Teni Zaccheaus Jr.,was born on June 27, better known as Teezee (stylized as TeeZee).
He is an English-Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. Teezee is one of the three members of the musical group DRB LasGidi, alongside BOJ and Fresh L.
He currently holds the position of co-president at NATIVE Records and is a co-founder of The NATIVE Networks, which includes subsidiaries such as The Native and NATIVE Records.
Teezee is recognized as a pioneer of the alté music genre and is credited with contributing to the crossover success of Odumodublvck’s hit single “Declan Rice.”
REAL FACTS ABOUT TEEZEE
FULL NAME: Teni Zaccheaus JR.
DATE OF BIRTH: June 27
PLACE OF BIRTH: Lagos State, Nigeria
OCCUPATIONS: Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, and Record Executive
PARTNER: Grace Ladoja
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Teniola Zaccheaus Jr. was born on June 27 in Lagos, Nigeria, and spent his childhood between London, England, and Lagos.
CAREER
He began his music career while in Year 9 (JSS 3) at Malvern College in Worcestershire, England, collaborating with BOJ and Fresh L.
In an interview with Rob Dozier from The Crack Magazine on March 9, 2022, he credited his father, Teni Zaccheaus Sr., for his musical upbringing.
He noted that his father managed nightclubs in Lagos during his youth, which kept him informed about the latest hits on the radio.
In 2007, Teezee formed the group DRB LasGidi with his school friends BOJ and Fresh L.
Early in his career, he was also known as Teniola Zacchaeus and is affectionately referred to as the Fresh Prince of LasGidi, a nickname inspired by his debut studio album, *Fresh Prince of LasGidi*, released in 2013.
Teezee is recognized as one of Nigeria’s pioneering self-publishing artists, along with BOJ and Fresh L, who leveraged the internet to share their music on platforms like YouTube and SoundCloud.
On March 3, 2020, Yewande Zaccheaus, the CEO of Eventful, appointed Teezee as the Marketing Executive and Creative Consultant for both Eventful and Harbour Point Event Centre in Lagos.
On July 30, 2021, he featured on the second track, “Peace of Mind,” from Skepta’s sophomore extended play, alongside American rapper Kid Cudi.
On November 11, 2021, Teezee released “BADI,” featuring Davido, as the lead single from his debut studio album, *Arrested by Love*, with a music video inspired by classic Nollywood films from the 2000s.
On December 17, 2021, he launched “NEW GOVERNMENT,” featuring Prettyboy D-O and Kofi Mole, as the second lead single from *Arrested by Love*.
Following that, on February 4, 2022, he released “NOK’D,” featuring Deto Black, as the third single, with a music video directed by Chukwuka Nwobi and Sanjo Omosa.
On February 18, 2022, he unveiled his first solo studio album, *Arrested by Love*, which includes collaborations with artists such as Davido, Prettyboy D-O, Kofi Mole, Midas the Jagaban, Deto Black, Pa Salieu, Lancey Foux, Backroad Gee, and Teni.
On September 9, 2022, Jameson Irish Whiskey launched a limited edition bottle to commemorate the release of the album “Arrested by Love.”
Then, on October 6, 2023, Teezee collaborated as a co-exclusive producer with Odumodublvck for the latter’s fifth mixtape studio album, “EZIOKWU.”
Teezee had previously signed a brand ambassador agreement with Jameson Irish Whiskey in Nigeria back in 2017.
In 2019, Chude Jideonwo recognized Teezee as one of the 150 most intriguing figures in the cultural scene.
The following year, YNaija included him in their list of the 100 Most Influential People in Media.
On April 12, 2023, Teezee was honored as Executive of the Week by TurnTable, following Odumodublvck’s successful crossover into mainstream music.
This marked a significant achievement, as he became the first Nigerian rapper to have two top songs on the weekly TurnTable Top Hip-Hop/Rap Songs chart, with “Picanto” and “Declan Rice” both making it onto the TurnTable Official Nigeria Top 100 chart.
PERSONAL LIFE
Teezee is the brother of Nigerian fashion entrepreneur Iretidayo Zaccheaus. He is also in a partnership with British music executive Grace Ladoja, and in 2021, they announced the birth of their first child.
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