Gabriel Brown also known as Black Gryph0n, is a multi-talented musician, voice actor, and YouTube personality with an impressive array of accomplishments including a YouTube channel that has amassed over 4.9 million subscribers. Now collaborating with his brother Nathanael, known by his stage name Bassik, the two have joined forces under the collective name Black Gryph0n to bring a different wave of music to the masses.

Nate's background includes a deep proficiency in classical piano, as well as self-taught mastery of various other instruments such as guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard. His diverse skill set and innovative approach to music production have been crucial to the duo’s success. This collaboration has already led to some impressive milestones, including their first major hit single "Insane," which went viral, earning them a gold record and over a billion streams. Using this formula, their subsequent songs also became hits, cementing their place in the music world. Join us as we unravel the inspiring journey of Gabe and Nate, exploring the defining moments, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped their extraordinary careers.

RIVAL: Hi! Can you introduce yourselves and tell us about the band's background?

GABE: Oh, boy. Do you think we can keep this to half an hour?

NATE: No, we never do. We love talking about ourselves.

GABE: Well, I love talking about myself, and then Nate corrects me when I exaggerate. Nate and I have been making music together since childhood. Our mother heard us singing at ages eight and six and encouraged us to pursue it. Nate excelled as a classical pianist, winning national competitions before turning ten, and has an exceptional talent for playing music by ear. He expanded his skills in his teens, mastering various instruments, including piano, strings, drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard. Throughout our youth, we performed in numerous shows across the country. Eventually, we both joined the military for stability and new challenges. I trained to become a Navy SEAL, while Nate attended the Naval Academy to be a fighter pilot. Unexpectedly, we continued exploring our passion for music in the military.

NATE: While attending the Naval Academy, I joined their only two music programs, the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Men's Glee Club. I signed up for both because I needed music in my life, even if it meant singing hymns and playing some not-so-great songs. However, both activities were rough, so I knew I needed to find something else. I found a radio club that used to broadcast music from the Naval Academy to the midshipmen on campus. However, the frequency had been retired for several years. I convinced the person in charge to give me access and turned it into a DJ club to teach kids how to DJ.  We organized pep rallies and other events outside the academy, what started as a way for me to listen to music as a freshman grew into a 30-40 member club that is still active ten years after I graduated

GABE: Nate established Navy Beats at the academy, bringing in major artists like Katy Perry and Maroon 5 to perform. Meanwhile, I was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, where I was the lead singer for the Seventh Fleet Band. My job was to tour the eastern hemisphere and perform in the native language of every country that I visited. I can sing in 12 languages. I was later selected for the Electric Brigade, the band for the Naval Academy and the President, but their funding was cut, so I left that job. I moved to Vancouver and ventured into voice acting while Nate completed his service.

RIVAL: Gabe, I read that you were involved in a skydiving accident and broke your femur. I’m curious to know more about it if it's not too traumatic.

GABE: During my military training, while skydiving, my canopy malfunctioned in a way called a "line over." At first, I thought it was a stuck slider, a problem that can usually be fixed. However, I only realized my mistake when I was already below the decision altitude. At that point, a skydiver must decide whether to cut away and deploy the reserve parachute or use the main one, as it's too low to deploy the reserve safely. I struggled to control the partially inflated canopy and ended up hitting the ground at around 60 miles per hour, resulting in a broken leg.

It's the same leg that I had broken about five years prior in Alaska when I was free-climbing a cliff. Nate saw that one; I fell from about 45 feet and snapped my left femur. If you understand why it happened, it's less scary; you learn from that hubris, and you can do it safely in the future. I've been skydiving and flying for the last eight years, and I haven't injured myself again because I've learned from those mistakes. There are safe ways to do risky things, so it's all about risk management. 

RIVAL: I'm impressed by your determination to pursue your love of extreme sports despite your frightening past experiences.

