But again, overnight success never actually happens overnight, even when it literally happens overnight. In truth, Strickland's been preparing for this moment since he was a child, when he'd sing Usher songs to impress his mother. From the age of 13, he was producing his own beats; by 16, he'd released two mixtapes under his rap name, TY the Rebel. But even for an exceedingly confident teenager, "R&B star" hardly seemed like a viable career option. So a few years ago, Strickland went to California to work on a pot farm run by some family members, with the promise of a big payday that never materialized.