Controversy
Album ∙ Hip-Hop/Rap ∙ 2023
When news surfaced that Tee Grizzley and Skilla Baby would be collaborating on a mixtape, there was less speculation about their musical chemistry inside the studio than there was about how they’d get along outside it: Tee had a longstanding beef with Skilla’s mentor Sada Baby, and fans wondered how the two would be able to navigate those issues. In the end, the pair of Detroit rappers were able to put aside their differences to make a solid addition to the city’s musical landscape.
Tee Grizzley found his stardom with 2016's “First Day Out,” an anthem that captured the joy and eagerness he felt after his release from three years in prison. He landed a deal with 300 Entertainment, and his success opened the floodgates for like-minded Detroit street rappers who had been putting in work for years, including Skilla Baby, a charismatic MC whose song “Tay B Style” helped him get a deal with Interscope Geffen A&M. Tee Grizzley is comparatively more polished, with sharper flows and wittier punchlines that reflect his years of moving in the major-label system and collaborating with other stars both inside and outside of the city. And whatever the younger Skilla Baby lacks in refinement, he makes up for in attitude—his rhymes are harsher, more ruthless and nihilistic by comparison. Skilla punctuates some of his rhymes with well-timed yells and adlibs, while Tee Grizzley barely does more than raise his voice.
The difference is clear: Tee is a relatively more established OG who’s comfortable in his position, while Skilla is the younger newcomer who’s propelled by higher energy. The dynamic highlights their respective strengths, and they both sound at home over the new Detroit signature sound of ominous synths and plodding drums. The highlight, “Gorgeous,” has the duo trading flossy raps over a bouncy Motor City–flavored heater. While the volleying between the two is great on its own, their chemistry is most satisfying when they team up to coauthor specific stories: The cinematic “B&E Pt. 1” finds them carrying out a plot to rob a trap house, and on “Side Piece” they conspire to get back at a woman who tried to play them, trading four bars while cleverly name-dropping each other’s songs. Their mutual musical respect makes the collaboration worthwhile, and as it turns out, Skilla helped Sada Baby and Tee Grizzley quash their issues once and for all. That's all to the good: Detroit shines when its prominent young voices are all on the same page.
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