Raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Justin “Teezy” Taylor, also known as J. Teezy (JTZ), grew up in a challenging inner-city environment. Influenced by a variety of music genres, from Sade to Gucci Mane to Kendrick Lamar, JT developed a passion for music early on.
At 17, JT and Throwed Ent. released their first mixtape, "We On It," which gained popularity locally. Over the next five years, they released four more projects, with "Loyalty Before Royalty" receiving praise from online music sources.
One of JT's earliest musical memories is listening to "Art of Noise" and Da Brat's "Give it to You" with his mom. His love for music was sparked at the age of ten when he recorded his first rap over a Miracle instrumental. JT's favorite albums include Kendrick Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d city," 6lack's "FREE 6LACK," and 2Pac's "All Eyez On Me."
JT cherishes the song "Master P" for the unity it symbolizes within his team. Being nominated for Album of the Year at the 2021 Southern Entertainment Awards for his work on “Illegally Blonde” by Brezzy Monroe was a significant career highlight for JT, competing against well-known artists like Flo Milli, Big30, Big Scarr, and Big Yavo.
