Tee Grizzley

Terry Sanchez Wallace Jr. (born March 23, 1994), known professionally as Tee Grizzley, is an American rapper. He first began posting music online following a two year prison sentence, self-releasing his 2017 song "First Day Out". It quickly gained viral status—earning two million views on YouTube in under three weeks—due to a social media challenge enacted by American basketball player LeBron James, after which the song peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100 and led him to sign with 300 Entertainment. Its release preceded his debut mixtape My Moment, and was followed by the single "From the D to the A" (featuring Lil Yachty), which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His collaborative mixtape with Lil Durk, Bloodas (2018), was followed by his debut studio album, Activated (2018).

The album peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200, while his second and third albums, the Timbaland-produced Scriptures (2019) and Built for Whatever (2021), peaked at numbers 20 and 15, respectively. His fourth album, Tee's Coney Island (2023) marked a period of commercial resurgence as its lead single, "IDGAF" (featuring Chris Brown and Mariah the Scientist) entered the Billboard Hot 100 once more.

Early life Wallace was born on March 23, 1994, in Detroit, Michigan, and was raised by his grandmother near the intersection of Joy Rd. & Southfield Freeway in the Warrendale neighborhood due to his mother and father constantly being in and out of prison. In middle school he began developing an interest in rap music and eventually formed the musical group All Stars Ball Hard (ASBH) along with three of his friends, JR, Po, and Lee. Wallace took the moniker of ASBH Tee, and they began uploading their songs to YouTube. In 2011, his mother was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking and released in late 2020. His father was murdered in 2012.

Wallace was the first member of his family to attend college in generations. He attended Michigan State University to study finance and accounting. He and a friend began to burglarize other students' dormitories. They stole $20,000 worth of electronics and money from other students in February 2014. On February 27, Wallace and Jeremy Ford were caught but released pending investigation.

Wallace went on the run, and fled to Kentucky. On July 1, 2014, Wallace was one of three people arrested following an attempted robbery at a jewelry store in Lexington, Kentucky. On October 16, 2016, he was released from prison in Michigan.

Career 2016–2019: Debut singles, My Moment, Activated, and collaborations While in prison, Wallace began to take rapping more seriously and wrote the entirety of his debut mixtape. After being released from prison, where he took the name Tee Grizzley, he released his debut single "First Day Out" in November 2016. The music video, posted to YouTube, gained over 2 million views in less than three weeks. His third single "From the D to the A" featuring Lil Yachty was released in March 2017.

He released "No Effort" and its accompanying music video on March 31, 2017. His debut mixtape My Moment was released on April 7, 2017. Grizzley said that his record sales tripled after his song was featured in a LeBron James Instagram post. Grizzley's song "Teetroit" was released on July 28, 2017. The single "Beef", featuring Meek Mill, was released on September 1, 2017. He received two 2017 BET Hip Hop Award nominations for Best New Hip-Hop Artist and Best Mixtape for My Moment.

He released the song "Win" on October 6, 2017. He released the song "What Yo City Like" with rapper Lil Durk on November 30, 2017, as the lead single for their joint mixtape, Bloodas, released on December 8 of that year. He released the single "Colors" on February 2, 2018. The single "Don't Even Trip" featuring Moneybagg Yo was released on March 14, 2018.

On March 9, 2018, Grizzley appeared on Lil Yachty's album Lil Boat 2 on the track "Get Money Bros.". His debut studio album, Activated, was released on May 11, 2018. He released the mixtape Still My Moment on November 9, 2018. In May 2019, he released the single "Locked Up".

On August 20, 2019, his vehicle was shot at in Detroit, Michigan. His aunt and then-manager Jobina Brown was killed in the shooting; she was 41. He and the driver survived the incident unharmed. On September 20, 2019, Grizzley released his single "Satish" accompanied with a music video to commemorate Brown's death.

2020–present: The Smartest, Built for Whatever and Half Tee Half Beast In January 2020, Tee Grizzley released the single "Red Light". In March, he released the single "Payroll" featuring Payroll Giovanni. His song "No Talkin" was featured in the Netflix film Coffee & Kareem. He released the song "I Spy" on May 1, and "Mr. Officer" on June 5 in response to the murder of George Floyd and police brutality. The song features Queen Naija and members of the Detroit Youth Choir. He released the mixtape The Smartest on June 19.

On May 7, 2021, Tee Grizzley released his third studio album, Built for Whatever, a 19-track record that includes guest appearances from artists such as the late King Von and Young Dolph, as well as Lil Durk, YNW Melly, Quavo, G Herbo, and Big Sean.

