TeeFlii

Jones developed an interest in music as a child attending church, drawn to keyboards after seeing how much his grandfather, who was a pastor, paid his organ players.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2013/10/03/gen-f-teeflii-interview/#/0 |title=GEN F: TeeFLii |publisher=The Fader |date=October 3, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} Frequenting his grandfather's church, he learned to play multiple instruments, such as the organ, piano, guitar and drums.{{cite web|last=Weiss |first=Jeff |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2013-06-13/music/teeflii-rize-fireworks-dj-mustard/ |title=TeeFlii Starred in Rize. Now He's About the Hottest Underground R&B Singer Going {{pipe}} Los Angeles News and Events |work=LA Weekly |date=June 13, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} He played drums for Barbra Streisand at a Democratic Party event. Music helped provide stability in his life, as his mother battled drug addiction throughout his childhood, and he did not know his biological father until his teens. Jones began smoking marijuana at age eight and moved out of his parents' place for good at age thirteen. He described his childhood self by saying, "I was bad—fighting, stealing. I'd go take your bike, bring it to my backyard, spray-paint it, try to ride it around."

As a teenager, Jones began dancing and krumping, performing under the name Baby Tight Eyez, and earned placement in a few early Chris Brown music videos as well as appearing in a major role in Rize, David LaChapelle's 2005 documentary about Los Angeles' Krump scene. After the film was released, by the time he was 19, he had been living at various friends' houses, and after having his first daughter he went through an issue with the mother, where he lost visitation rights. He then started writing songs for other people to "get the vent off" and started seeing a better chance at stability in his life, so he pushed himself as an artist.

He created his stage name partially from his experience in the movie "Rize." He says in an interview, "TeeFLii came from dancing. I was in the Rize movie, and my name in the movie was Baby Tight Eyez. I was under somebody in dancing named Tight Eyez, then I wanted to branch off and do my own thing when I started getting older. I wanted to have my own name and something I could say that I did for myself. I grew up under another dude named Flii Stylz who choreographed for Chris Brown, Usher, Omarion, everybody in the game. I took a liking to him and next thing I knew, I just took the name TeeFLii."{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-teeflii-the-ratchet-prince-of-los-angeles-r-n-b/|title=Meet TeeFlii, the Ratchet Prince of Los Angeles R&B|last=Capell|first=Frances|date=April 2, 2013|website=Noisey|access-date=April 3, 2019}}

File:NipseyHussle-and-TeeFLii.jpg in December 2013.]]

Early on his career prior to releasing his first project, TeeFlii collaborated with West Coast-based rappers such as Problem, YG, Nipsey Hussle and Skeme. His debut mixtape AnNieRuO'TAY 1 was released on November 21, 2012. It featured collaborations with Skeme, Problem, Bad Lucc, and Nipsey Hussle among others.{{cite web|author=Dell |url=http://freeonsmash.com/music/tee-flii-annieruotay-1-mixtape/ |title=Tee Flii – AnNieRuO'TAy 1 [Mixtape] {{pipe}} OnSMASH |publisher=Freeonsmash.com |date=December 1, 2012 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} AnNieRuO'TAY 1 was met with generally positive reviews from music critics.{{cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2013_04_annieruotay.html |title=TeeFlii :: AnnieRUO'Tay :: TeeFlii.com |publisher=Rapreviews.com |date=April 30, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} His second official mixtape AnNieRuO'TAY 2: The TakeOver was released on March 5, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2013/03/06/download-teefliis-annieruotay-2-mixtape/ |title=Download TeeFLii's AnnieRUO'TAY 2 Mixtape |publisher=The Fader |date=March 6, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} It featured production by DJ Mustard, 1500 or Nothin' and TeeFlii himself. At the same time he was recording his next mixtape, a project entirely produced by DJ Mustard to be released soon. He also indicated that he was working on a project with Nipsey Hussle.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-teeflii-the-ratchet-prince-of-los-angeles-r-n-b/ |title=Meet TeeFlii, the Ratchet Prince of Los Angeles R&B {{pipe}} NOISEY |publisher=Noisey.vice.com |date=April 2, 2013 |access-date=January 13, 2014}} AnNieRuO'TAY 2 was met with mainstream coverage from publications such as Chicago Reader,{{cite web|last=Galil |first=Leor |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2013/06/19/take-a-break-from-all-this-kanye-and-jay-z-talk-with-teeflii |title=Take a break from all this Kanye and Jay-Z talk with TeeFlii {{pipe}} Bleader |publisher=Chicago Reader |date=June 17, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} and Fact,{{cite web|url=http://www.factmag.com/2013/03/07/tee-flii-channels-the-dream-on-new-mixtape-annieruotay2/ |title=Tee Flii channels The-Dream on new mixtape AnnieRUO'TAY2 – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music |publisher=Factmag.com |date=March 7, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} among others.

