Bryson Tiller is saying “Ciao” to music (for now) and diving into a longtime side passion for those worldwide to enjoy. In January 2023, the Instagram account Trapsoul Games posted its first message. The post featured an animation of an old computer typing hidden text, eventually revealing the brand logo. The caption read, “welcome to the beginning of something great.”
The next update came over a year later, on May 21, when the account revealed that Bryson had been developing a video game. Now that his self-titled album Bryson Tiller has been released, he seems to be taking a page out of Jimmy Butler’s playbook and pursuing side quests unrelated to music.
The inception of Trapsoul Games
In a March interview with Complex, Tiller shared that his April 5 drop was going to be his last for a while.
“I just want to take a hiatus because my No. 1 passion is video games. I’m a designer in my spare time. I’ve been designing a game for the past three years. I’ve been looking into internships for different companies,” Tiller said.
Stating that the video game creation process gives him more flexibility to include his family in his schedule, he explained that the creative process for music can feel more “like a job” when he’s comparing the two.
Tiller’s passion for video games is nothing new. He revealed in an April interview with Billboard how the game Super Smash Bros., specifically the character Kirby, helps ignite his creative spark and desire to stand out.
“…When I played on Smash Bros., I never knew who to pick – but I liked Kirby because I could absorb any one of my enemies and become something like that. That’s why I like Kirby so much now. I compare myself to him as an artist, because I feel like Kirby learns from his enemies and he can become them and still remain himself,” Tiller shared.
Rappers & Video Games
Tiller’s Trapsoul Games pursuits are part of a long history of hip-hop and gaming joining forces. Rap music can be heard throughout the FM radios of the Grand Theft Auto series. Rappers like Uncle Luke and Ice-T even make special appearances in the game.
In the early 2000s, labels released their own video games, like Def Jam: Fight For NY. Brands like the NBA also capitalized on rap’s influence in sports culture by releasing games like NBA Street where you could play as artists like Nelly on the court.
In the NBA 2K series, rappers like Lil Tecca, Baby Keem, and A Boogie can be seen sitting courtside during matches. As usual, the game is eerily similar to real life and features rappers who frequent basketball games, but the inclusion further proves hip hop’s enduring influence on gaming culture.
Rather than being the star and focus of the series, Tiller is stepping into the creator role behind the scenes. He is going beyond the music and adding a new type of skillset to his resume.
Rappers like Travis Scott, with his 2020 Fortnite concert event, have also taken a similar approach to gaming. Not limited to the confines of the soundtrack, Scott was hands-on with other aspects of Fortnite, like the visuals and user experience of the concert.
When can you play Trapsoul Games?
In their May 21 post, Trapsoul Games revealed that the game has been developing for a year. Closing out the video, the team stated that “it is almost time to begin Phase One of our plan. To all of our loyal followers out there, prepare yourselves for everything that awaits you on this computer!”
Updates trickle through the Trapsoul Games Instagram, with Phase One being teased as a comic-book-style storyboard of the game’s plot. Tiller has also started revealing details about the video game’s tone.
In a July 2024 interview with HYPEBEAST, Tiller said the game will be a “dark comedy.” Using anime and films like The Fifth Element for visual inspiration, he said the game is “filled with smart humor, but it’s got a lot of real-life sh*t in there as well.”
The official website says the game will be released in 2025 (we’ll see if it beats GTA 6). The countdown is on to see what Tiller has been working on behind the scenes of his musical pursuits.