On April 15, 2022, Tee Grizzley released the mixtape Half Tee Half Beast, along with a video for the track "Robbery Part 3". He explained the mixtape's title: "Yeah, I"m human like everyone else, but also the things I've been through and had to survive made me a beast".

On October 4, 2024, Tee Grizzley released his fifth studio album Post Traumatic. It was preceded by the singles "Suffer in Silence", "Swear to God", "Robbery 7", "Detroit", "Blow for Blow" and "Situationship", which were all released in 2024.

On May 16, 2025, Tee Grizzley released his sixth studio album Forever My Moment. It was preceded by the singles "Rick Jameski", "Jalen Hurtski", "Forever My Moment", "My God" and "They Shot at Trump" which details how Grizzley gained a new sense of existential dread at seeing the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump.

On May 1, 2026, Tee Grizzley released the single "Still Going".

Personal life In February 2021, My'Eisha Agnew gave birth to Wallace's first child, a son named Terry Wallace III. Grizzley married My’Eisha Agnew June 4, 2023.

Grizzley is an avid gamer and began streaming in 2020 to fans on the video streaming platform Twitch. The vast majority of his streams are centered around Grand Theft Auto V.

Discography

Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications US USR&B/HH US Rap CAN Activated Released: May 11, 2018 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: CD, digital download, streaming 10 6 6 25 RIAA: Gold Scriptures Released: June 7, 2019 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming 20 10 9 43Built for Whatever Released: May 7, 2021 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming 15 10 9 46Tee's Coney Island Released: November 3, 2023 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming 65 24 20 — Post Traumatic Released: October 4, 2024 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming 60 20 15 — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Mixtapes + List of mixtapes, with selected chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications US Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming, CD 116 — — — Chapters of the Trenches Released: October 14, 2022 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming 124 — — — Forever My Moment Released: May 16, 2025 Label: 300 Format: Digital download, streaming — — — — Street Psalms Released: November 14, 2025 Label: 300 Format: Digital download, streaming — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Collaborative mixtapes + List of collaborative mixtapes, with selected chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions US (with Lil Durk) Released: December 8, 2017 Label: Tee Grizzley, 300, Def Jam, OTF Format: Digital download, streaming 96 34 25 Controversy Released: April 28, 2023 Label: Grizzley Gang, 300 Format: Digital download, streaming — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles As lead artist "Beef" did not enter the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but peaked at number seven on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. 2023 — — —Controversy "B&E Pt. 1" — — — "Gorgeous" — — — Controversy and Tee's Coney Island "IDGAF" 98 30 22 RIAA: Gold — — — "Robbery 6" — — — "Pressin'" 2024 — — — "Suffer in Silence" — — — Post Traumatic "Swear to God" group=upper-alpha "Swear to God" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. — — — "Detroit" — — — "Blow for Blow" 88 23 20 "Situationship" — — — "Voicemail" 2025group=upper-alpha "Voicemail" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 21 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. (Allstar Ballhard featuring Tee Grizzley) 2017 "Road to Riches" (Ty featuring Tee Grizzley) "Supposed To" (Duo Tycoon featuring Tee Grizzley) "#Moneybag" (Gway featuring Tee Grizzley and YV) "We Got It Lit" (Navé Monjo featuring Tee Grizzley) "Rollie On" (Aoc Obama featuring Tee Grizzley) Obamacare 2 "Still Running" (Cap 4z and K'hunnit featuring Tee Grizzley) "Get the Money" (Lougotcash featuring Tee Grizzley) "Any Means Necessary" (Cash Kounty Pilot featuring Tee Grizzley) "I'm On 3.0" (Trae tha Truth featuring T.I., Dave East, Tee Grizzley, Royce da 5'9", Curren$y, DRAM, Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Chamillionaire, G-Eazy, Styles P, E-40, Mark Morrison, and Gary Clark, Jr.) Tha Truth, Pt. 3 "Cold Summer" (Jeezy featuring Tee Grizzley) Pressure "Dreadz n Bread (Remix)" (Nook and Tee Grizzley and Sada Baby) 2018 "Freddy Krueger" (YNW Melly featuring Tee Grizzley) RIAA: Platinum "Freak" (Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne, Joyner Lucas and Tee Grizzley) 2024 11:11 (Deluxe) "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other charted songs + Title YearPeak chart positions CertificationsAlbumUSBub. "Jettski Grizzley"20184RIAA: Gold Activated"2 Vaults"12RIAA: Platinum "Young Grizzley World" 2019 —RIAA: Platinum Scriptures"Friday Night Cypher" 2020 10 Detroit 2"Rich Gangsta" 2022 18 What It Means to Be King"Robbery Part 3" 20 Half Tee Half Beast "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

Awards and nominations