Tee Grizzley’s new album Activated will explore the grittiness of his upbringing. And we know that Grizzley’s at his best when reflecting; his ability to vividly explain past transgressions in haunting detail has made him one of hip-hop’s hottest commodities. For good measure too – he’s bar for bar one of the best rappers in the game at the moment. There’s no doubt that Activated will be one of the year’s best albums based off of the skill that was showcased on last year’s My Moment but we’ve compiled a few things that we wish for the album to include. It’s nothing too over the top, so Tee Grizzley, if you’re reading this, make sure that these things happen. We have yours, and the listeners, best interests at heart.

More collaborations with Helluva

Through Helluva he rose, through Helluva he will continue to prosper. Grizzley’s “First Day Out” was largely a hit for its rapid, and raw, delivery of bars that he emitted from start to finish; it was also legendary for the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde beat transition that took place halfway through, courtesy of Detroit legend Helluva. Since then, it’s been shown time and time again that his productions and Grizzley’s voice go together like cheese and wine. The latest example comes from his new release “Colors” which serves as the first song from Activated. We hope that this isn’t the only instance because, boy, does the production slap. Imagine if Helluva does get more placements on the album, think about the quality music that will be produced. It’s essential to include more Helluva than less on this album; replicate the success that you’ve seen since the inception of your career.

Bring on some Detroit artists, both established and rising

In order for the city to truly prosper, everyone must pull their weight. This means that everyone needs to elevate each other so that they can reach the next level. It’s already being seen at the ground-level where artists freely work together and lift each other up whenever possible. For the city to truly get the exposure that it deserves, it’s going to take some top-level work for that to happen. In short, Grizzley needs to extend a hand and pull some people up on this album. Get some features from other A-listers like AllStar JR, Sada Baby, and Young Roc, but also go for people on the rise as well. This could be in the form of multiple posse tracks, as a suggestion.

More collaborations with Lil Durk to capitalize on excellent chemistry

The reception from Bloodaz showed that Tee Grizzley and Lil Durk make magic when they’re together. Replicating this wondrous union for Activated would be great for Detroit and Chicago and would help to see more artists collaborate with each other from both cities. It also would be great to see how they explore and further their sound away from the formula set on Bloodaz. 

From The D To The Bay Area

“From The D To The A” was a great, Detroit-heavy collaboration between Grizzley and Lil Yachty. It brought together two cities of influence (the other being Atlanta) in hip-hop and cranked up their importance to the next level. The song itself was also catchy; the video being further confirmation of the brotherhood that makes rap music so endearing. Remaking this brotherhood with an artist from the Bay Area would be epic, but this time, instead of a beat that’s distinctly Detroit, it could be through something with the Bay Area bounce. That would be a challenge for Grizzley’s rap style that we would love to see manifested into reality. Our pick for the artist? Mozzy.