When in doubt, get back to basics. After suffering an embarrassing miscue earlier this year, J. Cole appears to have taken this advice to heart, setting aside attempts to compete with top-grossing peers like Drake and Kendrick Lamar in favor of issuing eyebrow-raising guest verses alongside collaborators such as Daylyt, ASAP Rocky, Tems, and Cash Cobain. You can now add Tee Grizzley to that list. J. Cole goes back in his feature verse bag, tag-teaming a frenetic Pi’erre Bourne production with the Detroit native on “Blow For Blow.” In the accompanying video, two rappers perform on a rooftop while Grizzley gives out game (and hundred-dollar bills) in the hood.
It’s good to hear Cole having fun on records again after his miscalculation in stepping into the match between Drake and Kendrick this spring. Issuing “7 Minute Drill” and retracting it within the span of a weekend turned out to be the rap equivalent of a wrestler running down to the ring with a steel chair in one hand and the Money In The Bank briefcase in the other, only to face plant directly into the case, and sheepishly head back to the locker room without so much as flashing the contract for the championship match. Fortunately, he’s got a tried-and-true recovery plan, and if this current run he’s on turns out to be as impactful as the one from 2022, the hype for The Fall Off won’t suffer too much from his earlier faux pas.
You can watch the video for “Blow For Blow” above.
Tee Grizzley and 42 Dugg make hard music. They’ve built their brand around it. Both rappers hail from Detroit, and give off a specific kind of intensity. It’s helped them get to where they are today. Grizzley and 42 Dugg have both blown up in recent years, so it was only a matter of time before they linked back up. The last time these two were on a song together was “Hard Players.” Now, Tee Grizzley and Dugg are showcasing pride for where they came from. “Detroit” is every bit as gritty as its title suggests. Big Sean may have laid claim to Detroit as an album title, but Grizz and Dugg are holding down the D as a song.
Tee Grizzley kicks off “Detroit” with an absolutely relentless flow. He finds such a pocket that the drums drop out around the 0:35 second mark, and he still keeps going. Grizzley is not playing around, as shown in his absolutely ruthless bars. “I be in a trap with old heads that’s richer than Joe Biden (N*gas loaded),” he spits. “F*ck with me, dog, but don’t fuck with me, dog. That pain nobody wanna feel, that’s what we cause.” Tee Grizzley is a tough act to follow, but he picked the right rapper to hold down the back end of “Detroit.” 42 Dugg adopts a slower, more melodic flow. It works. He manages to communicate a sense of aggression while sounding smoother on the propulsive beat. Tee Grizzley and 42 Dugg don’t break the mold or anything, but they really do the mold proud.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Tee Grizzley Drops A Relentless Flow On New Single
Quotable Lyrics:
If yo’ lady bad, pop out with her, if you let her out I catch her out, I make her suck it ’til she cry her lashes out (Go ask) I thank God, life for me, completely changed
Today, multiplatinum Detroit rapper TeeGrizzley shares a brand new single entitled “Detroit” featuring 42 Dugg out now via Grizzley Gang/300 Entertainment.
Both Tee Grizzley and 42 Dugg have proudly repped the “D” throughout their respective careers, bringing their city’s story into the spotlight both nationally and internationally.
“Detroit” represents another opportunity for them to amplify the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of their hometown. Together, they paint a vivid picture, focusing on the come-up and sharing wisdom as Tee admits, “I can finally see the light. I spent my whole life in the rain.” The accompanying visual allows them to bring audiences home as well. Under a bright sun, the guys rap outside at the local Detroit stops surrounded by friends and brand new luxury cars.
The single offers the ultimate ode to “Detroit” from two of its most proud sons.
Today, multiplatinum Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley released a new single titled “Detroit,” featuring fellow hometown artist 42 Dugg, via Grizzley Gang/300 Entertainment.
Known for proudly representing their city, both artists have consistently spotlighted Detroit’s story on a global stage. With “Detroit,” they delve into the struggles and successes of their hometown, delivering a gritty yet hopeful narrative. Tee Grizzley reflects on his journey, rapping, “I can finally see the light. I spent my whole life in the rain.”
The accompanying music video captures the essence of Detroit. Tee Grizzley and 42 Dugg rap in front of iconic local spots, surrounded by friends and luxury cars under the city’s bright sun.
This single is a powerful tribute to Detroit, showcasing the pride and resilience of two of its most prominent voices.
There is no stoppingBoldy James. The Detroit, Michigan MC, one who embodies the hardcore subgenre, is back with yet another single. It comes just a few days after the YouTube exclusive release of “10 Pints”. It’s a reuniting of legends, as him and The Alchemist pick up right up where they left off a few years ago. Now, the East Coast figure is rekindling his relationship with New York producing vet Harry Fraud. Boldy James is also bringing his Detroit brethren Tee Grizzley along for the ride, as they drop “Cecil Fielder”.
