Khris Riddick-Tynes ’13, J.D. ’22 Earns Two New Grammy Awards While Continuing to Mentor LMU Students and Alumni in the Music Business

Khris Riddick-Tynes '13, J.D. '22, recently added to his growing Grammy collection with two 2026 wins tied to Kehlani's "Folded," which earned Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. Riddick-Tynes co-wrote and co-produced the track, building on the momentum of his 2024 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for his work with SZA.

"Winning a Grammy is always incredible-it's everything you dream of as a kid, to win at the highest level. Creating songs that impact the world and are recognized by my peers will always mean something special," said Riddick-Tynes.

The Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter, and executive is a proud double alumnus of LMU. In 2022, he graduated from LMU Loyola Law School's JD Evening Program. Loyola Law School was the only school he applied to because of its great reputation in the music industry and because he is a Lion through and through. He also drew inspiration from Clive Davis, the attorney-turned-music executive who served as founder and president of Arista Records from 1974 to 2000.

"Having a legal background is an excellent foundation for any business," says Riddick-Tynes. "But, in this business, combining legal expertise with creative ideas makes you unstoppable."

Before law school, Riddick-Tynes' career was already studded with achievements. In 2020, he earned two Grammy nominations: the first for co-writing Rick Ross' "Gold Roses" featuring Drake, and the second for his collaboration with Jessie Reyez on "Body Count Remix" featuring Normani and Kehlani. He also worked on Toni Braxton and Babyface's collaborative and Grammy-winning album "Love, Marriage, & Divorce." In 2022, he received nominations for Ariana Grande's "Positions," Drake's "Certified Lover Boy," and Eric Bellinger's "New Light." He has also worked with top artists such as Chris Brown, Drake, Ella Mai, Ty Dolla $ign, Wiz Khalifa, and others.

It was at LMU, as a political science major and African American studies minor in the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, that his music career took off. During his junior year, he met a young artist named Ariana, and they began working together. Riddick-Tynes helped craft her sound and produce her first album. "Yours Truly," Ariana Grande's critically acclaimed debut album, came out in 2013 and catapulted Grande and Riddick-Tynes into the mainstream music scene.

LMU was also where Riddick-Tynes developed the strong social consciousness that continues to guide his work today. He credits Marne Campbell, professor and chair of African American studies, with sparking his commitment to empowerment, inclusion, and equity for marginalized communities.

"I want to change the narrative to ensure that all voices are heard and all stories are being told properly, especially in the creative community," says Riddick-Tynes. "LMU taught me to be a good teacher and communicator so that people can relate to your message, and want to get engaged and support the movement."

At his core, Riddick-Tynes is a people person who finds joy in lending a helping hand and looking out for others. His interpersonal and communication skills, coupled with a deep knowledge and love of music, make him exceptionally well-suited to discovering and developing talent and guiding artists' subsequent careers. That commitment has come full circle through his collaboration with Professor Campbell to create pathways for LMU students interested in music industry careers. Together, they envision a hands-on, mentorship-driven model that aligns each student's academic background with their professional aspirations.

Most recently, Riddick-Tynes has mentored Ashton Norful '26, who co-wrote the second single from Kehlani's highly anticipated album. The song, "Out the Window," reached number one on the radio. Norful, a finance major preparing to enter a graduate program in the LMU College of Business Administration, remains deeply engaged in projects with Riddick-Tynes and other industry professionals. He is also working closely with Campbell to identify African American studies students at LMU for internship opportunities with Riddick-Tynes and his network.

"Working alongside Khris has shown me what it really means to have a mentor who not only builds at a high level, but also creates space for you to contribute creatively within that vision. At the same time, he's been intentional about nurturing and helping oversee what I'm building on my own, both musically and across my other ventures. I've gained real insight into the business and have seen firsthand how to make effective, critical, creative, and strategic decisions in real time," said Norful. "Being able to work on projects with artists like Momo Boyd and Kehlani has been incredibly rewarding because it allowed me to showcase my creative ability and execution, while gaining knowledge and experience that I know is irreplaceable. That's exactly what I plan to bring into the course with Marne, creating a space where students can access that same level of exposure, hands-on learning, and real-world decision making."

Ryan Jenkins '21, M.S. '22, a communication studies major who got his graduate degree in business administration and management and is now with Warner Chappell, also secured an A&R credit on the Kehlani project and is mentored by Riddick-Tynes. "Khris has been everything you can hope for in a mentor - more like a big brother I can always turn to with any question, and someone I continue to learn the game from. We're now working across multiple music and TV projects, where he consistently sets a high bar while still giving me space to contribute creatively. Since Professor Campbell connected us, the relationship we've built has been life-changing, and I'm forever grateful. I'm excited to share what we're working on soon, but even more so to help grow and amplify the internship program for other students in the same way he's continued to invest in me."

"Including Ashton and Ryan on Kehlani's project meant a lot to me. They remind me of who I was when I was younger-in different ways, both talented, eager to learn, and coachable. As they continue to grow, I'll keep supporting them and all my mentees in any way I can," added Riddick-Tynes.

His mentorship continues to expand, reaching alums such as Noelle Yancy '24, a film, TV, and media studies and African American studies graduate now entering music production, and Miles Hagan '22, a business marketing major and former student of Prof. Campbell, who launched his career at Sony Music as Riddick-Tynes's intern and is now building his own media company.

Together, Campbell, Riddick-Tynes, and Norful are developing an interdisciplinary course that would explore all facets of the music industry, including Black music history, production, and publication credits (addressing cultural appropriation). "Ashton has been key in helping me think through how this course can move forward in a way that fits the liberal arts and remains truly interdisciplinary," Campbell says.

Khris Riddick-Tynes has approached his music career with a wide-angle lens, balancing artistry, business, and social responsibility. "Making solid connections and developing a true understanding of music and the music business is so important," said Riddick-Tynes. "Equally important is a social justice perspective and other factors that greatly contribute to success, such as how you carry yourself and interface with others."

Through the incredible highs and a few career lulls, Riddick Tynes is guided by his personal philosophy: "Find what you are good at and just keep doing it. Don't get too high, or too low, be in the middle. It's all about the long-term game."

In other words, "Find your voice. Find your tempo."