Mozzy

Mozzy
Mozzy in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Timothy Patterson[1][2][3]
Also known as	Lil Tim
Born	(1987-06-24) June 24, 1987 (age 37) Oak Park, Sacramento, California, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop trap gangsta rap
Occupations	Rapper songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Livewire Collective Interscope EMPIRE Real Talk Blackmarket
Website	www.mozzyfoundation.com

Timothy Cornell Patterson^[4] (born June 24, 1987), known professionally as Mozzy, is an American rapper from Sacramento, California.^[2] He signed with Yo Gotti's record label Collective Music Group (CMG), an imprint of Interscope Records in 2022, having previously signed with local independent label, Blackmarket Records. He is best known for his 2021 single "Last One Standing" (with Skylar Grey, Polo G, and Eminem) from the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[4][5]

He began rapping in 2004 under the name Lil Tim,^[4] which he changed in favor of Mozzy in 2012. He gained recognition following the release of his mixtape Bladadah (2015), which was ranked as the 22nd Best Rap Album of that year by Rolling Stone,^[6] and gave him the "best run" of 2015 according to Complex.^[7] Each of his studio albums—1 Up Top Ahk (2017), Gangland Landlord (2018), Beyond Bulletproof (2020), Occupational Hazard (2020), Untreated Trauma (2021), Survivor's Guilt (2022), and Children of the Slums (2024)—have entered the Billboard 200, in addition to his collaborative album with fellow California rapper YG—Kommunity Service (2021)—and compilation albums with CMG—Gangsta Art (2022) and Gangsta Art 2 (2023).^[8]

Mozzy grew up on 4th Avenue, in Sacramento's Oak Park neighborhood.^[9] His parents were not in his life, so he was raised by his grandmother Brenda Patterson-Usher, a Black Panther party member, who owned several homes throughout Oak Park.^[10] Mozzy attended Sacramento High School, but eventually dropped out and earned a GED. He worked various local jobs until he decided to pursue his music career full-time in 2010.^[4] In a 2017 interview with CivilTV, Mozzy stated that he used to walk around his neighborhood with a hoodie over his head out of embarrassment as to not be noticed by his neighbors and peers.^[11] He later states that this was his motivation to purse music full-time.^[11]

Mozzy first began rapping at age 16 alongside his uncle Genaro "GP the Beast" Patterson.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010 under the stage name "Lil Tim", Mozzy released a single titled "U Ain't Really Like 'Dat", his first release as a full-time musician.^[7] Mozzy released his first solo mixtape in 2011 under the title Money Means Mozzy.

Mozzy released his third solo album, Goonbody Embodiment, which features a collaboration with Oakland rapper Philthy Rich, on the track "I'm Just Being Honest" in early May of 2014, which caused a longstanding controversy^[12] In December the same year, Compton rapper YG released a single titled "City Mad" featuring Mozzy and associate "Slim 400" leading up to the release of his album, Still Krazy.^[13]

In 2015, he released the Mixtape Bladadah, which had been awarded the "best run of 2015" by Complex magazine for had the "best run of 2015",^[7] and was ranked the 22nd best rap album of 2015 by Rolling Stone^[6]

In January 2016, Vallejo rapper Nef the Pharaoh released the album Neffy Got Wings, featuring a track with Mozzy called "Devil's Team".^[14] Mozzy moved from Sacramento to Los Angeles, California and released the album Gang Related Siblings, featuring his fellow Oak Park native and producer June later that year.^[15]

On August 2, 2016, he released Lil Timothy N Thingz, a collection of songs recorded in 2008 while he had still been known as "Lil Tim".^[16]

In November 2016, Mozzy released the mixtape Mandatory Check, which reached no. 7 on the Billboard Rap Albums chart.^[17]

In January 2017, Mozzy released the mixtape Fake Famous. It features several artists, including YG, Jadakiss, and G-Eazy.^[18] In August 2017, Mozzy released his debut studio album, 1 Up Top Ahk, which charted at number 68 on the Billboard 200.^[19][20]

In 2018, Mozzy's second studio album Gangland Landlord was released. It peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard 200.^[2][20]

In May 2019, Mozzy released the mixtape Internal Affairs, which features guest appearances from Lil Poppa and TeeJay3k, among others.^[21] In 2019, Mozzy released a full length collaboration album called Chop Stixx and Banana Clips, with Gunplay. Writing about the project for Freemusicempire, Dan-O praised the project, stating "Gunplay and Mozzy paint pictures so you can see the crook's whole journey, not just the sentence".^[22]

On May 1, 2020, he released his third studio album, Beyond Bulletproof. The 13-track project follows 2019's Internal Affairs and includes the singles "Pricetag", "I Ain't Perfect", "Overcame", and "Big Homie from the Hood". The music video for "Big Homie from the Hood" was filmed at McClatchy Park, near 4th Avenue in the Oak Park Neighborhood of South Sacramento where the rapper grew up.^[23] Mozzy enlisted various artists on the album, including King Von, G Herbo, Eric Bellinger, and Polo G.^[24] The album debuted at number 43 on the Billboard 200, becoming Mozzy's highest-charting at the time.^[25]

On September 23, 2020, Mozzy returned with his second project of 2020, Occupational Hazard. He described it as his favorite project and said the album goes back to his "old" style.^[26]

Mozzy started 2021 by releasing the single "Bompton to Oak Park", which was a collaboration with fellow California rapper YG.^[27] The single was the lead single to a collaborative album titled Kommunity Service, which was released on May 21 of that year.^[28] The album peaked at number 88 on the Billboard 200.^[20] In September of that year, Mozzy released his sixth studio album, titled Untreated Trauma.^[29] The album debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200, surpassing Beyond Bulletproof as his highest-charting album.^[30]

On September 30, 2021, Mozzy was featured on the song "Last One Standing" by Skylar Grey, along with Eminem and Polo G, featured on the soundtrack for the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage.^[31]

On February 10, 2022, Mozzy signed his major-label contract in a joint venture with CMG and Interscope Records and shortly after, released the single "Real Ones" featuring Roddy Ricch,^[32][33] which was the lead single to his album Survivor's Guilt. It was released on July 22, 2022 and peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200.^[34][20]

In March 2014, Mozzy released the track "I'm Just Bein Honest" which sparked a feud with local rapper Lavish D. However, there had been an ongoing feud, which started in Meadowview and G Parkway in Sacramento, that put Guttah Team and Starz against Oak Park gangs like Fab and Stunna Gang.^[12] This started with an ambush by Lavish D's "Starzup" gang on March 15 on an associate of Mozzy's from Oak Park at the Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento.^[12] Nine shootings followed, which the Sacramento Police department found to be linked by the original incident between the two gangs.^[12]

Between 2005 and 2008, Mozzy was arrested three times by the Sacramento Police for possession crimes, including illegal possession of a firearm and evading police. He was arrested again in 2014 and served a sentence in San Quentin State Prison,^[4] during which his brother and colleague E Mozzy released the album Free Mozzy. After his release, Mozzy decided to focus solely on his music, releasing four solo albums in 2015.^[7] Despite receiving offers to perform across the nation and worldwide, Mozzy was unable to leave the state of California until 2017 due to being on probation.^[4][35]

In July 2018, Mozzy was arrested during a traffic stop in Las Vegas for gun possession.^[3]

In July 2022, Mozzy pled guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to one year in prison, as well as a $55,000 fine. He served his sentence at USP Atwater^[36] before being released in May 2023 after serving 10 months. ^[37]

Mozzy is a father to two daughters. His youngest daughter was born Zayda Ahkyana Patterson in early 2018. ^[38]

• Official website