Songwriter, rapper, and model, Tray Bills is a popular vlogger and social media influencer. The native of Atlanta, Georgia runs a YouTube channel with friend Chris GIlly called Tray and Chris, where they do the wildest pranks and jokes. They have over three-hundred-thousand fans for the channel with close to a million followers on Instagram.
Back-story:
Tray Bills was the typical young adult that defined the very existence of a millennial in this era, who was already on his life path, and in college, studying to become a Registered Nurse, before realizing that his destiny was tied to something else more rewarding. Tray wanted to follow the example of his parents, who are both in the medical field; however, he felt somewhat disengaged or more disinterested with that profession. He wanted to make his parents proud, but he also needed to find a thrilling profession that made him impassioned, and that’s how he got into the realm of social influencers.
Tray engages with his fans on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. He’s popular on Tik Tok as well… “At first, I didn’t see myself being in the position I’m in now. I’m grateful for it, and I truly feel as though I’m blessed to be in this position but at first, I wanted to be in nursing, in the hospital, but I quickly realized, “This ain’t it, bruh.”
When Tray started out on social media, he recorded videos and pranks with his friend on their iphone. At the time, he worked part-time at a Starbucks close to the college where he attended school. He spent six months and an unprecedented amount of time making videos, but he needed to ensure that he had stability in that area. “Once I saw my fourth check from YouTube, I knew things could be major,” he says. It took eight years to build up steam, to get to that point. Tray said that he invested in himself by purchasing a MacBook and few other gadgets so he could do the edits to their videos… “At the end of the day, you got to be able to rely on yourself,” he remarks.
“Takes time to get there. People move at different speeds and it takes different – I don’t want to say struggles, but it takes different experiences to get there.”
Even though Tray is a social media magnate, he writes and performs his music, too. He says that his dad, who’s perceptive in the world of entertainment, taught him the ropes. “I’ve always had music as a part of my life. It’s always helped me. I took it more seriously probably during my eleventh grade year, because I had some bros that I was in school with, who were making music at the time, who owned their own studios at their house. They told me that I had the image, and all I needed to do was add the music to it. I love hearing music and I love making music myself. I wanted to try it and that’s how it happened. My dad has always kept music as a part of my life— not necessarily making it, but listening to music and appreciating music, good music with substance, and music that’s talking about something, music that has instruments, just the nature of music. He’s [my dad] had a big influence on my life, but just making music with my bros and the ones I grew up with.”
Tray didn’t like the way he sound on the tracks, but now he’s in the mainstream bracket with tunes that people can really enjoy. His latest track, “Flexin,” it boasts the feel good stuff, a crisp teaser with easy lyrics that talk about impressing a girl.
The social butterfly agrees that he comes from a good foundation where his parents instilled confidence, self-love, and greatness within himself. “It’s important to a child, to understate that its okay to have self confidence, loving yourself, self respect, respect for others and carrying yourself differently than what you see on TV or what you’re hearing on radio. Nine times out of ten, those people aren’t really living the lifestyle they are rapping about anyway, so the reality is not easily bent. You won’t be easily persuaded to do things. That stuff is important when you’re growing up. I see now, the reason they [my parents] were so strong on me with that stuff of being a leader and not a follower. That type of stuff always stuck with me like, becoming a man, and becoming myself. Nobody can make me do anything that I don’t feel comfortable doing—just understanding my morals and who I am as a person, I am grateful to my parents for that.”
Proving that humans still dream, they want more, and they are not stagnant even in disappointment, Tray became relentless. The vision, his ideal, his positive words spoken into the universe, made sense to him and that’s all he needed, faith of a mustard seed. It took Tray six months from their most successful launch, which happened in 2017, to earn the revenue for being a social influencer. His network has grown over a quarter of a million dollars within the last two years.
Tray took another step along this journey of bad-assness, and relocated to Houston, just to take things up a notch. “I didn’t tell my mom and I didn’t tell my dad. I knew they would try to make me think about it. I’m grateful for my parents. They make you think. At the end of the day, I know they got my back. I didn’t want to hear the think about it factor. I was taking the risk in hopes that this risk was going to take me somewhere. In life, it’s about taking risk, because if you don’t take risk, you’ll never know the endless possibilities. If you don’t take a risk and that leap of faith, you will never know or experience the possibilities from your actions. I took the risk and moved to Houston on two-hundred dollars.”
Tray is humble, so he shares that love and light with other humans. The social mogul said that this journey is his destiny, and if he failed at it, then at least he made an effort, to become more than the kid who worked at Starbucks, fixing coffee for other successful people.
Tray encourages young adults to do what they feel is best for their life. “Everybody has to walk their life the best that they can and go on that journey the best they can. ‘I feel like my life is better than just going to school—Nothings wrong with school. I’m not saying school is a bad thing but it is important to know the ways of society, [and] know the ways to live on this earth. There are rules set to abide by. At the end of the day, for me, I didn’t finish school because I feel like I have the basic knowledge I need to be successful in this world.”
In terms of success, the mover and shaker is a brand ambassador for Fashinova for men, “That’s the one that I get the love from, but any ambassador that’s looking, I’m always open. I’ve done stuff for Coca Cola, Nike, and Puma. As far as being an ambassador, Fashioniva treats me well and they are very patient with me.”
Tray says that he’s on this spiritual journey. “I feel like it is a spiritual journey, solely, because I know that God has something bigger for me, [and] for my life. My life is not just about my life. It’s about showing others that you can do something positive, and just being a great role model and influencer. When you look at the word influencer, that’s a powerful word. When you’re an influencer that means you can change the way somebody thinks. You can change someone’s behavior or how they think they can make money so I do believe that my life is not my own. I feel like God has put me here for a reason and his light is going to shine through me, and I’m an instrument for him so, I do believe that. I’m not perfect,” he exclaims. He went on to say that, he uses his platform to show others that there are ways of making it other than being in the street.
Tray actually went with his friends to Miami, and instead of going home, they detoured and went to Houston to meet up with a manger for social media in Houston. Suffice to say, the meeting went well, and it’s been all gas no breaks ever since. “It wasn’t easy at all. It’s been plenty of doubts and stuff like that. I feel like that’s normal. You will doubt. Everyone will doubt, but at the end of the day, it’s about believing in you, having faith, and taking risks.”
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