Teewhy G released his newest song and visual for “Keeping It Player,” and it’s already getting him in trouble with the ladies. The record is in collaboration with multi-Platinum producer Mike Zombie, who also makes an appearance in the cinematic visual. With both being from New Jersey, it was only right for the two to connect.
In describing himself, Teewhy G states, “I like to consider myself a down-to-earth person. I’m amongst the people that come from New Jersey man. I’m a representative of where I’m from, my environment. I’m all about having fun. I’m all about sharing information, just being dope. Sharing my life story, my experiences with people and connecting it. Showing where we’re from.”
When it comes to his sound, the rising star prides himself in his ability to blend genres. There’s no specific genre he’d categorize his music, but he can definitely hop on any beat and make it his own. And beyond Hip Hop, Teewhy G is excited to tap back into his Latin roots, the same ones that raised him in his city.
AllHipHop spoke with Teewhy G to discuss his background, the new release, studio essentials, and more!
AllHipHop: You’re from New Jersey, talk about what the city means to you.
Teewhy G: I definitely like the culture over here. I’m from a Latin community. I grew up in Hudson County, Union City, Jersey City, West New York area. There’s a lot of Latin influence over here. It’s reminiscent of New York City to be honest with you, it’s just a little bit more not heard of where I’m from. But a lot of people that live in New York and do business in New York, live where I’m from, then go back and forth to New York. It’s fast-paced, loud, fun. Not really too much s### to do around here, but a lot of house parties when I was growing up. We really had to enjoy each other’s company, because there’s really not too much going on out here. We’re trying to help amplify the culture out here. But definitely energetic, fast-paced, just like New York City.
AllHipHop: When did you fall in love with music?
Teewhy G: When I was younger, when I got into thi, it was in grade school. I started to take it a little bit more serious around 2016. I was involved in battle rap, but I always had a major love for music when I was younger. Once I started to make some moves with it, once I took it serious, I realized I can take it to the next level. I had an opportunity at one time to write for Mary J. Blige, which was pretty dope for me. In that moment, when I was sitting in the room, I’m like damn. People here are actually respecting my pen, my opinion. I realized I could really make s### shake at that moment. It’s been a lifelong journey for me, I loved it ever since I got involved with it. It’s been something that’s been extremely therapeutic for me over the years.
AllHipHop: How’d you get to write for Mary J. Blige? What did you learn from that experience?
Teewhy G: I was involved in some street stuff. I met some guy, he had owed me some money. One of his connections was a music person. He had ended up putting me in his studio. I told him listen, if you can’t pay me back, what can you do? He ended up giving me studio time and gave me the opportunity. I didn’t know I was going to write for her up until I was in the room. I met Denice Rich, who was a big investor. I met Mary’s brother, I met people from her label.
I just thought it was a session honestly, I thought I was going there to record. Before I knew it, I didn’t even know I was writing for her, up until I was already in the process. I was sitting in the background, a fly on the wall type s###. I heard them writing stuff, I thought it was decent. I threw them an idea because I heard them all stuck. Once they heard my idea, they liked it. They incorporated me in the writing session. Before I knew it, I was sitting there writing 1, 2, 3, 4 records with them.
Unfortunately the record didn’t come out, but the cool thing that really helped boost my motivation was I heard Mary record it. She recorded what I wrote, I was shown a rough mix of that. That to me, it was a f###### battery in my back. Damn, she is the queen of this s###. I can’t be here for no reason. There’s gotta be a reason for this s###.
AllHipHop: How did you get your name?
Teewhy G: My real name is Ty Garcia. Ever since I was younger, I always felt my name was too short. When people asked me my name, Ty sounds short. When I was younger, I was given the name T-Y. Family and friends helped extend my name. Give it a little bit more two syllables, instead of one. Some quick s###. Ever since, I’ve been running with that. Since I was a little kid.
AllHipHop: Let’s talk about “Keeping It Player.” How are you feeling?
Teewhy G: Listen, I was talking to some girls. That s### be f###### my s### up, ain’t gon’ lie. I like to explain to them: this is a mood that I had at one time. Some people think you put music out and that’s you 100% of the time. Nah, this is a mood I had at one point in time. I’ve definitely been a playboy. Definitely been a player before, so that’s real s###. I’m leaning into my personality and leaning into my real life experiences. I definitely have been very lucky in that department with the ladies. Just had to talk about it, that’s all.
AllHipHop: What’s your relationship with Mike Zombie? I know he’s from Jersey as well.
Teewhy G: It’s crazy how it came to be. My manager Sean Strange helped introduce me to Ricky Grey, who’s been helping me with my project. Ricky had the relationship with Zombie and his brother, so I’m on Cassidy’s upcoming project. He was playing him some songs. Once my verse came on on the Cassidy project, Ricky said “Yo, who’s this?” My voice was standing out. He showed him, he took them down a rabbit hole of my catalog. “This is an artist I’m managing,” blah blah, blah.
