Toosi was 17 when he dropped out of school and chased his dreams. “That’s what I wanted to do,” the Syracuse-born, North Carolina-based rapper told V. “Like that was what I wanted to be. I wanted to be an artist, so I dropped everything for it.”

Fast forward a few years later, Toosi is now one of rap’s most promising young artists. Now, the 21-year-old has released a new album, Thank You for Believing and opened for the likes of Polo G, Summer Walker, City Girls among others. Drenched in emotion, the new album (which released today) pays homage to his support system. 

“Thank You for Believing is a project for friends, family, and fans — everybody who supported and helped me get to where I’m at today,” Toosii said on Zoom, one week before the album dropped. “I really just wanted to show people that it’s not always about us. It’s not always about the artist, is sometimes it’s about the people who help you get there.”

Among the people who helped Toosii get to where he is today is his dad. His dad was the first one to show him what a studio looked like and let him know that music was a viable career path. Another key player in Toosii’s musical journey was his brother: “Me and my brother used to have rap battles in our house and just go at each other like put a beat on and just go at each other,” Toosii said. 

For this mixtape, Toosii hit up chart-topping, Multi-Platinum rapper DaBaby — who has previously collaborated with Dua Lipa, Lil Yatchy and Drake. The pair collaborated on “shop,” a track where Toosii delivers witty one-liners. When asked what it was like working in the studio with DaBaby, Toosi laughed and said, “We had a good time. We’ve been around each other before so it all came naturally.” The dynamic duo also released a visual for the track. Directed by Joan Pabon, the music video follows them as they take over a Miami nightclub. 

While Toosii has made a name for himself in the rap world, his inspirations for the tracks pull from all different genres. Among his musical inspirations include Tim McGraw, Billie Elish, Jason Mraz and John Legend. Other stand-out tracks on the mixtape include “what it cost” and “back together,” both of which have appeared on XXL’s weekly list of “best new songs.” And it looks like this is just the beginning. In July, Toosii will perform at Rolling Loud in Miami. 

“I just wanted to make beautiful songs,” Toosi said. “Right now, I’m the rookie of the year. I’m aiming for all-time status.” If you’re looking to understand the Toosii hype, stream his new mixtape here — we assure you won’t regret it.

Cover photo by Marc Cortes