Pop stardom hasn’t changed TJ Mack. Sure, he’s playing huge stadiums like Sphere in Vegas, or SoFi, and “so many places where they play football,†as his collaborator Brian Jordan Alvarez explained. Mack, his wife, and Alvarez all stopped by Vulture Fest to play Mack’s hits and give a peek into his process. Wife wore a long, blonde-haired wig and explained the rise-and-grind mentality that went into making such hits as “Sitting†and “Inside.†They wake up, have breakfast, and the Mack writes seven to ten songs a day. She then picks which song moves forward. “I am in charge,†Wife said. Her favorite is “Sitting†because “that song bought me two Escalade cars.â€
The Wife’s leadership is the key not just to TJ Mack’s career, but also their domestic life. When asked the secret to a happy marriage, she said “control†and “a clear power dynamitt [sic].†Wife is in control, and TJ Mack respects that. When asked to play “Fuck, Marry, Kill†with T.J. Maxx, Ross, and Marshalls, he said, “I can only marry my wife. And then, whatever, I’m just going to shop at the other ones.â€