Something about Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” struck Marcus Canty at 11 years old. Where basketball shorts and Kobe Bryant once held a special place, Stevie’s Motown groove stepped in.

“At first I liked music, then it grew into love,” he says with a laugh. “Singing just grabbed me. I started singing gospel music, but Stevie Wonder really drew me in. Then once I got a little bass in my voice, I started going into Luther Vandross’ music too.”

For the 21 year-old who won the hearts of America on Fox’s “X Factor” talent show, it appears music loves him back.

“When I grabbed the microphone at the ‘X Factor’ audition, a whole other person came out,” he recalls. “I love performing for huge crowds but I started performing like I never had before.”

With enough talent to transform Rihanna into a shy fan admitting she “had to look away” as he sang to her, Canty is ready to share his smooth tenor with the world on his upcoming debut album, guided by his idol Epic President Antonio “L.A.” Reid.

Born in Washington, D.C., Marcus Canty was raised by his mother in Palmer Park, Maryland along with his older sister in a full house with their aunt and her three children.

“Family is huge for us,” Canty says. “We were all so close, my cousins were like my brothers. By the time I was seven or eight, they moved away and I became more of a mama’s boy. It wasn’t the best neighborhood, but my mom kept me out of the streets.”

Growing up Marcus’ father was around about 10% of the time, so his mother signed her son up for basketball to provide him with positive male role models. Basketball quickly became Marcus’ first love, despite performing in church plays at New Hope Baptist in Forestville, MD since he was in diapers.

“I always remembered everyone’s lines, I was in the zone at three years old,” he recalls.

But by his early teens, music began to creep in. Raised on a diet of Al Green, the O’Jays and Wonder thanks to his grandmother, Canty hit the talent show circuit and signed up for a show called “Talent Rock.” This talent competition marked the first of many accolades as Marcus was named top ten in the vocal category, print modeling and won an acting scholarship to New York’s School for Film & Television. At eleven years old, Marcus won second place with a rendition of Yolanda Adams’ “Still I Rise,” as he beat out competitors twice his age at the non-televised portion of Amatuer Night At The Apollo. By fifteen, Marcus now performed televised in front of the notoriously tough audience at “Showtime At The Apollo” and sang Trey Songz’ “Gotta Go,” which landed him second place.

“That was a breaking point for me, I knew singing was what I wanted to do,” Marcus says of ditching his basketball dreams and recording music with his cousin Deric. “I was like ‘I’m not going to be 6’5” so I should go where the money is.”

In 2009, Canty was chosen over hundreds of highschool seniors across the nation by the National Foundation for Advancement In The Arts – YoungArt (which recognizes and supports America’s most talented 15-18 year olds in the visual, literary and performing arts), and inducted into the organization.

After graduating high school in 2009 and exhausting the performance circuit around his native Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, where he opened for Bow Wow, B5 and Hurricane Chris, the young tenor connected with an independent label from the Motor City.

“I went to Detroit and started working with a company called MVR Entertainment on an album that we were going to shop around to labels,” he recalls.

But while crafting what he hoped would garner a major label deal, Marcus heard about the “X Factor” auditions and saw his chance at stardom. And once he learned that music executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid would be serving as a judge and coach on the talent show, it seemed all too perfect. Upon graduating highschool, Marcus was faced with an ultimatum that left him at a crossroad. Implemented by his mother, Marcus was given two years to pursue a career in music and if he was not successful within that two year frame he would then have to go to school. It was at this moment that Canty knew his back was up against the wall and that he had to nail his X Factor audition.

“In my first audition, I was just excited to be so close to L.A. Reid,” Marcus says of his first audition in Seattle. “When I was a kid, I was always trying to get music to L.A. before I met him. My ideal label situation was him at the head of the company.”

After wowing “X Factor” judges Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger, Simon Cowell and Reid with an explosive rendition of “I Wish,” Reid encouraged the Maryland native to try compositions outside of his comfort zone.

“On the show, L.A. challenged my mind and my voice, he was a father figure and a friend. During Rock ‘N’ Roll week on ‘X Factor’ I wanted to do Tina Turner’s ‘Proud Mary,’ when I played it for him, he agreed that it was huge record,” Marcus recalls. “But then he showed me Janis Joplin’s ‘Take Another Little Piece of My Heart’ and it opened my eyes to versatility.”

Describing his sound as R&B with a pop twist, Marcus looked up to the showmanship of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Usher.

“The audience needs to feel every note you’re singing, and you felt what they were saying,” he says.

Now as he preps his own album, Marcus hopes to collaborate with Timbaland, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and even Quincy Jones.

