TampaMystic: The Voice Behind Atlanta's Independent Artist Movement

Misty Malec, known to most as "TampaMystic," has spent the better part of two decades building platforms for artists who might otherwise go unheard. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she now calls Atlanta home, where she's grown from open-mic host to owner of multiple media and entertainment ventures. Her journey started around 16 years ago, hosting open mics in Tampa. A DJ she worked with introduced her to the Desert Storm Radio team, owned by DJ Clue, which led to a three-year radio run on that platform. In 2013, she relocated to Atlanta to further her career, eventually landing a six-year stint on Highly Unique Radio, where she continued hosting artist showcases and interviewing a wide range of talent. Along the way, she launched Industries Most Wanted, which began as a mixtape series before evolving into a podcast spotlighting both emerging and established artists. She later founded The Hype 87.3, a radio station centered on up-and-coming musicians, and partnered with Bigga Rankin to open Creative Media Zone, now home base for her projects. A second station, Spinz 92.9, followed, continuing her focus on independent artists. Malec credits her success to the people around her, especially Kingpin and Bigga Rankin, who she says took her under their wing early on while teaching her to stand on her own. She also points to her father and her son as her biggest supporters. These days, she's focused on launching new artist opportunities through her platforms and continuing her interview schedule every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. She's also gearing up for a run of appearances and projects, including the 13-year anniversary celebration for Carolina Coalition DJs in Columbia, South Carolina, providing official media coverage for the Atlanta Turkey Classic as she has for several years, and putting together a new event in Chattanooga. For Malec, the work comes down to passion. "It's so much bigger than me," she says, adding that she remains grateful to everyone who has supported her business over the years.