was so confident in me that I finally thought, “Okay, let me try.”
About a week later, I posted that I was going to do my first open mic and invited people to come. More than 40 people showed up to support me. Everybody acted like this was the most obvious next step, and I was the one surprised. Other people had already seen me as a comedian before I recognized that possibility for myself.
That same night, I got booked for the first NW Black Comedy Festival. My first booked comedy show happened just one week after my first time trying stand-up. Other comedians, hosts, and promoters saw me there, and more bookings followed. I was confident performing, but having people believe in me and invite me onto their stages helped me find my footing professionally.
I started performing throughout Portland and building my name as a comedian. In 2019, I performed at Portland Queer Comedy Festival and was selected for Portland Mercury’s The Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy. In 2020, I finished in the top three for Best Comedian in Willamette Week’s Best of Portland Readers’ Poll. In 2022, I opened for both Preacher Lawson and Cameron Esposito.
As I performed more, I started hosting comedy shows and eventually hip-hop shows. I already had friends and family who rapped, so I spent a lot of time at their events. Bringing my comedy into those spaces felt natural. I loved making the audience laugh, keeping the energy up, and bringing my personality onto a hip-hop stage.
Music was already part of my stand-up, too. Growing up, I loved watching Katt Williams incorporate music and a DJ into his performances. I brought that influence into my own comedy through rap and funny musical moments. Eventually, I started doing rap performances as well, and in 2021, I won first place at the Portland Coast 2 Coast LIVE showcase.
I’ve always thought of myself as an entertainer. Comedy, hosting, and music give me different ways to express that. When I perform, I’m thinking about the whole experience and what I can give the audience.
Along the way, I began producing my own events, including Clownin Comedy Show 2018-2020, Bossin Up Hip Hop Show 2018-2020, individual hip-hop and comedy shows, and Late Lyrics Hip-Hop Open Mic, which I started in 2018.
The inspiration for Late Lyrics was personal. My cousin rapped, and I remember going to his shows and seeing how difficult it could be for him to get stage time. Part of my thinking when I created the mic was, “At least my cousin will have somewhere to perform.” That idea grew into a place where other artists could find that same opportunity.
Late Lyrics used to be weekly, and over the years, I’ve booked more than 400 artists. What began as a small open mic has grown into a much bigger production and artist community. In 2020, I received Portland Hip-Hop Week’s Trailblazer Award for “setting the bar and being an example for Hip Hop to thrive.”
One thing I want people to understand about Late Lyrics is how much happens beyond the performances. We connect artists with resources, networking, promotion, media opportunities, cash prizes, and people who can support their next steps. We’ve provided free event photos and videos, and I put a lot of effort into promoting the artists and getting more eyes on their work. I’m intentional about who I bring into the building because a conversation or introduction can lead to something beyond that night.
I remember being new to a scene and trying to find my way in. You need somewhere to practice, people to meet, and somebody willing to give you a chance. I want Late Lyrics to be a place where people share what they know and help each other. First-timers belong there, and experienced artists do, too. Someone might be stepping onstage for the first time, while someone else is testing a new song or practicing how to work a crowd. It’s an open mic, and we all start somewhere.
Watching artists grow is one of the reasons I keep doing it. I’ve seen people come back repeatedly, work on their performances, and eventually get booked on shows they had wanted to be part of for a long time. They put in that work. Seeing where they started and where they are now makes me smile. Knowing that my stage was somewhere they could practice and develop means a lot to me.
While all of this was growing, I was also dealing with things that interrupted my own performing career. A car accident in 2019 led to a long recovery involving physical therapy, a serious, life-threatening infection in my arm that I contracted in the hospital, and further rehabilitation. It took years to work through everything. It felt like my life and career were gaining momentum, and suddenly so much of my energy had to go toward getting better.
The recovery was emotional as well as physical. It was hard to feel excited and happy again after everything that happened. By 2022, I was finding my footing and getting opportunities like opening for Preacher Lawson and Cameron Esposito. Then my cousin passed away in 2023, and grief and depression led me to step back from stand-up again.
I continued hosting and putting energy into Late Lyrics and other events while trying to find my way back to my own performing goals. That’s part of why some people now know me more as a promoter. Comedy is still a huge part of who I am. I still host my own events, remain available for performance and hosting bookings, and want to return to performing stand-up regularly.
