Tione Jayden Merritt, known professionally as Lil Tjay, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He rose to prominence in 2017 with his song "Resume", and then the release of his breakthrough song "Brothers" which led him to sign with Columbia Records later during that year.
Lil Tjay (real name Tione Dalyan Merritt) is an American rapper and singer from the Bronx, New York. He was born on April 30th, 2001. At a young age, he developed a passion for music and began writing his own raps in middle school. By 15 years old, he had already gained notoriety for his debut mixtape No Comparison released in 2017. The success of this project led to collaborations with established acts such as Lil Durk, Jay Critch, Polo G, and Blueface.
In 2019, Lil Tjay released a string of singles leading up to his debut studio album True 2 Myself. The album peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and was certified gold by the RIAA in 2020. His follow-up project Destined 2 Win dropped later that year and reached even greater heights, hitting number four on the Billboard Hot 200 chart alongside two top ten hits "Headshot" and "Calling My Phone".
Lil Tjay has become known for his melodic flow and storytelling abilities showcased through his songs which often touch on themes of heartache and struggle. He has won numerous awards including Best New Artist at the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2018 as well as Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019. He is currently signed to Columbia Records and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2000</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Lil TJAY is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On April 30, 2000, Lil TJAY was born in The Bronx, New York.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2015</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases First Music Video</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Releases his first music video titled "Brothers" on YouTube.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2017</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Signs with Columbia Records</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Signs with Columbia Records and releases his first major label EP titled No Comparison.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2018</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases Debut Album True 2 Myself</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Releases his debut album True 2 Myself which debuts at #7 on the Billboard 200.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2019</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Earns First Platinum Single</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Earns his first platinum single with the song "Pop Out" featuring Polo G.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2020</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases Sophomore Album State of Emergency</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Releases his sophomore album State of Emergency which debuts at #4 on the Billboard 200.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2021</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Wins Grammy Award for Best Rap Song</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Wins the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song with his hit single "Leaked".</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He's an Inspiration</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lil TJAY is an inspiration to many people. His music is filled with motivating lyrics that inspire and empower people to strive for greatness. He raps about his struggles and shows how he overcame them, which is empowering to many.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> He's a Great Performer</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lil TJAY is a great performer. His live performances are electrifying, and he knows how to work the crowd and get them hyped up. He also puts on an incredible show no matter what size venue he’s performing in.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> He Creates Great Music</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lil TJAY creates great music. His sound is unique and catchy, his lyrics are powerful and meaningful, and his production is top notch. He has been able to create hits that have made him one of the most popular rappers in the game today.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> First Billboard Hot 100 Hit at Age 17</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Lil TJAY scored his first Billboard Hot 100 hit in 2018, when he was just seventeen years old with the song "Ride for Me" featuring fellow rapper Jay Critch.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Signed to Columbia Records</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In April 2020, Lil TJAY signed a multi-million dollar record deal with Columbia Records, making him one of the youngest rappers in history to do so.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Wrote His First Song at Age 11</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Lil TJAY wrote his first rap song when he was 11, and started performing at local shows around the Bronx shortly afterwards.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Released an Album at Age 17</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 2019, Lil TJAY released his debut album, True 2 Myself, when he was just 17 years old. The album peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard 200.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> First Rapper to Perform at the White House</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Lil TJAY became the first rapper to perform at the White House in December 2020 when he performed at a holiday party hosted by President Donald Trump.</p></div>