9.11.2024
1Up Tee Opens Up About His Recovery From a Near-Fatal Car Crash in “Broken,” His New Video Single
The Detroit Rapper Tells a Tale of Triumph Over Tragedy, As He Defiantly Faces His Long Road to Recovery
Recorded During His Convalescence At His Mom’s House, the Johnny Cash-Sampling “Broken” Proves That Nothing Can Stop 1Up Tee’s Rise
Critical Praise:
“As the public only becomes more (rightfully) skeptical of media and celebrity, there’s constant demand for artists who keep it real. Enter 1Up Tee: A fresh-faced Detroit rapper currently blowing up off a string of concept singles that get at the contradictions and unrealistic expectations of a social media-enabled society.” – Pitchfork
“1Up Tee is really a sociologist at heart. Dissecting what’s going on around him, with a scientific level of curiosity and precision, gives his music a really vibrant honesty.” – Passion of the Weiss
The Video:
Over the past year, 1Up Tee has established himself as one of Detroit’s most exciting up-and-comers, combining a nimble flow with heady lyrics that take on hot-button topics with uncommon finesse. This summer, Tee’s rise almost came to an untimely end–he was involved in a near-fatal car crash, breaking both of his legs, both of his ankles, and his pelvis. Though his body suffered, his spirit remained in tact, and while he faces a long recovery (it might be a year before he can walk again), he is determined to prove that he’s more than up to the challenge.
Today, 1Up Tee shares “Broken,” a new music video and single, which chronicles the ordeal from beginning to end. “Broken” features a sample of Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt,” another song about struggling against the crushing weight of fate. Rhyming over the familiar guitar chords, underlaid with Detroit-style percussion, Tee looks at his situation from all sides, noting that his loved ones, including his young daughter, rely on him and expressing gratitude to the powers that be for keeping him around. Even as he struggles with his pain, he keeps his sense of humor intact, as he brags about flirting with the nurses and sliding in his wheelchair.
The video for “Broken” combines music and documentary, as the 21-year-old rapper explains his pain and gives an inside look at his recovery. Tee ruminates in his hospital bed, before returning to his neighborhood in a wheelchair. Throughout, Tee’s attitude is inspiring, as he faces physical therapy and extensive medical treatment with a smile on his face. “I feel like now I got a greater purpose,” says 1Up Tee, and it’s hard not to believe him.
“Broken” proves that even a serious car crash couldn’t stop the rapper’s rise to the top of his city’s scene. Inspired by local rappers Babyface Ray and Payroll Giovanni, Tee started rapping when he was a teenager, writing about the things he observed in his hometown. 1Up Tee capitalized on his hometown momentum with the single “Accountability,” released in 2022. Late last year, Tee’s profile began to cross out of the Great Lakes region and make waves nationwide: the catalyst was “Good Karma (Freestyle),” an examination about why bad things happen to real ones, which became a viral On The Radar performance and generated over 4 million on-demand streams. He kept the karma going with January’s “Lose Lose,” which earned attention from Pitchfork, racking up over 1.8 million streams in its first six weeks. Most recently, Tee has made waves with singles like “Click,” a collaboration with rising rapper Star Bandz, that has over 1 million streams across platforms, the inspiring “Young N****s,” which features a video directed by No More Heroes, and “Accountability Pt. 2,” the follow-up to his hometown hit.
Tee has influential tastemakers Pitchfork, On The Radar, and Spotify’s Fresh Finds in his corner, along with strong co-signs from from Meek Mill, athletes like Damian Lillard and Marshawn Lynch, and fellow Detroiters including Babyface Ray, Dej Loaf, and BabyTron. As Tee continues to work his way to full strength, he turns his focus to Childhood Trauma, his next mixtape, due this fall. Keep an eye on 1Up Tee as he continues to defy the odds.
Stream “Broken”: https://1uptee.ffm.to/broken
Watch “Broken”: https://youtu.be/OPPLLD38w90
Please contact Michelle or Annjie for more info.
Links:
instagram | spotify | youtube | tiktok
“Broken”: https://youtu.be/OPPLLD38w90 / https://1uptee.ffm.to/broken
“Accountability Pt. 2”: https://1uptee.ffm.to/accountabilitypt2 / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IQPSs5KqiM&feature=youtu.be
“Lose Lose”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF6Nv6wWJXI
“Good Karma” (On The Radar Freestyle): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raFDa31IO7k
“Good Karma”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqo4EfTA-sA
“Accountability”: https://youtu.be/XiU4RGapq6s?si=p5P-DwuVCxI5KLv7