Long story short, one thing goes to the next. He’s like, “Yo, I got a relationship with Mike Zombie. It’d be dope. It’ll be a cool way to have a big Jersey producer behind you while you’re cooking up your s###.” Because honestly, I’ve been getting a lot of beats from BeatStars. I never really had a consistent producer, somebody that has some stature in the game. Once we got that, the introduction was made. I linked up with Zombie in South Jersey, we clicked immediately. It was super organic. We even cooked up a bunch of records on the spot. Linked up, talked to him about music. S### off of music. We built the organic relationship, but I gotta give all the credit to my man Sean Strange and Ricky Grey.
AllHipHop: Best memory from the video shoot?
Teewhy G: It was the entire thing in general. S### was super stressful, ain’t gon’ lie. Video shoots seem fun, but they be stressful as f###. Putting everything together. Realistically, I’m an independent artists so I’m funding all my own s###. I put all of that together by myself. I’m booking the models, I’m booking the venue. I’m booking the cars, I’m making sure Zombie’s here at a specific time. I’m doing everything.
The s### was definitely stressful, but the most fun about it all was to see the final result of it. My man Mizu really brought that s### to life. I knew once I give him the right ingredients, he’s gonna really make this s### pop. Honestly, shooting it in general and being able to be proud of what we did was the most fun part of it. The final product for me personally.
AllHipHop: What does it mean to keep it player?
Teewhy G: It means getting in your bag and not your feelings. Too many people in their f###### feelings, crying all day long online. Listen man, we got money to make. Moves to make. We’re not concerned, stuck in our feelings all day long about s###. It’s about keep it P, keep it pushing. Worrying about what matters. Whether it’s a girl, a guy, whoever. If somebody’s stressing you out, kick them to the side. We got s### to do.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your upcoming project, No Flowers In The Garden State?
Teewhy G: I do a little bit of a lot on there. There’s not one record on there that sounds like the next, which a superpower for me. A lot of it is mainstream hype sounding music. I wanted to lean into that a little bit more because Zombie is a hitmaker and we aiming for hits. We definitely leaned into that a lot. A lot of those records have major potential to be on radio, and be in general rotation on a mainstream platform. I could definitely hear a bunch of mainstream artists doing remixes to these records. All the beats are knocking something crazy. You could expect a no skip project, I guarantee that.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
Teewhy G: I need water ASAP. I drink this big ass jug of water every f###### day. I need my inspiration, my weed, and I need some f###### space. A lot of people like to have the whole entourage in the studio, but I don’t. I like to lock in. Me and my man Chris, that’s about it. I need my water, my weed, I need my phone. Other than that, I’m good. Leave the entourage at the crib.
AllHipHop: Where do you see yourself in the Latin music space?
Teewhy G: I definitely want to lean into that a lot more to be completely transparent and honest. My Spanish is a low key dirt, but working on it. [laughs] It’s something we’re going to get more and more into, but I’ve been extremely influenced by Latin culture. I got a bodega literally on every single corner of my block. Liquor store, bodega. All you hear all day long is music from all poppin’ Spanish artists that are going on right now. I love Latin music. I grew up off it. Even when I didn’t know what the f### they were saying. I’m in house parties, jean stains on the wall. We grinding with different girls, swapping a wall. S### was definitely a vibe growing up, so I love it. I love everything about it.
AllHipHop: Anything else fans should know about you?
Teewhy G: I’m next n*gga! Not even, I’m right now. So get in tune. I’ve been slept on for a while and it’s time for m############ to wake up. Once I get on platforms like Sway, matter of fact. Hot 97, holla at me. Shade 45, all these people. I need the major radio stations to holla at me. As soon as I step up there and I hop on this mic, y’all going to see why the f### I am who I am and why I say I am. I’m going to show every single person that ever said anything about me that #1, I got mainstream sounding music and I got the bars. We got the personality and all that, but let’s stick on the music and the bars.
The bars most importantly. When I go up there, I plan to have legendary freestyles. I need that, especially Bars on I-95. Talking about bars over names and s###, holla at me. Let me show you what I could do. That’s what I gotta say. Make sure y’all ready for me because once I come through, it’s going to be a f###### era. It’s not going to be I’m here today, gone tomorrow. I promise you that.
AllHipHop: Talk your s### then!
Teewhy G: I promise you, I’m not playing with them. I waited way too long for s### like this, I grinded way too long. I put up all my own money way too long. Once I get in this m###########, I promise you I’ma stay. It’s clips for everybody else, they gon’ have to take a back seat for a little minute. It’s going to be reminiscent of when we did this s###, I guarantee that.