Something that Harry and Boldy do not share is an album. The latter has plenty with other producers, so with “Cecil Fielder” being their song, the hope is that this a lead single. As per usual, Fraud lays down another incredible instrumental that equal parts grand and gritty. The elegant string and horn sections intertwined with the trap drums lead to one heck of an extravagant vibe. Additionally, Boldly and Tee display that thy have something to build on outside of their same-city connection. This is hands down one of the former’s best tracks of 2024.
“Cecil Fielder”- Boldy James, Tee Grizzley, & Harry Fraud
Quotable Lyrics:
Twelfth birthday, my pops gave me a stack and that s*** smelt like crack Before God gave me all these dreams to rap, I dreamed of scorpion stamps Me and brodie knew if they pulled over the Chevy It’s distribution, can’t we say we usin’, this bag we got too heavy Fiend called the phone and got eight dollars, but he want a dime, s*** petty I don’t turn it down, watch me lock in and stack it all the way to a Presi’, n****
Skilla Baby has build a lot of buzz in the 2020s. The rapper protege of Sada Baby has established a unique sound and delivery. He’s also vocal about being from Detroit, and repping the city’s history of legendary artists. That being said, Skilla Baby does not prescribe to the theory that Eminem is the best the city has to offer. He said as much during a recent appearance on This Is Keke Palmer podcast. He not only pushed back against the Em theory, but articulated a greater issue within Detroit hip-hop.
Skilla Baby had no claiming that Eminem does not have a stranglehold over Detroit hip-hop the way the rest of the country assumes. “I don’t know because if you think number-wise Eminem is the best Detroit rapper,” the rapper posited. “But the gag is nobody would say that in Detroit.” He conceded that he was a fan of Shady when he was younger, but notes that the rapper’s status among younger Detroit artists has faded over time. “I was an Eminem fan as a kid,” he noted. “I’m a fan of Eminem but do we consider him our best rapper? I don’t think Detroit does.”
Skilla Baby Feels That Detroit Doesn’t Have A GOAT
Keke Palmer knew that her guest was veering into controversial territory, and asked Skilla who his pick for Detroit’s best is. He didn’t named a single artist, but rather a revolving door of them. In Skilla Baby’s estimation the mantle for the city’s best is constantly changing. “Everybody had their turn being Detroit’s favorite rapper,” he theorized. “Sada Baby had his turn, Tee Grizzley had a turn, [42] Dugg had a turn, Babyface Ray had a turn.” Skilla Baby also have love to some of the younger artists who have brought attention to Detroit in recent years. Selflessly, he didn’t include himself.
“Veeze is one of Detroit’s best rappers now,” Skilla added. “Baby Smoove, Big Kizz – a lot of artists had their turn. Rocaine… Everybody had their turn being the best in the city.” The rapper claimed that the lack of a definitive GOAT Detroit rapper is a bug and not a feature, however. “What we lack is consistency,” he asserted. “Nobody’s consistently been Detroit’s best rapper.” Maybe Skilla Baby is one of the artists who can correct this perceived inconsistency.
In a heartwarming gesture ahead of Mother’s Day, Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley visited COTS’ Peggy’s Place yesterday, generously covering the security deposits for three families moving out of the emergency shelter. The donation also included funds for these mothers to purchase essential household items for their new homes.
During his visit, Tee Grizzley spent quality time with the families and staff at COTS, engaging in conversations and taking photos. His presence and generosity brought joy and hope to the organization’s supporters.
COTS (Coalition On Temporary Shelter) is a Detroit-based private, non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter, supportive and affordable housing, and comprehensive support services for families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through strategic partnerships, COTS assists families in achieving their housing, economic, health, education, and career goals, aiming to break the cycle of poverty for future generations.
COTS is notably the first organization certified in Mobility Mentoring®, an economic mobility coaching approach. This certification enhances their ability to support hundreds of families working towards economic self-sufficiency and creating stable environments for a lasting multi-generational impact.
Tee Grizzley’s contribution provides immediate relief for the three families. It underscores the critical support services that COTS offers to help families transition out of homelessness and towards a more secure and prosperous future. His involvement highlights the importance of community support and the positive impact that such contributions can have on the lives of those in need.
The music video for Tee Grizzley’s “Swear to God” featuring Future premiered Thursday night and its already the #7 trending video on YouTube. Before we jump into the visual’s merits, we can’t ignore that this record slaps.
