How Don Toliver Got Started in Music: From Houston Roots to Cactus Jack Stardom
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Don Toliver, born Caleb Zackery Toliver on June 12, 1994, in Houston, Texas, rose from the city's vibrant underground scene to become one of modern hip-hop's most distinctive voices, blending melodic R&B with trap influences under the Cactus Jack banner. His journey exemplifies how Houston's rich musical heritage—rooted in chopped-and-screwed sounds, Swishahouse, and legends like DJ Screw, UGK, and Scarface—shaped a new generation of artists. How Don Toliver Got Started in Music!
Early Life and Family Influence in Houston
Growing up in the Alief neighborhood (known locally as S.W.A.T., or South West Alief Texas), Toliver was immersed in music from childhood. His father, a rapper who went by Bongo during the early 2000s Swishahouse era, frequently played music at home and appeared on tracks with Houston staples. This constant exposure to Swishahouse artists like Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and others, along with classics from Bobby Womack, Sade, Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Jackson, Usher, Kanye West, and Pharrell, sparked Toliver's passion.
He had no formal musical training or instruments as a kid, but the environment—studio equipment at his dad's place, hanging around Swishahouse co-founders like Michael “5000” Watts and OG Ron C—gave him an insider's view of the industry. As a teenager, he began experimenting: scribbling lyrics in notebooks, recording early tracks (including one over a Tyga beat called “Bitch I’m in the Building”), and even using a PlayStation microphone for demos.
Hustling in the Houston Scene
After high school, Toliver grinded hard. He hustled to fund studio time, performed at open mics, underground spots, art hangouts, and strip clubs to test his sound. He built local buzz by pushing tracks through clubs and DJs, riding Houston Metro buses across the city to network. A key early single was “Pop The Seal,” but his breakthrough came in 2017 when he linked with friend Yungjosh93 for the collaborative mixtape Playa Familia (released May 2017). It was modest but helped him gain traction in Houston's scene.
Later that year, he dropped solo singles like “I Gotta” and “Diva,” which caught Atlantic Records' attention—they signed him in March 2018. Manager Chedda Da Connect (a fellow Houston rapper) played a big role in pushing his music, including getting it to Travis Scott's circle through mutual connections.
The Breakthrough: Travis Scott and Cactus Jack - How Don Toliver Got Started in Music
The pivotal moment arrived in 2018. Toliver's music reached Travis Scott, another Houston native. Scott flew him to Hawaii for Astroworld sessions, where Toliver contributed to the standout track “Can’t Say.” Released August 3, 2018, the album went platinum, and Toliver's feature introduced him globally. Scott co-signed him as the “young Houston legend” and signed him to Cactus Jack Records (in partnership with Atlantic and We Run It Entertainment).
Just before Astroworld, Toliver dropped his solo debut mixtape Donny Womack (August 2018), a 13-track project blending hip-hop and R&B (what he calls “Trap&B”), inspired by Bobby Womack. It earned praise from outlets like High Snobiety and Complex, landing him on “rappers to watch” lists.
Rise to Stardom
From there, Toliver's trajectory soared:
Featured on JACKBOYS (2019) compilation.
Debut album Heaven or Hell (2020) charted strongly.
Follow-ups like Life of a Don (2021), Love Sick (2023), and Hardstone Psycho (2024) solidified his status, with hits like “No Idea,” “After Party,” “What You Need,” and features (e.g., Internet Money's “Lemonade,” Eminem's “No Regrets”).
Today, Don Toliver reps Houston proudly, evolving from grassroots hustler to global star while staying true to his melodic, auto-tuned style influenced by the city's soulful trap roots.
This path—from family-inspired beginnings in Alief, local grinding, and a key Travis Scott connection—shows how persistence and Houston's scene propelled him to Cactus Jack stardom.
Ticket holders and fans can catch Don Toliver on tour or grab tickets to his shows via CapitalCityTickets.com for the best deals on seats to experience his live energy firsthand.