Born the youngest of 5 boys, in Jersey City, New Jersey on July 13, 1985 to Tirone Benjamin and the late Donna Bradford. Despite having a troubling childhood, Tirone Bradford found a passion for football in which he excelled. Growing up, he bounced back and forth between his mother and father's house until settling into a one bedroom apartment with his grandmother in Jersey City. Tirone attended elementary schools PS 3, 12, 16, 22, 23, and 34. He also attended Ferris High School, and later moved to East Orange to be with his mother.

 

     Tirone was an outstanding athlete in track and field and football at East Orange Campus High (2003-2004). However, due to low SAT scores and a low GPA he attended a community college in Coffeyville KS where he maintained a 3.1 GPA. During college he suffered the tragic loss of his idol. His big brother Jarvis Bradford was shot and killed. Feeling broken, the difficult times drove Tirone to drop out of college and turn back to the streets of Jersey City. A year later, his passion for the game of football led him back to chase his dream. He made one call to Shaw University in Raleigh, NC and was given a chance to walk on the team.

 

     With a passion for acting, he studied theatre at Shaw University. In 2007, Tirone received news that he was going to be a dad. He withdrew from school and moved back to New Jersey to be a father to his first born, Hezekiah Thomas. After almost losing his life, and suffering the traumatizing loss of two of his first cousins gunned down, and the birth of his second born, Jarvis Bradford in 2012, Tirone relocated back to Raleigh, NC. Since 2012, Tirone has dedicated hours to service the community in the Southeast Raleigh area. He is an outstanding community activist who encourages the act of giving back by hosting community service events.

 

     Tirone believes that his service in the community is to bring change and healthy alternatives to violence. He has envisioned ways to give back to the youth and become a role model for others. In 2016, he began coaching women’s flag football where he won two state championships in the NCWFFL and was named coach of the year in his first year as a head coach. In 2018, Tirone Founded PrestejAthletics and trained kids ranging from ages 6-17. In 2019, Tirone was made Commissioner of SportzFarm: North Carolina. The following year, North Carolina Elite Youth Foundation was founded on July 13. Tirone is the President of the organization. To add to his list of accolades, Tirone is a phenomenol host and personality for “Tyrants Podcast.” He goes By Dj Fly-Global aka Ti wit Da I.  

 

     “As a child, I never felt like I had a fair chance at life. From a young age, I experienced horrors many won’t see in a lifetime. But, being raised by my grandmother, the late Alice Bradford Wilson…she installed many good ethics in me that kicked in especially as a parent.  I not only want the best for my children but I want to see every child have a fair chance. We cannot always build a future for our youth but we can build the youth for the future.” –Tirone Bradford