In 2025, I formed Nexxt Up Entertainment LLC because the work had grown to the point where I needed a formal business structure. In 2026, I was awarded a grant through the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition and the Oregon Cultural Trust to help fund Late Lyrics. That support helped me bring more of my vision to life, including stronger media coverage, DJ support, and a team that could help build the experience I had been imagining.
For a long time, I had ideas I couldn’t afford to carry out. Having some funding meant I could finally begin showing people more of what I saw for this event. There’s still a lot I want to do, but that progress has been exciting.
I handle the planning, booking, promotion, administration, and coordination myself. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that people don’t see. At the same time, making the event happen takes a team, and I’m grateful for the people who contribute their skills and care about it as much as I do. It took time to build that circle. Their support helps make the vision possible.
The money that comes into Late Lyrics goes back into the event. Of all the events I’ve produced, I’ve continued investing in the open mic because I see how much it helps people. If I’m putting this much time and energy into something, I want it to create opportunities and give something back to the community.
Looking ahead, I want to headline a stand-up show in my hometown and tour Oregon before eventually touring nationally. I’d also love to take Late Lyrics on the road, starting with an Oregon tour that brings artists from our community to new audiences. Producing my own hip-hop festival and hip-hop awards show are longtime goals, too.
I’m interested in radio, podcasting, acting, and finding more ways to use my personality and creativity. I’ve also written an album that I’m planning to release in 2027. A big part of that project is the music videos. When I write, I’m already imagining the humor, the characters, and what the audience will see. I want those videos to show the different sides of me as an entertainer.
I’m still figuring out how to make all those ideas happen while continuing to build what I’ve started. I want to give my own talent the same attention and opportunity that I work to give other artists. I love helping people find their confidence and their audience, and I’m ready to keep pursuing that for myself, too.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the hardest parts has been building momentum, having something interrupt it, and then finding the energy to start again.
In 2018 and 2019, I was becoming more known in Portland, performing regularly, and growing my events. Then I got in a car accident at the end of 2019. Recovery involved physical therapy, arm surgery, and a life-threatening infection I contracted in the hospital. It took years to get through everything, and I still deal with pain today.
Late Lyrics had to pause during 2020 and 2021, both because of the pandemic shutdowns and because I was still recovering. I brought it back in 2022 after my arm surgery and recovering from the infection. That was also the year I opened for Preacher Lawson and Cameron Esposito, so it felt like I was getting my footing back.
Then my cousin passed away in 2023. It was my first experience losing someone in my family, and it hit me hard. I was sad and angry, and it became difficult to get onstage and make people laugh when I wasn’t happy at home. For a while, I tried to push through, but pretending I was okay became exhausting. By the end of 2023, I let people know I was taking a break from stand-up until I felt mentally ready to return.
I continued hosting and producing events, but I needed time away from regularly performing comedy. I’ve found happiness again, and I want to return. Getting my motivation back has been a process, especially while still dealing with physical pain.
Another major setback came in 2025, when I lost access to my main Instagram and Facebook accounts, along with the Instagram pages for Bossin Up, Clownin, and Late Lyrics. I was initially told the restriction would last a day, but the accounts never came back, and I still don’t have a clear understanding of why.
That loss was devastating. I had spent years building audiences of tens of thousands of people and documenting my work. I’d performed in more than 100 stand-up shows in Portland and produced hundreds of events. Suddenly, so much of the footage, promotion, and history people used to find me was no longer accessible on those platforms. Some of my Facebook event pages remained, and I still had audiences on TikTok and YouTube, but losing those accounts took away a major connection to the community I had built.
It also made me feel like I had to introduce myself all over again. People who discover me now may only know me as an event promoter because they can’t easily see the years of comedy and other work that came before. The work still happened, but losing that visible history has been hard.
Running Late Lyrics has its own challenges, too. I don’t think people always realize that behind the scenes, it’s a one-woman operation. I don’t have an administrator or a social media team. I manage the artists, partners, music submissions, website, newsletter, promotion, and all the coordination that keeps the event moving.
I have people who help bring the show to life, and I’m grateful for them. But the ongoing management falls on me. What people see is one evening of performances. What they don’t see is the work happening throughout the month to make that evening possible. Balancing that responsibility with my health, personal life, and goals as an entertainer can be difficult.
