Zarii Designs had the opportunity to style and provide the accessories for local DC artist Tese Fever’s video shoot ‘Special Delivery’. She was definitely a great artist to work with!

More about Tese…

Inspired by her older brothers, rapper Tese Fever began rhyming at the tender age of 8. In fact, one of her first freestyles was to a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony instrumental in 1995. Since then, her concept has gone from a depressive lifestyle, adolescent problems, to adult reality and struggle.

She cites her parents as being huge influences in her writing. “My childhood was rough, and since I couldn’t confront them, I incorporated them into my rhymes. It was my diary.” Incorporating her parents into her rhymes made it real. And one couldn’t help but listen and follow her efforts over the years.

By 2008, on the day of her first mix-tape release ‘Fever Day’, she performed for a small crowd on Georgia Avenue in Washington, DC for Listen Vision Studios Howard Homecoming event. Rapper Grafh was there watching her closely. By the end of her set, she was requested to have an encore performance. After the encore, Grafh announced on the mic to her: “Ma you’ve got it. That’s the best sh*t I’ve seen so far today!”

But her commencement didn’t stop there. In December of 2008, she was introduced to rapper Cassidy in a more personal setting. Cassidy forced her to spit for him. And she delivered. Her gritty punchlines and metaphors led him to say, “you killin’ em. You iller than most n*ggaz!” In fact, by the Summer of 2010, Cassidy and his Larsiny label even went to discuss a possible signing of her.

Having continued her writing and rhyming craft after the meeting with Cassidy, Tese went on to release her second but more notable sophomore mixtape, ‘Stance Of A Fallen,’ on October 10, 2010. With little promotion, no team, no label, and hardly any performances to promote the release, ‘Stance Of A Fallen’ went on to move over 3,000 copies including downloads and hard copies to date. Having been notable in the DMV for only a year prior to, she was proud of her release and the reception it received.

She thanks her peers and fellow music lovers for their contributions to her efforts as well as their consignment. “I’m really only known out here because of the artists and music community that cosigned me. They didn’t have to do that. I love them for that. And I push this for them.”

At the age of 25, she’s still continuing her craft. “Getting better with time”, she says. Her sophomore project, ‘Vintage’, is slated to release January 2012.  Check out http://tesefever.bandcamp.com for more about Tese and her music.