GABE: It was scary the first time I returned to it, but Nate would have done the same thing. I think that drive has contributed to our success. We've experienced multiple failures in the past 15 years while trying to establish ourselves and create music that people would enjoy. The only difference is that when you fail in a skydive, you may break bones or die, but in music, it only hurts your pride, which can sometimes be worse.

RIVAL: It seems like you have personal experience in this area. How do you handle your pride being challenged in a creative space?

GABE: We've encountered numerous occasions when our seemingly fantastic ideas didn't pan out as expected. However, it's taught us that our lack of success isn't necessarily due to a lack of talent but may be influenced by factors such as market conditions and timing. From our failures, we've gained valuable insights. We've realized that some of our songs should have been hits, but factors like poor timing, lack of market demand, or competition from other companies hindered their success. However, through careful analysis, we've identified strategies to enhance the visibility of our music.

NATE: The failures can pile up and make you feel like you can't dig yourself out from under them. Doubt also has a way of sneaking in at times, and we'd ask ourselves if we could do this full-time and do it successfully. We don't have any friends or family who have done entertainment, so we didn't have a rulebook to follow, which is tricky. We had to pave our own way. But through a lot of trial and error and then experience, I think we've eventually made it work. Overall, I believe that all those setbacks were necessary to get to where we are now, and it's something we're grateful for.

GABE: We’ve learned many things the hard way. When I entered the voice acting world and Nate entered the production world, we observed people doing things we knew didn't work because we had already tried them. We have embraced the concept of failure and believe that the only true failure is if you give up or don't learn from it. With our experiences, we have created a roadmap that helps us navigate better.

RIVAL: Do you think your time on America's Got Talent (AGT) benefited the grow of Black Gryph0n?

NATE: I wish I could say it was more helpful. They seemed to have a particular idea of who they wanted to cast. Many people don't realize that reality TV is cast, but they have a specific slot to fill. When we suggested going on the show as Black Gryph0n and Baasik, they said it was too complicated and instead gave us a name that showed we were brothers - Brown Brothers.

GABE: During the eliminations, we were favorites among the audience and received a standing ovation. The audience was chanting 'buzzer, buzzer,' but unfortunately, they didn't have any golden buzzers to give us, so we were eliminated in the semi-finals. Simon acknowledged the standing ovation we received but credited the production team for our act, saying, "I didn't know what you were doing, but you got really lucky because the production team made you look incredible." I was just like, ‘wow’…

RIVAL: I take it you weren’t too disappointed that you didn’t make it further after that comment.

GABE: We were surprised even to make it to the semifinals because we weren't what they originally wanted. The following year, we performed a lot at corporate gigs as the Brown Brothers. It was a little frustrating because suddenly, everyone wanted to see us live because of AGT, but nobody knew any of our stuff outside of AGT. However, we started meeting fans who started recognizing us from our YouTube videos.

NATE: Being successful on AGT can be consuming because opportunities are somewhat limited, consisting primarily of corporate gigs and a Vegas residency. Gabe and I had previously tested out a Vegas residency when we did a trial run with a Cirque de Soleil show at New York, New York. However, we felt overwhelmed by the idea of a six-month residency. The demanding schedule of 10 shows per week was exhausting, and we realized that we couldn't commit to it. We got bored on the second night, and Gabe and I were like, "How are we going to do this for six months?" Honestly, there's no amount of money in the world that would have led us to sign that contract.

GABE: The experience dismantled the fantasy and the prestige of having a Vegas residency. When you win America's Got Talent, they promise you a year of Vegas residency, and it's hyped up to be this massive thing, and it just isn't. Not for us, anyway.

RIVAL: Your unconventional approach to music sets you apart. How do you make it work independently and as a duo?

NATE: Gabe and I have a unique approach to pursuing music, and it's difficult for people to put us in a box and dictate what we should do. I've realized that being a talented musician or songwriter isn't enough. Understanding the business side of the music industry and positioning oneself for success is equally important. Gabe and I have autistic qualities and faced challenges with social interactions and have had to grow beyond our comfort zone. The label that signed me wanted me to fit into their usual mold, but I couldn’t do that. I wanted to do my own thing. So, I tried to do what they wanted occasionally, but I also pursued my own creative ideas. This caused friction and didn't work well for the label or me. Gabe had a similar experience with voice acting.

