When Mega Ran became a foster parent in 2022, he opened his home, his art, and eventually, a whole new genre of music.
Known to many as the “Teacher/Rapper/Hero,” Mega Ran made a name for himself as a video game composer and nerdcore rapper. His tracks paid homage to everything from Mortal Kombat to pro wrestling, and he was the first rapper to be officially licensed by Capcom. When parenthood came calling, everything changed. He answered with a Billboard-charting children’s debut, Buddy’s Magic Toy Box, a soundtrack inspired by his then-foster son. Now that Buddy is his adopted son, Mega Ran is back with a powerful follow-up: Buddy’s Magic Tree House, released today.
I Love Us had a chance to talk to Mega Ran about his journey from classrooms to concert halls, and how fatherhood reshaped his music in the most beautiful way.
“If the first album was about opening the toy box and enjoying playtime, then the second is about sharing those toys with others, and creating a safe space for everyone to play in as themselves, unapologetically,” he says. “Everyone is welcome and safe when they enter the Tree House.”
It’s a message forged from lived experience. “It made me hyper aware of what I was intaking and bringing into the home–both literally and figuratively,” Mega Ran shares. “I think you should always be watching what you bring into your circle, but having an impressionable young one nearby certainly helped me with that.”
That impressionable young one was Buddy, who now lends his voice to the intro track “Good Morning,” inviting listeners into the playful world of Tree House with childlike joy and authority. It’s just one of the many intentional details that make this album feel less like a product and more like a home.
From Stage to Story Time
Following the breakout success of Buddy’s Magic Toy Box, which debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Kid Albums chart in 2023, Mega Ran’s pivot to children’s music felt inevitable. He became a regular at museums, libraries, and public parks, even creating an anthem for literacy advocates with “The Library Jawn,” a viral track from the Buddy’s Magic Remixes EP. Yet he never left his core audience behind. Ran still played 21+ venues on tour, but he always made time for a children’s track or two. “If I can teach 12-year-olds, then adults are easy,” he often joked on stage.
Ran used his skills as an educator and emcee to fuse worlds—where affirmations live alongside fun beats, and where life lessons are delivered in spirited bars.
“Since we started listening to more kid’s tunes and watching kids programs, I realized that the messages I wanted him to receive: self-love, kindness, friendship and good morals–weren’t always in place,” he explains. “It made me add a bit of a checkbox to my own music to ensure that I always hit on an important value that I want the listener to take away from the song, whether it’s for kids or for grown-ups.”
Affirmations, Funk, and Feelings
Buddy’s Magic Tree House is a classroom, a dance floor, and a healing circle.
Tracks like “Have A Great Time!” (with vocals by Kymberly Stewart) blend pop and R&B to encourage kids to make room for joy. “Dino Stomp On The Playground” brings ska into the picture with a prehistoric twist, while “The Alphabet Jawn” (featuring Last BeNeVoLeNcE) makes learning letters sound like a block party.
While the Tree House is full of fun, it doesn’t shy away from depth. One standout is “Why Do People Go?” featuring Kimya Dawson. The emotional ballad confronts grief and absence in ways that are gentle enough for children but powerful enough for anyone still mourning.
“So the new rule was—smile or cry—as long as I feel something, I know it’s a keeper,” Mega Ran says.
Another emotional anchor is “Sing A Song,” a tribute to the late Ella Jenkins, long considered the first lady of children’s music. The song brings together voices like 2024 GRAMMY nominee Uncle Jumbo and a chorus of fellow artists who, like Ran, stand on Miss Ella’s shoulders.
“It’s music that sticks with kids and won’t annoy the parents.. what else can you ask for?” he quips.
Fatherhood as Foundation
The album’s warmth is grounded in Mega Ran’s real-life parenting journey.
“I learned about patience more than anything during that process,” he says of his experience as a foster parent. “The system is so overrun with families that need help and exhausted social workers trying to do their absolute best. You’ve gotta be trusting and patient more than anything, as well as hopeful that the right resolution will come, no matter what that may be.”
He adds, “It also taught me how important it is for kids to have their own space… I tried my best to bring that to the album by using real conversations I’ve had with my son to inspire different tracks and concepts.”
Even the title itself—Buddy’s Magic Tree House—reflects that intention: a safe space to retreat to, a hideout where imagination reigns.
Building Bridges Through Beats
Ran’s ability to blend nerdcore roots with affirmations and family storytelling is the natural evolution of a storyteller who’s always led with heart.
“Even within that journey, when stepping into a character, I always fought to maintain the innocence of that time period and character,” he reflects. “Most of these games were played when we were young, so I want to make sure to leave that youthful energy intact in my songs.”
The result is a kaleidoscope of sound where collaborators like Fyütch and Aura V, Aaron Nigel Smith, the Alphabet Rockers, and Mista Cookie Jar add their sparkle to tracks that groove, teach, and touch.
From the joy of “Water Plug” featuring 5X GRAMMY nominee Justin Roberts and Daru Jones (Jack White’s drummer), to the movement of “Get Your Wiggle On,” Tree House is an invitation to move, feel, and imagine.
Music for the Whole House
“Honestly, I want children and parents to add this to their rotation as something they can dance to, sing along to and maybe even learn something from,” Mega Ran says.
So come on in. Kick your shoes off. Whether you’re 3 or 33, there’s room for you in Buddy’s Magic Tree House.
Cover photo: How Becoming a Foster Dad Rewired Mega Ran’s Music and Made Space for Joy / Photo courtesy of Mega Ran
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