Funding has also been a constant challenge. For years, it was hard to build consistent support when there wasn’t enough money coming in to pay people for their time and skills. In 2026, receiving a grant through the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition and the Oregon Cultural Trust helped relieve some of that pressure. It has helped me support the team and bring more of my vision to life. It hasn’t removed every financial challenge, but it has made a real difference.
There’s also the challenge of managing expectations. I want to give everyone an opportunity, but there are only so many performance slots in one night. Sometimes people are disappointed, and I’ve dealt with criticism and assumptions about my intentions. That can be hard when I’m putting so much into creating opportunities for people. I try to make room for as many artists as possible while keeping the event organized and fair.
As a gay woman working in a space that is often dominated by men, I’ve sometimes wondered whether that affects the support or recognition I receive. I can’t say what motivates other people, and I don’t want to make assumptions. What I do know is that I’ve put years of work into this community, and I want that work to be seen and understood.
I’m still figuring out how to make everything sustainable and give my own creative career the attention it deserves. Seeing artists grow keeps me connected to why I started. Having people around me who care about Late Lyrics helps, too. I’ve had to take breaks and rebuild more than once, but I still want to make people laugh, create opportunities, and see how far I can take the things I’ve started.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m Shrista Tyree, and the best way to describe me is an entertainer. My work brings together stand-up comedy, hosting, music, storytelling, and event production. Some people know me as a comedian, others know me from hosting hip-hop shows, and others know me as the creator of Late Lyrics Hip-Hop Open Mic and founder of Nexxt Up Entertainment LLC. Humor and connecting with people are at the center of everything I do.
My comedy blends personal storytelling and everyday observations with a blunt, playful take on identity, dating, and the assumptions people make about me as a Black gay woman. My delivery is loud, animated, and physical. I move around the stage, interact with the audience, and respond to what’s happening in the room. I enjoy combining written material with spontaneous moments that make each performance its own experience.
I’m outspoken, but there’s warmth behind my humor. I love being able to joke with someone and have them laughing just as much as everyone around them. That takes trust, and I’m proud of the relationship I’ve built with my audience. People expect me to say something unexpected, and they know we’re there to have fun together.
Music is another part of my style. I incorporate rap into my comedy, often telling stories about life, relationships, and funny dating experiences. The humor is in the lyrics and how I perform them. Even during a rap set, I want people listening, laughing, and following the story. I’m always thinking about what I can bring to a performance through my voice, movement, timing, and personality.
Hosting is one of my favorite things to do because it gives me room to bring all of those skills together. I can tell jokes, work with the crowd, dance, perform a quick rap, or go back and forth with my DJ. I pay attention to the audience and adapt to the room. Knowing when to build the energy, when to let a joke breathe, and when to keep the show moving is a big part of my work.
I put that same care into introducing performers. I want somebody walking onto the stage to feel like they’re entering the Apollo or WrestleMania. Whether it’s their first performance or they’ve been doing it for years, I want them to feel celebrated and the audience to be ready for them.
Between acts, I keep people engaged through comedy, crowd interaction, and callbacks to things that happened earlier in the night. People have told me my hosting made the event for them, and some attend shows specifically because I’m hosting. That means a lot to me. I want the entire evening to feel like an experience worth coming out for.
My performance background includes more than 100 stand-up shows in Portland, appearances at the Northwest Black Comedy Festival and Portland Queer Comedy Festival, and Portland Mercury’s The Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy in 2019. I finished in the top three for Best Comedian in Willamette Week’s 2020 Best of Portland Readers’ Poll and opened for both Preacher Lawson and Cameron Esposito in 2022. I also won first place at the Portland Coast 2 Coast LIVE showcase in 2021. I’m proud of having built a presence across both comedy and hip-hop.
As a producer, I’ve created events including Clownin Comedy Show and Late Lyrics Hip-Hop Open Mic, which I started in 2018. Late Lyrics now operates as a seasonal monthly event for at least six months each year, generally between April and October. I produce and host it through Nexxt Up Entertainment LLC.
Late Lyrics reflects the atmosphere I want to create through my work: fun, welcoming, and supportive. We have first-time performers and experienced artists sharing the stage. I know it can take courage to get up there, so I want people to feel comfortable enough to try something, learn, and return. We can joke around and enjoy ourselves while still giving each artist their moment.
