Travis Tyler, better known by his stage name Thi’sl (thizil), emerged on the hip hop scene as an independent artist back in 2009 with his debut album Chronicles of an X-Hustler. The album, an audio biographical look into his drug-filled and criminal past, debuted at No.4 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart and has independently sold over 10,000 copies. The music video for his single “I Hate You” off his first national album also reached viral success landing on the front page of Yahoo! Music and attracting thousands of viewers on Red Bull Music, World Star Hip Hop, The Smoking Section, and All Hip Hop.

In 2011, Thi’sl’s indie success continued as his sophomore album Beautiful Monster claimed No.4 once again on iTunes Hip Hop chart and has sold over 15,000 copies. He also landed an opening spot on the highly acclaimed 32 city Unashamed Tour, captivating sell-out crowds at the Palladium in Los Angeles and The Fillmore in Miami with his gritty lyrics and commanding presence. His follow-up album, Free from the Trap, again crashed ITunes top 10 Hip Hop charts and produced “Motivation,” which went viral after being featured on MTV.com and several major sites along with receiving radio-play on Hot 104.1 in St. Louis—making it his biggest single to-date.

Thi’sl’s success as an independent artist continues to grow with media appearances via Hip Hop Weekly’s Indie Grind Spotlight; performances at SXSW, The Core DJs Retreat, and Marlins Park; his feature on “Fakin” with Grammy-award winning artist Lecrae (whose album also brought Thi’sl Grammy recognition for engineering); and album sales totaling over 40,000 units. His latest LP Fallen King is already on track to becoming his best-selling album with first week sales doubling that of its predecessors, debuting at No.11 on the Billboard Rap charts. Yet, not too far removed from his stomping grounds, ever year, Thi’sl holds the Full Ride Back To School Block Party to give back to the children and residents of his former neighborhood.