Ty Gracie

Ty Gracie
Born and raised in Newport News “Bad Newz,” Virginia, Ty Gracie is a hard-core southern rapper with an amazingly unique voice and flow who demands and deserves attention wherever he goes. He is not only an artist, but the CEO of his record label, ABK Music and Media. It has been his energy, drive, dedication and talent that are pushing his dream and the ABK dream into a reality after almost ten years of ups and downs. Ty Gracie’s success is far from an overnight phenomenon.

Gracie was raised around music and has been battling other rappers since the 6th grade, when they used to meet in the school bathrooms and challenge each other. He grew up listening to Run-DMC, EPMD, and Kool G Rap and although other artists from Virginia have gained notoriety, Gracie does not want to be compared with them. “Nobody from Newport News has made it in the music business and ABK is going to change that,” Gracie states defiantly.” “People from Bad News have a different story to tell.”

After a 1994 stint in jail, Gracie decided to become more serious about his music. “I saw artists like Redman and Wu Tang doing their thing,” he says. “That just sparked something in me to go for my dreams.”

Ty Gracie has released six mixtapes and is currently finishing his first street album “Amazing Grace: A Soldier Story, Hand 2 Hand, The Official Street Album, Vol. 1,” set for a summer 2007 release. Gracie’s previously released “Heavy Grind, Vol. 1, Gangsta Talk (2005) sold more than 8,000 copies. Before that Grace released two mixtapes (Guns “R” Us and “D-Boyz: Back-N-Tha Kitchen”) hosted by New York great DJ Kay Slay. The two Kay Slay hosted projects did 10,000 units and 7,500 units respectively, helping further cement Ty Gracie’s title as the “King of VA.”

Grace, as he’s known to his friends and colleagues has collaborated with many commercially successful artists including Young Jeezy (Ghetto Millionaires), Fat Joe & Dirt Bag (I Got It), Kool G Rap (Hell Bound), Snoop Dogg & Nicole Ray (ABK Gangstaz), Jadakiss (Mob Life), 50 Cent (Niggaz Ain’t Shit) & the Clipse (Get It How U Live). Grace also regularly works with the Doe Stackas (DSK/IMG/Universal) out of Philadelphia, Big Boom of ABK (out of Nashville, TN) and break through Virginia rapper Hollywood, also with ABK.

Grace has also worked with big name producers such as Jazzy Pha, Chad “Dr. Suess” Elliot, Chad Wes, Felony, Sam Sneed & Pop Trax, as well as up-and-coming super-producer Trama, out of Virginia.

Grace has had several radio hits locally, including the biographical “My Life,” which was played consistently for over a year, and “Ghetto Millionaires” featuring Young Jeezy which gained steady rotation and rave reviews in the summer of 2006.

The next step for Grace was to release his much anticipated DVD “State of Grace, My Life, My Story” in 2006. The documentary profiling Grace and his crew has sold 5,000 plus copies and is still moving. You may have also seen Grace on the MTV Show Punk’d, as well as several Reebok commercials, for which he’s done voiceovers, acting and music.

Now, on the verge of certain stardom, Grace remains diligent in his pursuit of perfection and stamina in today’s fickle music industry. He is the leading force behind his company, and has extremely close relationships with all of the ABK artists. He is their mentor, he is their leader and they look to him for the support, friendship, motivation and the success that they want and hope to achieve.

Gracie’s character and charisma, as well as his strong work ethic and dedication to what he’s doing, are the force behind ABK Music and Media. He is finally turning his dream into reality and is as determined as ever to make it great.