Bryson Tiller's announcement that he will release his sophomore album True to Self next month means it is time recap movements since he unleashed his massively successful debut TRAPSOUL 20 months ago.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Tiller is notoriously media-shy and has a laconic social media presence. He has revealed virtually nothing about the direction of True to Self. And so we must explore internet archives to speculate on where he will next take his razor-sharp delivery perfectly positioned on the cusp of R&B and hip hop.
Here's what young Tiller has been up to since TRAPSOUL.
Hit the road and racked up a few awards
Tiller toured extensively in support of TRAPSOUL, for nearly the entire first four months of 2016. Then, this winter, he opened for The Weeknd on the European leg of the "Starboy: Legend of the Fall" tour.
Trapsoul and its various singles were nominated for countless awards, including Grammy for Best R&B Song ("Exchange"). He won two BET Award for Best R&B/Pop Artist and Best New Artist and one iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New R&B Artist.
Occasionally put out fresh heat
2015
2016
- Sy Ari Da Kid - "Priorities" feat. Bryson Tiller
- Fat Joe - "Love You To Pieces" feat. Bryson Tiller
- Rayven Justice - "Just Right" feat. Bryson Tiller
- Lil Lonnie - "Change Up" feat. Bryson Tiller
- Chris Brown - "Keep You In Mind" feat. Bryson Tiller
- DJ Khaled - "Ima Be Alright" feat. Future and Bryson Tiller
- Travis Scott - "First Take" feat. Bryson Tiller
- "Let Me Explain"
- Chris Brown - "Keep You In Mind" Feat. Bryson Tiller
- Gucci Mane - "Drove U Crazy" Feat. Bryson Tiller
2017
- WunTayk Timmy - "Cake" Feat. Bryson Tiller
- "Honey"
- "Get Mine" feat. Young Thug
- "Somethin Tells Me"
Fired off some philosophical tweets
https://twitter.com/_/status/671188792942948352
https://twitter.com/_/status/671756885519798272
https://twitter.com/_/status/687697890429423616
https://twitter.com/_/status/694610141312712704
https://twitter.com/_/status/695058032577814529
https://twitter.com/_/status/710678888142217216
https://twitter.com/_/status/711760356306231297
https://twitter.com/_/status/718275253470961666
https://twitter.com/_/status/718986012714803200
https://twitter.com/_/status/725764122587979776
https://twitter.com/_/status/740662320356044800
https://twitter.com/_/status/757765505855942656
https://twitter.com/_/status/774399694751539200
https://twitter.com/_/status/795670542711853056
https://twitter.com/_/status/810719044110262273
https://twitter.com/_/status/813837348790292484
https://twitter.com/_/status/822566536581943299
Started vibes with Drake and DJ Khaled
Tiller logged some time at Drake's Calabasas mansion this past December. As far as video and photo evidence indicates, he played ping pong with Boi-1da and feasted with Dennis Graham. He claimed to have "started vibes" with Drake... which could mean just about anything.
https://twitter.com/_/status/808938409645445120
https://twitter.com/_/status/808941112597643265
He has also been spotted hanging with DJ Khaled on multiple occasions; the two of them went jet skiing at the end of 2015 ("All the great ones jet ski" - Khaled) and hit the studio together earlier this year. Tiller is a likely candidate to appear on Khaled's forthcoming album Grateful.
Putting on for Louisville
With the possible exceptions of Jennifer Lawrence, D'Angelo Russell, and Papa John, there is important Louisvillian right now than Bryson Tiller. His city recognized him last spring during the final US stop of the "TRAPSOUL" tour by declaring March 12th "Bryson Tiller Day' and bequeathing him the key to the city. Then, last Christmas, he gave back by driving to his local Kroger and paying for the grocery bill of several senior citizens.
“He said, ‘Just be blessed, and by the way, my name is Bryson.’ I said, ‘Thank you so much, Bryson,'” said shopper Joanne Samuels. “He said, ‘It really makes me feel good to be able to do this.’ And I said, ‘Thank you so much.’"
Added shopper LaShora Davis: "He was so nice and humble."