Business strategist and author Tony Robbins once said, “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” Signifying that failure isn’t the greatest obstacle—fear and doubt are. Taking the first step, or overcoming fear, is crucial to making dreams a reality. That is why, when South Coast Music Group and Capitol Records multi-platinum recording artist Toosii decided to halt his rap career to live out a lifelong dream of playing football, he pursued it with the same fearlessness, as he did with his music.
Nau’ Jaur Grainger, who goes by the name Toosii, took the rap industry by storm with his 2023 hit, “Favorite Song,” which went double platinum. That was two years after making the still coveted XXL Freshmen cover. He took advantage of the success, dropping several projects over the years, and collaborating with a number of hitmakers. But while many would have kept their foot on gas, on a journey to be the biggest in the game, the 26-year-old Syracuse, New York native decided to pursue his childhood dream of playing football. Fans speculated whether this would be the best time to move all his chips in and gamble on his dream of playing football. Risky, yes. But not so unusual. Rapper Sheck Wes, known for his 2017 smash hit “Mo Bamba,” left to pursue basketball. Even North Carolina Native J. Cole has persistently pursued his dream of playing professional basketball. He played in the Basketball Africa League in 2021 for the Rwanda Patriots, and more recently played in the Chinese Basketball Association.
At the age of 12, Toosii moved from New York to North Carolina, where he laced up his cleats to compete on the gridiron field of Rolesville High School just northeast of Raleigh. As a Rolesville Ram, he played wide receiver, where he gained notice for his athletic prowess, but music was his forte. Despite finding success as an artist, he never forgot his dream of playing football. He began training and shared his workout videos on social media. After visiting colleges such as USC and Duke, Toosii received his first offer from Sacramento State in 2025.
According to NCAA eligibility rules, eligibility is generally restricted to four seasons of competition within a 5-year window after full-time enrollment. For Division 1/Division 2, an athlete may face penalties (lost eligibility) for delaying enrollment more than one year after high school, requiring the NCAA to review the athlete’s case. Grainger was 10 years removed from high school and 25 years old. Because he had not exhausted his eligibility, the NCAA rules allowed him to be added to a collegiate football roster.
According to an article in NBC News, in December 2025, Toosii committed to Syracuse University, shifting his focus from music to football. By 2026, he chose to break his commitment, concluding that LSU was ultimately a better fit. After publicly announcing that the university offered him a scholarship, a conflict arose when Syracuse Coach Fran Brown, Jr. clarified Toosii would only be able to join as a walk-on. Disappointed by this communication breakdown or by possibly misunderstood expectations, Toosii opted for LSU. By March 2026, Louisiana State University listed him as a freshman wide receiver on its roster, wearing number 89, signaling his definitive move into college football.
Some may argue that it would be more sensible for Toosii to continue to capitalize on the success of his hits, “Favorite Song”, “Truth Be Told”, “Love Cycle”, “5’5”, and “Love is…”, but the definition of fearless is without fear; bold, brave, or intrepid. Nau’ Jour Grainger’s journey is no different from that of any other action-oriented, positive-minded individual who consistently works toward their goals with passion and resilience.
In his words as he posted on X: “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.”