Late Lyrics is free for participating performers, with $10 general admission at the door. All admission revenue goes back into the event, helping cover production costs and performer rewards, including the trophy and cash prize.
Over the years, I’ve booked more than 150 artists and developed Late Lyrics into a place for stage time, networking, promotion, media opportunities, and artist resources. I received Portland Hip-Hop Week’s Trailblazer Award in 2020, and in 2026, grant support through the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition and the Oregon Cultural Trust helped me bring more of my vision for the event to life.
One of the things I’m most proud of is seeing artists grow in a space I created. I’ve watched performers return, develop their skills, and earn opportunities they had been working toward. As a performer myself, I understand how much those moments matter. It means something to know my stage was part of that journey.
I’m also proud that I’ve built a community around being myself. I can be blunt, loud, playful, and spontaneous while making people feel welcome. What makes my work distinctly mine is the way those qualities come together with comedy, music, and storytelling. Audiences get my personality throughout the experience.
Looking toward 2027, I’m developing new stand-up material and pursuing more comedy and hosting bookings, with goals of headlining in my hometown and touring. I’ve also written an album that I’m planning to release in 2027. I write with music videos in mind, imagining the characters, humor, and visual stories that will bring the songs to life.
I’d love to host more comedy shows, hip-hop shows, and other events that want an energetic, funny presence throughout the night. I’m also interested in collaborating with organizations, both as an entertainer and through Late Lyrics. Longer term, I want to take Late Lyrics on the road, create a hip-hop festival and awards show, and explore radio, podcasting, and acting.
I want to keep creating opportunities for other artists while making room for my own ambitions. Making people laugh is what first drew me to the stage, and I’m excited to keep finding new ways to do it.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I define success through the impact of my work, my growth as an entertainer, and—increasingly—whether what I’m building can support me, too.
Late Lyrics is something I already consider successful. It started as a little open mic, and now we’re regularly bringing in more than 70 people, with artists, partners, and established people in Portland’s hip-hop community showing up to support it. People sometimes think they’re attending a full showcase. Seeing how much it has grown surprises me because I never imagined it becoming this big.
The audience’s reaction and the artists’ experience mean a lot to me. When someone tells me they had a great time, that I made them laugh, or that they loved performing at the event, that feels like success. I’ve had nights where I paid money out of my own pocket to cover the event and still went home feeling that the show itself was successful.
But my definition is changing. I’m learning that I can create something valuable for the community and make money doing it. I haven’t taken home a profit from Late Lyrics yet, and I want to change that. Paying myself, supporting my team, and having enough resources to keep growing are part of making this work sustainable. I can care about people and make sure my own work is compensated.
Success would also mean having more freedom to enjoy what I’ve built. I handle all the administration and coordination behind Late Lyrics myself. As the event grows, so does the workload, and sometimes I’m so busy managing everything that I don’t get to enjoy it. Having a reliable admin and production team would allow me to share those responsibilities and put more energy into hosting, creating, and being present.
As an entertainer, some of my proudest moments were the recognition I didn’t see coming. Being selected for Portland Mercury’s The Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy and finishing in the top three for Best Comedian in Willamette Week’s readers’ poll happened while I was focused on working and performing. Looking back, I have to give myself credit for receiving that recognition so early in my comedy career.
I also have goals I’m excited to reach: headlining my own comedy show, touring, creating a comedy album, releasing music and videos that reflect my vision, and developing stronger sets. I want more people to experience my work, and I want to build a team around my career that helps me reach those opportunities. Working with a manager previously showed me that I could earn more from performing, and that changed how I thought about the business side of entertainment.
I can recognize what I’ve accomplished and still want more. I’m proud of the community I’ve built and the opportunities I’ve created. Now, success also means building a career where I’m creatively fulfilled, paid fairly, supported by a team, and able to enjoy the work I love.
Pricing:
- • Event hosting: $250
- • Rap performance incorporating comedy: $150
- • Stand-up comedy performance: $150
- • Late Lyrics performer admission: Free
- • Late Lyrics general admission: $10 at the door
Contact Info:
- Website: https://latelyrics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shristagonewild/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DjnfoF64Y/
- LinkedIn: https://www.tiktok.com/@shrista_
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shrista
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shristatyree
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/nexxt.up.ent/
