Don Toliver remembers the first time he got played on the radio. OG Ron C, 93.7, Houston's The Beat. “You know how, like, you have a 93.7 late, late time? Slow, slow jam?” he reminisced to Apple Music in 2020. “I’ll never forget that, man.” A sweet one, for sure. But local radio? In 2020? For a guy born in 1994? This, though, is his lane: A mentee of fellow Houstoner Travis Scott and an Apple Music Next Up honouree, Toliver represents the woozy trap&b moment, but also calls back to the heyday of Houston rap labels like Swishahouse and the hazy romance of singers like Teddy Pendergrass and Sade—stuff he heard guess where?
Toliver started recording in high school, getting regional traction before breaking through as a feature on Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD (“CAN'T SAY”). His key tracks—“No Idea”, “Situation”, “Best You Had”, “HAD ENOUGH” (from the Travis Scott/Cactus Jack Records showcase JACKBOYS)—are exemplary blends of trap and soul, showcasing a vocalist bringing a classic touch to a contemporary sound without making it sound like a throwback. It took a little while for him to play his music for his mom. Not because he was afraid of what she might think. But because he knew if he was going to bring an older generation along, he had to be on point.