10 Things You Didn’t Know About Lil Tecca
Success has no age limit; thus, one teenager, Lil Tecca, is already worth $3 million. He began rapping at nine years, and now the 19-year old has his music on Spotify; his song “Ransom” has been streamed over 300 million times on Spotify and garnered more than 100 million views on YouTube. In 2017, he would charge $50 for a hook, $70 for a verse and hook, and $40 for a feature. Now with his popularity soaring, he must have hiked the fees for such services. There is a lot more to know about the rapper whose signature look is glasses and braces. So here are ten facts to get you started.
1. He Wanted an NBA Career
If the rapper had not been successful in music, he would have ended up pursuing basketball professionally. He loves the game so much that he even rapped about it in “Gametime.” When he got into music, he was actively playing basketball, but reality struck him about being in the NBA; he would have to get up early to practice every day for the rest of his career. He could not picture himself doing the early morning rehearsals daily. So, in seventh grade, he decided to focus on rapping.
2. The Origin of His Stage Name
Tyler-Justin Sharpe is the official name of the rapper, but he goes by “Lil Tecca.” Billboard asked him about the origin of his name, and he disclosed that he and another girl he knew were called Tecca. Therefore, to differentiate themselves, the girl nicknamed him Lil Tecca. For this reason, he preferred using the name when he took up rapping professionally. However, in another interview, he said that he saw a girl named Tecca on Instagram and decided to use it.
3. He Had Difficulty Coping in High School
Going from an ordinary teenager in high school to a star can be challenging as it was for Tecca. Juggling his studies and music took a toll on him. He loves giving all his energy, and if the results are poor, he becomes frustrated. Besides the stress of ensuring that his studies were not affected, his schoolmates were very discouraging; they told him it was a passing cloud.
4. He Never Planned on Going to Prom
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Tecca revealed that he did not plan on attending prom. He reasoned that he was always a loner sitting by himself during lunch. Therefore, if he showed up in such a social function, it would be awkward. The great thing about his decision is that his mother supported it. She did not push him to go to prom; instead, she wanted Tecca to graduate.
5. He Does Not Abuse Drugs
Most musicians record while they are high on drugs; 03Greedo confessed that he smokes weed and can record 15 songs in a night. Tecca is different and said that he does not use drugs or take alcohol. In a world where drug abuse has become the norm, the rapper seems to be the exemption, preferring to stick to water. He did not give any specific reason for avoiding getting hooked on drugs, but perhaps seeing that drug addiction has ruined the lives of other musicians may have informed his decision.
6. Being a Heart Surgeon was His Fallback Plan
As a young boy, Tecca’s plan A was to be in the NBA, and his contingency plan was to be a rapper. However, he still had the foresight to know that things do not always work out as we hope. Therefore as he told GQ, his fallback plan was to become a heart surgeon. Although it is not clear if his grades in school were exceptional, his plan of pursuing cardiothoracic surgery would demand patience and perseverance from him. To be qualified, one has to undergo four years of college, another four years of medical school, a general surgery residency lasting five years, and a three-year cardiothoracic fellowship.
7. He Dropped Out of High School to Pursue Music
According to Medium, one of his schoolmates, Jeni Pomper, said that before Tecca was famous, he was always in the background. Although he had friends, he was not popular. Once his name got around, he changed. He even began skipping classes and eventually left Lawrence High School to pursue his music career. In another interview, he, however, disclosed that he was homeschooled.
8. His Rapping Career Began with Diss Tracks
The origin of his first song is based on a diss track. He said that while playing Xbox with his friend, Tecca made diss tracks as a joke. He used his sister’s laptop to download Audacity, then recorded himself over a beat and uploaded it to Soundcloud. He was only nine years old at the time.
9. His Parents Found Out about Him Rapping by Accident
For years, Tecca rapped in his bedroom, and his sister knew about it, but his parents were in the dark. However, his sister let it slip, unaware that their parents did not know. Tecca had not planned on hiding the truth from them, but he was uncomfortable with the lyrics. The language was offensive, and he would not have wanted his parents to hear. Still, his father liked it, but his mother was shocked hearing her youngest son cursing. She even had a talk with him about the curse words, but she eventually got used to it and said she would support him no matter what.
10. He Has Always Been a Loner
The rapper is originally from Queens, but the family moved to Long Island. He did not have friends; thus, he learned to have fun by himself. When he started attending school, barely anyone spoke to him. Tecca was even skeptical if anyone tried talking to him; no wonder after becoming a hip hop artist, he chose to be homeschooled.