Tsumyoki

Nathan Joseph Mendes (born 2 June 2001) known professionally as Tsumyoki (or simply Yoki), is an Indian rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He gained popularity from his single track release, "White Tee" (2019), Daboij album (2021), maiden EP release, Way Too Messy (2021), featuring fellow Goan rapper, Kidd Mange and "Pink Blue" (2022), featuring Bharg. According to Mendes, his stage name alludes to ideas of "vision, productivity and a positive mindset".

Mendes is one of the leading artists from Goa and is credited for revolutionizing the English genre of Hip hop music in the Indian coastal state of Goa. He is the first Goan music artist and the youngest member at age 19, to be signed by DIVINE's record label, Gully Gang Records in 2021. He was also featured in Goan Insider's 50 Most Influential People of 2021 and has been described by It'sGoa.com as Goa's best rapper.

Early life
Nathan Joseph Mendes was born on 2 June 2001 in Margao, Goa to Gianna Alba Araujo Soares Mendes and Sanjeev Peter Mendes. He has an elder sister, Sneha (born 1998). His maternal grandfather, Joe, was also a musician, who died in 2018. Mendes completed his Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) from The King's School. He later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Xavier's College, Mapusa.

2018–2019: Early beginnings
Mendes started his musical journey in his late teenage years, beginning at age 17. His primary aim was to explore various music genres beyond just rap. He credits his mother and family for being pillars of support throughout his musical career and considers artists like XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD, Drake, Eminem, Post Malone, Ski Mask the Slump God and Michael Jackson as his role models. During an interview, Mendes shared how he commenced his career with inr 8000, struggling to afford essential technical equipment. He had to depend on his mother as he needed more money to kickstart his music journey with proper equipments, he then performed for her to which she was convinced.

Mendes first began pursuing music as a hobby in 11th grade. He discusses the difficulties he encountered when trying to establish himself in the rap scene, recounting instances of waiting outside clubs with a USB flash drive containing his music in the hopes of catching the attention of popular artists. In addition, he notes the lack of widespread backing for indigenous musicians in Goa who crafted their own music, requiring him to work towards gaining visibility.

2019–present: Rise to success
Mendes's breakthrough came from his single track release, "White Tee" in 2019. The idea behind the track was a hook, "White Tee, Bish get off”, he always had in mind, to which he added the beats and tunes. The music video was mainly shot in Fatorda and other locations, featuring participation from several of his supporters. Mendes further stated in an interview that, "White Tee" signifies a mindset, for example if you're wearing something white, you ought to not get dirty. Similarly it means you don't need people's negativity affecting your perspective.

In October 2019, Mendes' plans to release the music video to "Save Me", were shelved. He claims that his stage name "Tsumyoki" was inspired after "waking up on a regular day and looking at himself in the mirror". The Japanese influence was intentional. In the beginning, he harbored reservations about incorporating his stage name but gradually embraced it more as his fame grew. Mendes' music is influenced by American culture and he attempts to bring forth more elements of Indian culture in his work.

At age 18, Mendes started performing at clubs and judged several college events. One of his first two gigs was with DJ Skeletron. Mendes and the latter collaborated in the single track "Go Hard" which was released on 4 August 2019, following the release of "Go Hard", 'Showbar', a gastropub in Candolim offered him his first show.

In November 2020, Mendes produced "Ketta" referring to an "action of ditching or avoiding someone", a single track by Carisio Azavedo mononymously known as Bongisio, a Merces based music artist which was mastered and recorded by 2jaym. Before Mendes embarked on his music career, he lacked any Goan rappers to serve as influences since there were no popular artists in that category during that period. He has collaborated with local music artists, producers and influencers like JD, 2Jaym, Elttwo, ZaDaRapper and ZB Memes.

On 4 September 2021, Mendes released his 15-minute maiden EP, "Way Too Messy", it included five tracks with themes of cancel culture, ambition and self discovery. The inspiration behind it was when he and Daniel Sequeira professionally known as Kidd Mange, were invited to the Gully Gang camp, wherein they were involved in making music. The decision to produce the EP was made at that juncture, and it was well-received by the Gully Gang team. Within two days, three songs were finalized, and the remaining two were subsequently incorporated.

Mendes participated in the 2021 "Goa Rap Cypher," where he played a role in both production and performance. Together with nine local artists, they used this platform to raise awareness about significant challenges such as the "Mollem situation" affecting the region of Goa.

Goa Trap Culture
Mendes is one of the founding members of the boy band known as Goa Trap Culture (GTC) or the GTC crew. As of February 2021, the band includes local Goan music artists Elttwo, 2jaym, and Kidd Mange. They are best known for their 2021 album 'Daboij', which features a mix of genres such as pop, rock, indie, R&B/soul, hip- hop, rap, and trap music. The album also features guest artists including Vash and Yelhomie, and production from CapsCtrl on some of the beats.

Some of the popular tracks from the album were "Jackets" and "Flex Bomb" which were particularly favored by the GTC crew. These tracks showcased the influence of diverse music genres such as pop/emo and rap/hip- hop. In an interview with Goan Insider, the crew expressed that the album's title was derived from the camaraderie that united them. 'Daboij' simply means 'The Boys'. The initial work on the album began before the COVID-19 pandemic and took about a year to complete.

The band also mentioned that XXXTentacion, Tyler, the Creator, MF Doom, Anson Seabra, J. Cole, Juice Wrld, Lauv and Nucleya were some of their inspirations for each of their tracks. Nucleya advised them on their vocal approach. One of the singles featured on the album, "Sorpotel", is a reinterpretation with Goan influences. It was originally composed by Mendes's grandfather, Joe, who passed away in 2018 without receiving credit for his work. As of 2021, the GTC crew plans to collaborate with Oliver Tree, Ritviz, and Divine in the near future.

Tours

 * A Message from the Moon Tour (2023)