In a striking career pivot, a multi-platinum selling rapper with millions of online followers is trading the recording studio for the American football field. Nau'Jour Grainger, known globally by his stage name Toosii, has publicly committed to playing football for Syracuse University this coming autumn.
From Chart-Topping Hits to Gridiron Dreams
The 25-year-old artist, who averages a staggering 3.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify and boasts over 4.8 million Instagram followers, had previously signalled his intention to step away from music. His goal is to pursue a place in Division I college football, the top tier of the US collegiate sport.
Grainger's connection to Syracuse runs deep. He was born in the upstate New York city, home to just under 150,000 people, before relocating to North Carolina at age 12. It was there he first played high school football, laying the groundwork before his music career skyrocketed.
In preparation for this dramatic shift, Grainger has been rigorously training at the facilities of North Carolina State University in recent months to regain playing condition.
"I'm Chasing History": The Rapper's Motivation
Grainger has been vocal about his ambition on social media. On August 18, he posted on X, stating, "I'm chasing history". He declared his aim to become the "first multi-platinum recording artist to go back to school and play DIVISION I football".
He followed this with a determined promise: "Next year I'm gonna be on somebody's team mark my words!"
His commitment became official last Monday. In a celebratory post referencing Syracuse's area code (315) and orange team colour, he wrote: "For every kid who ever had a dream, make it reality." He expressed profound gratitude, citing a phone call from Syracuse head coach Fran Brown as a "sign from God" and emotionally concluding, "Cuse I’m coming home."
The Sporting Challenge and Syracuse's Season
On the recruiting websites Rivals and 247Sports, Grainger is not currently ranked among prospects for the Class of 2026. Rivals lists his potential position as wide receiver. Before choosing Syracuse, he took visits to Duke, Maryland, and Sacramento State, with the latter having offered him a scholarship.
In line with NCAA regulations, Syracuse University has declined to comment on prospective recruits when contacted by Daily Mail Sport.
Grainger enters a Syracuse programme looking to rebound from a difficult season. After a promising 3-1 start that included a win over Clemson, the team's fortunes collapsed following a season-ending injury to starting quarterback Steve Angeli. The Orange finished the campaign 3-9, dead last in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a stark contrast to their 10-3 record the previous year.
The artist first found mainstream success with his viral TikTok hit 'Favorite Song', which has amassed over 262 million streams on Spotify. His 2020 single 'Love Cycle' has also achieved platinum certification.
