Rapping was a passion for TJ Porter from a young age, but he put dreams of being a professional musician on the backburner when he started to make gains as a basketball player in his early teens. When his best friend died in a gang-related shooting, the 15-year-old Porter was moved to change course, returning to rap with a renewed sense of purpose. His inspired and often autobiographical lyrics of struggle and perseverance shone through on several early singles as well as his 2019 studio debut, Voice of the Trenches.
TJ Porter was born Terrence Reaves and grew up in a Harlem ...