Detroit Rapper Tee Grizzley Got His Car Shot Up — And The Shooting Killed His Manager (And Aunt)
Prayers up for him!
Instagram The world of hip-hop is not for the faint of heart: drugs, guns, and wild behavior are everywhere, and only the strong survive. This rapper, however, recently learned that these streets are completely unforgiving when his car was shot up — and his manager (who is also his aunt) was killed. Who is Tee Grizzley?
Let's look at what we know about this Detroit native.
1. He's a popular artist in his hometown.
According to HipHopDX, Tee Grizzley — who is a native of Detroit — is so popular that he frequently collaborates with other artists, especially those from his hometown. Best known for being affiliated with both Lil Durk and the Chopsquad DJs, Grizzley — who is signed to 300 Entertainment — recently released a collaboration with fellow Detroit rapper Sada Baby called "Next Up."
2. Tee Grizzley wrote his first mixtape while he was incarcerated for his role in an attempted robbery.
"Grizzley has been rapping for more than a decade, but his journey to success has been a tumultuous one. He grew up in West Detroit in what he described as “an abusive household” and was the first member of his family to go to college. In 2015, he was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for a series of robberies at Michigan State University, committed when he was a freshman there. Police uncovered about $10,000 worth of stolen merchandise and nearly $10,000 in cash that Grizzley, along with two other rappers, took from students’ dorms in 2014. Grizzley’s sentence was reduced and he ended up being released after 18 months last fall," reported Complex Magazine, who added that his first single was called — fittingly — "First Day Out."
3. He's been nominated for several awards.
Even though he's only been a "professional rapper" for a few years, he's already been nominated for a few awards. He was nominated for the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards as the "Push Artist of the Year," and he received two BET Hip Hop Awards nominations in 2017 (one for "Best Mixtape," one for "Best New Hip Hop Artist").
4. Tee Grizzley says that LeBron James is responsible for a lot of his success.
According to TMZ, Tee Grizzley says that LeBron James is responsible for a lot of his success. Specifically, LeBron frequently played his music while he was working out on Instagram. And this, said Grizzley, helped him become an RIAA-certified multi-platinum artist.
5. His most recent single was a track called "Locked Up."
According to HotNewHipHop, Tee Grizzley's most recent single was a track called "Locked Up," which was a lot more introspective than his previous songs about life behind bars. The outlet said that Grizzley "bared his soul" on the track, and considered it one of the best songs of his career so far.
6. Tee Grizzley's aunt was also his manager — and the motive for the shooting remains unclear, though under investigation.
According to Fox News, Tee Grizzley's aunt Jobina Brown was also his manager. She was on the right side of the car that got shot up, and as a result of her proximity to the bullets, she died. Furthermore, the outlet reports that the shooting happened on Detroit's East Side, and that Tee Grizzley and another passenger walked away from the shooting unharmed. And while the motive for the shooting remains unclear, the case is currently under investigation.
Our thoughts are with Tee Grizzley and his family during this difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.