Travie McCoy

Biography

Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, which he formed in 1997 with his classmate Matt McGinley, after the two became acquainted with the East Coast punk rock scene.

Gym Class Heroes recorded independently before signing with Fueled by Ramen to release their second album, The Papercut Chronicles (2005). During its production, the band entered a joint venture with labelmate Pete Wentz's Decaydance Records. Their third album and major label debut, As Cruel as School Children (2006), spawned the hit singles "Cupid's Chokehold" and "Clothes Off!!". In 2007, McCoy launched the label BatSquad to sign then-unknown rapper Tyga. Following the release of The Quilt (2008), Gym Class Heroes took a hiatus, and McCoy shifted focus to his solo work.

He signed with Decaydance in a joint venture with T-Pain's Nappy Boy Entertainment to release his debut studio album, Lazarus (2010). Its lead single, "Billionaire" (featuring Bruno Mars), peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received quadruple platinum certification by the RIAA. His 2015 single, "Golden" (featuring Sia), received certified platinum certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). In 2022, McCoy signed with Hopeless Records to release his second solo album, Never Slept Better. Gym Class Heroes were inducted into the Rochester Music Hall of Fame in 2025.

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