Lil Tjay’s single “First Time” hit number one on YouTube Music this week. The rapper marked the milestone on Instagram with a short caption. The hashtags turned it into something more pointed than a celebration.
His caption read: “we #1 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 GO STREAM FIRST TIME #Fullyindependent #theyjustaintyou.” The post, directed at YouTube Music’s official account, pulled in more than 8,800 likes and close to 10,000 total interactions.
The hashtag #Fullyindependent confirms his status outside the major label system. Tione Jayden Merritt, the Bronx-raised rapper known as Lil Tjay, spent years charting under Columbia Records. Songs like “Pop Out” and “Calling My Phone” gave him a solid commercial baseline. Stepping away from that structure was a calculated bet. A number one on YouTube Music, without label promotion behind it, is a strong return on that bet.
The second hashtag, #theyjustaintyou, reads like a direct message. The phrasing targets anyone who expected the independence move to cost him. There’s a pointed edge to it.
Going independent in mainstream rap isn’t as simple as uploading tracks and waiting. Major labels bring marketing budgets and playlist influence. Most independent artists have to work around those advantages or go without them. Reaching the top of a YouTube Music chart without that infrastructure is a strong signal. His listener base followed him there without label support driving it.
YouTube Music has become one of the more closely watched streaming chart indicators. Its chart reflects genuine listener volume, not algorithmic padding. For an independent release to get to number one there, the streams have to be real.
The song title adds something worth noting. “First Time” reaching number one as an independent act is, by definition, a first for Lil Tjay. The name may not have been chosen with that in mind. Either way, the framing landed cleanly.
The engagement numbers support the story. Close to 10,000 interactions on a single Instagram post signals an active listener base. That kind of response doesn’t come from name recognition alone.
Lil Tjay hasn’t detailed publicly the distribution or financial setup behind the release. The caption skipped past the mechanics and went straight to the result. The hashtag #Fullyindependent covers the essential point. The chart position covers the rest.
For other artists watching the independent route, this adds a concrete data point. Streaming platforms have leveled parts of the playing field. Major labels used to control that ground entirely. Direct fan access through social media has shortened the gap between recording and reaching listeners. A chart number one without a label shows that gap has narrowed enough to matter.
Sustaining that momentum across multiple releases is the harder challenge. One chart win is proof of concept. Building on it requires more than a single strong showing. Lil Tjay has demonstrated listener retention before. “First Time” at number one on his own terms sets a new baseline for what comes next.
“First Time” is streaming now on YouTube Music.