MUSIC:
If you’ve already pressed play, you know the bars from the outset hit hard with Future starting off with the hook. He comes into the song spitting “F*** your album, sh*t ain’t slapping’ like my mixtape.” Let’s safely assume he means generally speaking and no one in particular, but you get the point. He goes on to say a couple of things that make sense visually, like “Thousand grams on a Cuban” and “Park a Ferrari in the trenches, feel like 2Pac.” More on that later. Let’s not forget this is Tee Grizzly’s record. He shows it with his commanding presence, which is only matched by his signature delivery. He starts his verse off with “My B**** ain’t got’ cheat unless it’s with a b**** we brought back home” queue visual, which is on the tamer side of the song if you know how Grizzly rocks with his lyrics. But the rest of the bars slap. This is a high-energy record that may shape up to become a bonafide summer anthem. Now, let’s jump into the video and break down what Tee Grizzly and Future did onscreen with “Swear to God.”
THEME:
Directed by Jerry Production, “Swear to God” starts with hero shots of Future and Tee Grizzly in typical slow motion. The theme is clear – Excess, winning, and spectacle. Every frame exemplifies that theme. The director managed to get that across even in the first scene, seemingly at a gas station, but it felt like a high fashion car show. The bars match the theme. The excess is evident. Think “Wolf of Wall Street” – every scene is about money, winning, and reaping the rewards of success. The theme of excess, much like in “World of Wall Street,” is certified in “Swear to God.”
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Regarding cinematography, Jerry Production is skilled at shooting in low light. “Swear to God” is a nighttime shoot, and he pulled off the visual by leveraging the natural light provided by the sets. From the gas station floods to the jewelry showroom spotlighting, this helps hit the theme home, so shots of the diamonds on Tee Grizzly and Future’s wrists and neck are sparkling. The consistent pallet of blue, black, and cool grey felt natural and created an aesthetic that flowed effortlessly like the song’s lyrics. Jerry Production’s juxtaposition of light and darkness was a powerful metaphor for the struggles and triumphs depicted in the song’s lyrics.
STYLE:
The style in “Swear to God” was dripped out as expected, with Tee Grizzly flanked by Future. Some of the labels you can spot are Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Givenchy, to name a few. The Prada ensemble worn by Future was dope. It was almost like he was a shooter looking to spin the block but head to toe in the Italian label. But all the wear almost felt regular as the attention was more on their jewels. “1000 grams on a Cuban” was no hyperbole. They brought out the diamonds for this one, and it was almost overkill. Easily a million in jewelry on set. It is not confirmed, but it looked as such at a glance. The vehicles were nothing short of a display of supercars. The black-on-black Ferrari, Maybach, and yacht all made sense for a song about excess to where you gotta see it to believe it, swear to God.
RECAP:
The visual for “Swear to God” is a reminder of what hip-hop embodies more often than not – money, drip, and the power that comes from success. Tee Grizzly and Future made their presence felt with this record, and the notion of excess hit home in every scene. Director Jerry Production made it make sense with his impressive shooting style, which was more than your run-of-the-mill nighttime shoot. Excited to see what else this director has in store for us.
Even though this weekend has been loaded up with tons of releases from some of the upper echelon talents, many fans were distraught and frustrated. A series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) a couple of days ago from Future set the platform ablaze, as he seemingly was hinting at a new mixtape dropping on May 10. “F*** yo album S*** ain’t slappin like my MIXTAPE.” “MAY TENTH.” “MIXTAPE PLUTO.” These were all of the messages that had fans pumped for a possible third project from the Georgia legend in a span of two months.
Another reason why fans have been upset this afternoon was because there was speculation of Future and Gunnacompeting with one another. They have been subliminally dissing each other, especially because Gunna is a free man and Young Thug is still going to court hearings. However, the opposite has been true. All Future was doing was teasing lyrics from a collaboration cut with Tee Grizzley. The track, “Swear to God,” features both trap MCs over a nasty Wheezy beat and the Future tweets pop in right at the beginning on the chorus.
Pluto claims this track as his by providing a verse as well, even though he is credited as a feature. But both artists do complement each other well and it makes sense. These two veterans share similar styles and they have worked together in the past once before. That happened on a YNW Melly album cut “Freddy Krueger” back in 2021. Be sure to check out the trending single with the link above.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new single “Swear to God” by Tee Grizzley and Future? Individually is this one of their stronger releases as of late, why or why not? Do you think Tee is gearing up for a new project soon? Were you fooled when Future tweeted about a new mixtape? Who had the stronger performance? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Tee Grizzley and Future. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
F*** your album, s*** ain’t slappin’ like my mixtape (F*** your album) I’m gettin’ Saudi Arabia money, servin’ oil-based (What’s happenin’?) Rob a rapper and say my name, get his chain back (Pluto) My b**** cheat on me, I find out, get her chain snatched (Woo) Thousand grams on a Cuban, bought a few blocks (G7, one hundred) Hustler of the century, ordered up a few drops (G7)
.” “MIXTAPE PLUTO.” These were all of the messages that had fans pumped for a