Tee Jay

Latest News
Pittsburgh born emcee, Slim Stario, claims he's not a rapper but a businessman doing motivational speaking with music as his theatrical soundtrack, there's a difference between rapping about "spending riches" "building wealth", he is upping the ante of “best rapper” with the claim of the “best businessmen”. A hustler in the truest essence he profited $300 a month from a lemonade stand and newspaper route at the age of 9! The self-proclaimed "Multi-Thousandaire" is proficient in songwriting, accounting/finance, and marketing.
Slim Stario is busy with several high profile projects. Among them his sophomore opus, entitled A Star Is Born, which will feature his best production yet. By using a time-tested differentiation strategy, Slim Stario stands out from the run-of-the-mill gun-in-yo’-grill rapper, with a refreshing radio friendly approach. He has no tattoos, no jewels, or an entourage of tyrants. His influences are: Mel-Man, Run-DMC, Jay-Z, Bob Johnson, Radiohead, Mellie Mel, Dr. Dre, Will Smith, Outkast, and his ever-growing fanbase.
Some of Slim Stario’s accolades include:
* Nominated for Best Hip-Hop / R & B Southern California Music Awards
* Semi-Finalist Disc Makers Independent Music World Series
* San Diego City Beat "Best Unsigned Artists in San Diego
Slim Stario’s electrifying, humorous live performances have built a cult following from Pittsburgh to San Diego. He opened for DMC of Run-DMC and shared the stage with: Supernatural, LMNO, Wiz-Khalifa, The Visionaries, LA Symphony, Pigeon John, 4th Avenue Jones, JPB Inc, Tee-Jay has sold out the Underground Movement, Canvas Caf� favorite, and performances at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay, Zen Sushi, The Blvd, Shadow Lounge, PNC Park, and Hip-Hop Fest at Liberty Park Salt Lake City.
He recorded the critically acclaimed Testimony and made headlines in Pittsburgh’s Mugzine, SD Music Matters, UK -based Hip-Hop Kingz co-signed for Slim Stario’s music, and he's been featured in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune Review, San Diego Union Tribune, and San Diego North County Times,
Preparing his new CD “A Star Is Born” is once again poised to show that lyricists are prevalent.� Alongside Slim Stario are Dem City Boyz: Nig, Dyce, Fuzz, Steeze, Sam, Demico. With new production by: Nesia Beatz, Dubs Attic, U-Neek Beats, Hazmat Sound, Lil Slim, Vybe Beatz, Mike NEF, Mr Water Leak His buzz has created a global uproar, and Slim Stario will continue to take music to a plateau it's never seen before.
They're saying.
“FINALLY a rap act that doesn’t wallow in the same old themes of violence, misogyny and drugs…Tee-Jay puts himself into the music, sharing his experience.”
Monica Haynes - Pittsburgh Post Gazette
“He's built a bunch of hype…by the time you read this you may have already read about him in all the other papers…Comfortably flows and spits over hard-hitting sounds…redemptive messages on how to turn one’s life around”
Brentin Mock - Pittsburgh City Paper
“It's hard to nail down a specific Pittsburgh sound…one of the local guys Slim Stario might do it best…his lyrics are insanely catchy.”
Michael Machosky - Pittsburgh Tribune Review
“Using edgy lyrics and beats that sound a lot like what's on the radio right today "Testimony" is like a gangster rap record with a positive twist.”
Omar-Abdul R. Lawrence - New Pittsburgh Courier
“It’s rare nowadays to find a hip-hop album that you can play from beginning to end…minimal on the song features by other artists and laced with captivating lyrics and sonic production.”
Nina Garin - San Diego Union Tribune
“Positive hip-hop…as opposed to violent gangsta rap… you won’t notice he’s not cursing, it's so catchy…Slim Stario proves that hip-hop can be popular without glorifying violence.”
Jim Trageser - San Diego North County Times
“One of best unsigned artists in San Diego…rapping with a positive distinctively smooth delivery…This is rap that doesn't leave you feeling dirty.”
Caley Cook - San Diego City Beat
“He’s put work in to present and create a positive album that retains a feel and connection with the streets with range and consistency throughout the album …a positive rap album that reaches young heads on the block, as well as the O.G.’s.”
Kevin Farr - SDMusic Matters.com
“PGH (Da Burgh) is the most badassest song about Picks-berrrrrrgh ever. EVERY neighborhood in Pittsburgh mentioned in the same breath with such respect and UNITY!”
Natalie - IHeartPGH.com
Biography
Pittsburgh-born rapper Slim Stario has the hip-hop lingo down pat. But the difference between Slim Stario and household names such as 50 Cent and Eminem, he uses no profanity in his lyrics, has no tattoos, wears no jewelry, yet he still touches the heart of the ghetto.
Slim Stario was influenced by streets at an early age, his Uncle "The Kernel", was one of Western Pennsylvania largest drug dealers. Following in the footsteps of his uncle, fast money and street respect solidified his name in the "Mean Joe Greene" streets of Pittsburgh.
After witnessing his best friend Marcus "MD" Darden commit suicide, his cousins "Mizzy" / “Quetto” got life without parole, and his Uncle got 20 years in the Feds, Slim Stario reevaluated life and looked for other options outside of the streets.
His influences are Jay-Z for business savvy, Dr. Dre for his track record, and Will Smith for his positive character. Slim Stario grew frustrated with the dead-end ways of street life. He began rapping after having a dream, in which he was told his music would touch the hearts of today’s youth.
Using music as an outlet to express himself, he recorded an ode to his hometown called "Da Burgh Strictly." Selling over 3,000 units, the enormous street buzz of "Da Burgh Strictly" reached its climax when it caught the ear of major label producer and Pittsburgh native, Mel-Man, who's worked with Dr. Dre, heard it and invited Slim Stario to come to Los Angeles to work with him.
Well-known bad blood between Pittsburgh neighborhoods reared its ugly head thousands of miles away. Mel-Man, who is from the Hill, decided he could not work with someone from different side of town.
Discouraged but not broken in spirit Slim Stario quickly began building a fan base in San Diego via open mic nights, pressing and distributing his mix-tapes, and word of mouth. Slim Stario noticed that outside of his hometown dwelling, he stood apart from other artists by his originality and charisma.
Fate intervened and Slim Stario met a producer named Wild Bill. The two hit it off instantly, recording Testimony, a concept album about life and being a fool and finding wisdom. Tee-Jay wanted to share his vision of never giving up on your dreams and persistence and character. His strong emphasis on education, he encourages children to stay in school and learn the value having a good credit report.