| Strings | |
| Birth Name: | Marinna Teal |
| Alias: | Tateeze |
| Birth Date: | 1975 11, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Years Active: | 1995–present |
Marinna Teal (born November 25, 1975), better known as Strings and Tateeze, is an American rapper and songwriter formerly signed to Epic and Cash Money Records. She is best known for being featured on R. Kelly's "Gotham City Remix" and Keith Sweat's "Im Not Ready Remix" in the mid and late 1990s.
Her grandfather was Aaron Moore, a famous bluesman from Chicago.[1] When growing up, Strings begin singing in the choir in her hometown and won talent show prizes. She had her first baby at 13. After graduating from Chicago Vocational High School she moved to Oklahoma City for five years, where she became an exotic dancer to support her daughter.[2]
One night when she was out of town she attended an R. Kelly concert she had got her way backstage, where she met R. Kelly she sang for him then when she was done singing R. Kelly took her to a restroom and start beating on a sink while she was rapping for hours.[1] Then one night she got a phone call and it was Kelly he wanted her to fly to Miami to record some songs that she had written.[1] When everything went well, Strings signed to R. Kelly's label Rockland Records and appeared on R. Kelly's "Gotham City Remix". She also performed vocals on his self titled album and appeared on Sparkle's "Vegas" on her self titled album. Strings later left Rockland because they didn't release her solo album. She later signed a deal to Keith Sweat's record label Epic in 1998.[2]
In 1999 she released "Raise It Up", and "Tongue Song" in 2000, which sampled Sisqo's hit "Thong Song". Tongue Song made it to number 24 on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and number 13 on Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. The song received regular airplay on East Coast radio stations, and she performed two singles on Soul Train and on BET Live from LA.[2] [3] [4] The album's release date was scheduled for November 2000, however it was shelved, and only the Listening Post Edition (Promo CD) and sampler copies were pressed. She was later released from her contract with Epic.[5]
When she was a free agent she signed to Cash Money Records, and later changed her name to Tateeze. She was featured on the Big Tymers single "Oh Yeah!" (2002).[1] She planned to release another solo project under their label, but due to Hurricane Katrina it was never released, and two weeks later she left the label.[1]
In 2011 she released her debut Mixtape entitled High Maintenance Music 101 The Mixx Education of Strings.[1]
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Bub. | U.S. Rap | |||
| 1999 | "Raise It Up" | — | — | The Black Widow |
| 2000 | "Tongue Song" | 24[6] | 13[7] | |
| Year | Single | Chart positions[8] | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | R&B | Rap | ||||
| 2002 | "Oh Yeah!" | 46 | 23 | 13 | Hood Rich | |
| "Do That..." | 46 | 23 | 13 | Hood Rich | ||
| 2005 | "Conversation" | — | 91 | — | The Mind of Mannie Fresh | |
| Album details | ||
| High Maintenance Music 101 The Mixx Education of Strings[9] |
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