A surprising career pivot is bringing Toosii back to his birthplace. The rapper announced his commitment to play Division I football at Syracuse University, returning to the city where his story began.
On Monday (Dec. 1), the “Favorite Song” hitmaker posted a photo of himself in full uniform holding a football. He wrote, “COMMITTED. For every kid who ever had a dream, make it reality. God’s will is the way and no one can stop it, not even the devil. I wanna thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for even giving me the strength to chase what I believed when so many people told me I couldn’t.”
He continued, “Thank you to the people who supported me as well, it never [goes] unnoticed. To be born in Syracuse and move to North Carolina at age 12 and haven’t been back since.”
Toosii, born Nau’Jour Grainger, played high school football in Syracuse before moving to North Carolina, where his music took over. His career skyrocketed thanks to “Favorite Song,” which went double platinum and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He spent most of 2024 touring with Rod Wave, but this summer he made it clear he wanted something different.
On X in August, he told fans, “I’m chasing history. First multi-platinum recording artist to go back to school and play Division I football. Next year I’m gonna be on somebody’s team — mark my words.”
He meant it. Over the last few months, the 25-year-old shared videos of intense workouts and recruiting visits to Duke University, University of Maryland, and Sacramento State University. He celebrated receiving multiple offers, including one from Sacramento State, writing, “Man the lord is powerful. Blessed to receive an offer from Sacramento State… This don’t even feel real, man… I’m speechless right now.”
According to Rivals, Toosii is listed as a Class of 2026 wide receiver prospect. But choosing Syracuse was personal. In his Instagram caption, he said the decision clicked once Coach Fran Brown reached out: “When coach Fran called, I knew it was a sign from God. So, with that being said, ‘Cuse, I’m coming home. #COMMITTED #315baby #AGTG.”
Toosii returns with new single “777”
Alongside his football announcement, Toosii is still active on the music side. Last week, he dropped his newest single, “777,” a vulnerable cut that finds him wrestling with love, timing, and faith. It follows recent tracks like “Call Me” and “Please Don’t Go” with NBA YoungBoy, continuing his streak of emotionally heavy releases.