January 24, 2017
Halle Thornton
Many Coloradans look forward to the winter season because of skiing and events like the Winter X Games. But some alumni look forward to the cold because they’ll be performing in it.
UCCS alumnus Chris Vigil will perform alongside G-Eazy and Marty Grimes at the 2017 Winter X Games in Aspen on Jan. 29, but this isn’t the 26-year-old rapper’s first time performing with big artists.
Vigil, who graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management and a minor in marketing, performed at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs as an opening act for Lil Wayne and T.I.
The local rapper, who goes by the stage name Splyt, will continue to tour after his gig at the winter games in January.
The Scribe asked Splyt several questions about his music career and how he came to be an up and coming artist. (More information about Splyt can be found on his Facebook page called Splyt Music).
Q: Where did you grow up? Why did you decide to go to UCCS?
A: I grew up pretty much everywhere on Interstate 25. I lived in Denver and Trinidad and moved to Colorado Springs for school, and now I’m back in Denver.
I heard UCCS was academically challenging, and I got academic scholarships that basically added up to a full ride. It was also close enough to my grandparents to where I could get away and also go back when I needed to.
Q: How did you get involved in music?
A: I always messed around with music. I don’t like to admit it, but I was the kid that would be freestyling at parties.
The last week of my senior year, my roommate and manager Dan Hargrove booked me a show in Denver, and I missed class to perform. That was the push we needed.
I use the marketing aspect of my degree for my music, and I owe my interest in marketing to Peggy McNulty. Her son was a producer at the time, and I did a presentation on music in one of her classes.
Q: What is the inspiration behind your stage name?
A: I never thought about a name, but I always wrote lyrics for people when I started off in music. I was a singer, so I got asked to do a chorus for a rapper. When I finished my first recording session, they asked what I wanted to be called.
Since this was in 2007 and people didn’t do rapping and singing at the time, I thought I was a nice split personality of styles.
In that same moment, I thought people had already taken “Split,” so I added the Y for branding purposes. Luckily it wasn’t taken.
Q: How did you get involved with G-Eazy and the Winter X Games?
A: I got involved with (G-Eazy) in Colorado Springs when he was doing his run with Lil Wayne and T.I. They had a night off, so they booked a show at the Black Sheep. They had never had (GEazy) before, but they needed a local opener to perform as well, so they asked me.
Locals are typically not as good, but I ended up selling out half of the venue. I got to perform for 30 minutes and it was a crazy show. We’ve had a good relationship since then.
Q: Are you currently working on any music?
A: I’m working on full-length album and it should be done in the first quarter of this year. We’re doing the final edits now. I’ll also be performing with Marty Grimes on his Martyjuana Tour in Salt Lake City on Jan. 25 and in Denver on Jan. 27.