GABE: I didn't want to be limited to specific roles and I kept getting typecast. I knew I had more to offer. Our business approach differs from traditional bands. While traditional bands are easily recognizable by their sound, I take pride in the diversity of our recent releases. We use different voices and production styles, featuring various artists, and work in other genres. Our versatility sets us apart, making promoting ourselves as a band challenging.

 RIVAL: Most albums are designed to have a cohesive storyline with consistent dynamics, sounds, and bass lines. However, creating a mix of random tracks can evoke a nostalgic mixtape or CD vibe, which music listeners can appreciate.

GABE: That’s what we’re hoping for as we try to grow the brand. We feel that we have reached a point where the music has grown as much as it can in its current form. Our biggest challenge is that we don’t want a consistent sound; instead, we aim to produce music in multiple genres. We want to operate Black Gryph0n more like a label while still having the fanbase of a band. This is the challenge we are facing.

RIVAL: If anyone can make it happen, it's you. You are so connected. Do you ever disagree on ideas?

NATE: Oh, Gabe and I constantly butt heads. We were homeschooled, which turned out to be a huge blessing. It allowed us to get to know each other better, understand how we work and write, and recognize our creative differences from a young age. I don't think two people on the planet are closer than Gabe and I. We can basically speak telepathically.

GABE: It was a lot tougher in the beginning, 15 years ago, when we were first starting to write because we were both figuring ourselves out and then how to make music together. I think we learned early on not to take creative differences personally.

 RIVAL: Since you began, how has the music industry evolved?

NATE: I've noticed a positive shift in the music and entertainment industry towards being more open to sharing techniques and building community, which I love to see. In the past, I remember being in sessions where I would ask a producer how he made a certain sound, and he'd respond with, "I can't tell you that. That's my secret". It created a strange atmosphere. However, I don't see that nearly as much anymore. Gabe and I are very open about how we do things because we believe

 it's not just for us. There's not a finite amount of money; it doesn't just go into our pockets. This is a way for music to progress, communities to be supported, and different people to connect. The more people who embrace this mindset, the better.

 RIVAL: What does the rest of the year look like for Black Gryph0n?

NATE: This year, our primary focus is on rebranding. Over time, the name Black Gryph0n has become synonymous with Gabe's persona as an impressionist due to its popularity on YouTube. In 2019, Gabe's video soared to the number-one position on YouTube, establishing him as one of the most successful YouTubers globally. Consequently, we decided to keep the name Black Gryph0n to keep up with the existing traction. We’ve had success posting music content on Gabe's channel in the past, so we are optimistic that the transition will be smooth.

GABE: We hope to become one of the top musicians for major IPs with large, dedicated fandoms such as Nintendo, Minecraft, and Five Nights at Freddy's. We aim to produce music and collaborate with major artists and actors to create music for these IPs, which could be featured in movies - either in the credits or as songs sung by the characters. It's what we're good at, so it's just a matter of getting on their radar. On the other hand, we would like to do more live performances. But again, our tour wouldn't look traditional; we're trying to start a festival that we curate and create opportunities for musicians and the type of music we make. We have a lot of ideas that we'll have to wait until the end of this year to execute. However, we have very high hopes that by then, we'll have some major news that will hopefully launch our brand and music to the next level. All of this is currently happening behind the scenes, so stay tuned.

As we conclude this insightful interview with Black Gryph0n, it's evident that Gabe and Nate's journey demonstrates the power of perseverance and the magic of following one's passion. From pursuing early independent musical projects to now sharing their accomplishments on YouTube and beyond, the story of Black Gryph0n is an inspiring tale of creativity, determination, and the pursuit of greatness. Their seamless blend of collective talents has not only earned them a dedicated following but has also paved the way for a future filled with limitless possibilities. We eagerly anticipate witnessing where Gabe and Nate's remarkable talents will take them next.