On July 4, 2013, TeeFlii released his third mixtape in eight months, the DJ Mustard-produced Fireworks. It featured collaborations with Dom Kennedy, Casey Veggies, Ty Dolla Sign, Omarion and E-40, among others.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/07/dj-mustard-teeflii-fireworks-mixtape |title=DJ Mustard, TeeFLii "Fireworks" Mixtape |publisher=Complex |date=July 4, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} The mixtape would receive positive reviews upon release, Stereogum would end up naming it the "Mixtape of the Week".{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1403182/mixtape-of-the-week-teeflii-dj-mustard-fireworks/franchises/mixtape-of-the-week/ |title=Mixtape of the Week: TeeFLii & DJ Mustard Fireworks |publisher=Stereogum |date= July 10, 2013|accessdate=January 13, 2014}} Rolling Stone also would name it the fourth best mixtape of 2013. They said, "Where Mustard's beats normally evoke a strip club's booty-whomp, here he pushes himself, brilliantly, towards R&B smoothness."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/10-best-mixtapes-of-2013-20131209/dj-mustard-teeflii-fireworks-19691231 |title=10 Best Mixtapes of 2013: DJ Mustard TeeFlii, 'Fireworks' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date= |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} On July 16, 2013, the music video for "This D" was premiered by Vice.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/heres-the-new-video-for-teefliis-this-d/ |title=Here's the New Video for TeeFlii's "This D" {{pipe}} NOISEY |publisher=Noisey.vice.com |date=July 16, 2013 |access-date=January 13, 2014}} In August 2013, TeeFlii signed to Epic Records after being actively persuaded by label executive L.A. Reid. Then on October 2, 2013, "This D" was released as his debut single. The following day, he released the remix to "This D", featuring Jadakiss and Tyga.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2013/10/03/download-teeflii-this-dick-remix-tyga-jadakiss-mp3/ |title=TeeFLii f. Tyga and Jadakiss, "This D (Remix)" MP3 |publisher=The Fader |date=October 3, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} After "This D" received major radio rotation in Los Angeles, he got a major co-sign from rapper Snoop Dogg.{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/the-break/2013/10/the-break-presents-teeflii/ |title=The Break Presents: TeeFlii – XXL |publisher=Xxlmag.com |date=October 21, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} The song would peak at number 35 on the US Billboard Rhythmic chart.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f=ts_chart_artistname:*Teeflii*&f=ss_bb_type:chart_item&type=2&artist=Teeflii|title=Chart Search – Billboard|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 1, 2017}}

In October 2013, LA Weekly named TeeFlii the best R&B singer in Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=http://www.laweekly.com/bestof/2013/award/best-randb-singer-2223146/ |title=Los Angeles Best R&B Singer {{pipe}} Arts & Entertainment {{pipe}} Los Angeles News and Events |work=LA Weekly |date=October 3, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} On November 25, 2013, he released his fourth mixtape AnnieRUO'TAY 3: Who The Fuck Is Annie?. The seventeen track mixtape featured a collaboration with Dom Kennedy and production by The Futuristiks and himself, among others.{{cite web|last=Ju |first=Shirley |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.26401/title.teeflii-annieruo-tay-3-who-the-fuck-is-annie-cover-art-tracklisting-download-mixtape-stream |title=TeeFlii "ANNIERUO'TAY 3: Who The Fuck Is Annie?" Cover Art, Tracklisting, Download & Mixtape Stream {{pipe}} Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales |publisher=HipHop DX |date=November 25, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}}{{cite web|author=Trent Clark |url=http://hiphopwired.com/2013/11/27/teeflii-annieruotay-3-mixtape-listen-download/ |title=TeeFlii – AnnieRUOTAY 3 Mixtape |publisher=Hiphopwired.com |date=November 27, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} On December 9, 2013, "That's How We Livin'" a collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Warren G was released. It was then included on Snoop's mixtape That's My Work Vol. 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/12/teeflii-snoop-dogg-warren-g-thats-how-we-livin |title=TeeFlii f/ Snoop Dogg & Warren G "That's How We Livin'" |publisher=Complex |date=December 9, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}}

On March 26, 2014, TeeFlii premiered his second official single "24 Hours" featuring 2 Chainz, with production by DJ Mustard. Along with its release, it was announced that TeeFlii's debut studio album would be titled Starr and released during mid-2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/premiere-teeflii-feat-2-chainz-24-hours/|title=Premiere: TeeFlii feat. 2 Chainz – "24 Hours"|date=March 26, 2014|access-date=October 1, 2017}} "24 Hours" was serviced to urban contemporary radio in the United States on April 7, 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases|title=Urban/UAC Future Releases – R&B, Hip Hop, Release Schedule and Street Dates – ...|accessdate=October 1, 2017}} and then was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio on May 6, 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.allaccess.com/top40-rhythmic/future-releases|title=Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases – R&B Song and Hip-Hop Music Release Dates – ...|accessdate=October 1, 2017}} The track peaked at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 and served as a bonus track on Starr.

On August 27, 2021, TeeFlii released his EP, "Today", which included his new single "Automatic" produced by Grammy Award Winning Producer Los Da Mystro.

And on the 8th of July 2023 he released the Album "TruFlii" with the artist [https://open.spotify.com/artist/70LeECrcNFIOvGZqe8byzQ?si=milJdH9eTnWxhBb7XwJ3PQ Tru Carr].

TeeFlii's invocations of his faith are frequent as he believes in Christianity. His grandmother was a gospel singer and his aunt harmonized for Elvis Presley's backup group, The Sweet Inspirations. His grandmother is the one that taught him the most about singing.{{cite web|last=Montes |first=Patrick |url=http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2013/08/teeflii_flynb_dub_show_ratchetness.php |title=TeeFLii Turned R&B Into "Fly'n'B" With a Little Bit Of Ratchetness |publisher=Blogs.ocweekly.com |date=August 9, 2013 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} He has five children; four daughters, and one son.

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century African-American male singers

Category:20th-century American male singers

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:Singers from Los Angeles

Category:American contemporary R&B singers

Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters

Category:Record producers from California

Category:21st-century American male singers

Category:Epic Records artists

Category:African-American songwriters

Category:21st-century African-American male singers

Category:American male singer-songwriters

Category:Singer-songwriters from California