The continued rise of Tracey Lee, By Aramide OlorunyomiTinubu and efforts at addressing insecurity, By Kabir Fagge AliSPECIAL REPORT: Katsina farmers lament impact of climate changeSPECIAL REPORT: Insecurity, other factors limit cashew farming in NigeriaThe continued rise of Tracey Lee, By Aramide OlorunyomiTinubu and efforts at addressing insecurity, By Kabir Fagge Ali
It is no surprise that the aspiring MC found peers with fellow music ambitions, such as Deric “D-Dot” Angellitie,and Mark Pitts, all men whose already strong ambitions were made even stronger when they rubbed shoulders with fellow Howard alumnus, and up and coming industry heavyweight, Sean “Puffy” Combs. Unsurprisingly too, following graduation, Lee relocated to New York, where his aim to make waves in the Rap scene grew stronger in an already vibrant Hip-Hop scene of the ‘90s.
While the collaboration with B.I.G. proved a successful one, due to a provision from Bad Boy records when they signed off on the collaboration, Lee and Bystorm entertainment were legally not allowed to advertise that thealbum had a song that featured The Notorious B.I.G., and the only way to find out about the collaboration would be through buying the album. And sadly, the death of B.I.G. on 9th March, 1997, two weeks before the album’s March 25th release, made any further negations impossible.
A change in circumstance also led to a change of atmosphere, relocating from New York to Atlanta, with Tracey left wondering, “What’s next?” A very spiritual person, it was at this time that Tracey found himself leaning further and further to his faith, and a chance encounter following a heavy prayer for guidance, with an offering plate and his last seven dollars to help guide him to the new path, and after a series of circumstances, made his path clearer.
While Tracey’s interest had shifted towards law, as well as starting a family, his passion for rapping remained strong, because he still worked on songs on the side. No less defiant than he was in the ‘90s, Tracey didn’t see a reason to let his love for rap be deterred. Come 2014, Tracey Lee dropped.