“I’ve worked with Kuk Harrell, JQ and Johnta Auston so I’m already blessed,” Marcus says.

The young singer’s first single, following his departure from “X Factor” as a semi-finalist, is “Won’t Make A Fool Out Of You.” The Think Like A Man soundtrack cut shows off Canty’s pristine vocals and smooth tenor over polite keys, light snaps and a bouncing bassline as he promises to be honest and kind to his lady. “Shorty” boasts tender strings and lovestruck lyrics with Canty inviting his long-lost love interest to return to their “love nest.” Light drums and high keys guide the two-step friendly “You Make Me Dance,” where Marcus’ layered chorus tells a lucky woman that she “makes him want to be with her all day.”

“I want a classic album and it’s tough to get that out the gate, but I think it’s possible,” Marcus says with confidence. “It’s about telling stories and there aren’t many in music today. But I want to tell stories that connect with people in my own way.” 

There’s a subtle war that sometimes takes place when TeeFLii works on a song. “I’m a songwriter and I’m a producer and sometimes those two can clash,” the South Central Los Angeles native explains. “It’s like having Shaq and Kobe. One day, one of them is going to clash with the other, but somebody’s gotta be the bigger man so they can go get those championships.”

With the singer’s acclaimed AnNieRuO’Tay trilogy of mixtapes, the radio and Internet hit “That D,” collaborations with Nipsey Hussle, Casey Veggies, Snoop, Ty Dolla $ign and Dom Kennedy to co writing the platinum record “Show Me” (Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown) and the DJ Mustard-produced lead single “24 Hours” with 2 Chainz gaining momentum, TeeFLii is notching his own musical victories.

TeeFLii’s organic success paved the way for his deal with Epic Records and his forthcoming major label debut album. He’s an integral part of a new generation of Los Angeles artists (DJ Mustard, Nipsey Hussle, YG and Problem, among them), a collection of singers, rappers and producers redirecting and redefining what LA music sounds and feels like.

“We’re making people happy with music again, especially on the West Coast,” TeeFLii says. “When you can claim something that’s your own, that’s why we loved ‘Pac, ‘cause ‘Pac was ours. That’s like your kid. You’re going to love your kid to death because that’s your kid.”
TeeFLii’s first single "24 Hours" from his forthcoming album has its origins in real-life conversations he was having with a girl he was dating at the time. “I felt like I had 24 hours, the whole day to be with her because I’m always gone,” he says. “I’m always moving, always doing an interview or jumping on somebody’s hook, writing for somebody. So I was letting her know that she doesn’t even have to get dressed or do her hair. I’ve got 24 hours for you, let’s make it count.”
Relationship strife also drives the potent “Love Over Money,” which is another record from the debut album. “It’s about this chick that decides that she wants to give up on what she really believes in,” TeeFLii explains. “She’s saying it’s love over money, but I’m saying it’s money over love. I’m explaining to her that that’s why we’re not getting along, because that’s what she got me to believe.”

TeeFLii created his own movement with the AnNieRuO’Tay series of mixtapes building off the Michael Jackson lyric from his “Smooth Criminal” single. The first installment included “This D,” a DJ Mustard-produced song that showcased TeeFLii’s brash lyrical approach and quickly became a west coast radio hit.

TeeFLii continued pushing the envelope – and building his buzz – with AnNieRuO’Tay2 (The Takeover), thanks in part to the “I Took Yo Bitch” single. With AnNieRuO’Tay Who The Fuck Is Annie?, TeeFLii had succeeded in making a name for himself with fans and music industry executives alike.

“I felt like nobody knew about me, other than maybe people who knew I danced,” says TeeFLii, who appeared as a dancer in Rize, the 2005 documentary about Krumping and Klown dancing, as well as the 2007 blockbuster feature film Stomp The Yard. “But dancing wasn’t bringing out the musical side in me. When I did AnNieRuO’Tay 1, I wanted to put 19 songs on there and sting ‘em real quick.”

The initiative worked, as the mixtape series established TeeFLii as Los Angeles’ newest go-to singer, producer and songwriter.

Indeed, TeeFLii is driven by the process of making music. He loves crafting melodies, writing songs and challenging himself – pastimes he developed when he started teaching himself the music-making process about a decade ago. It resulted in his distinctive brand of music, FLii&B, if you will.

Now, with his material a fixture on mixtapes, radio and YouTube alike, TeeFLii is set to deliver with his debut studio album what is sure to be a landmark release, a project that helps define the sound of Los Angeles R&B.

“This is going to be a real impactful album,” TeeFLii says. “It’s going to be something to be reckoned with.”


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