Who Was TobyMac’s Son, Truett?
Truett McKeehan was a rapper and the son of American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer TobyMac. Truett’s father TobyMac is one of the biggest stars and an award-winning performer. He has released nine studio albums and two full-length Christmas albums.
Truett McKeehan: Bio Summary
| Name | Truett McKeehan |
| Date of birth | September 4, 1998 |
| Place of birth | Franklin, Tennessee, United States |
| Famous as | son of TobyMac |
| Died | October 23, 2019 (aged 21) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Parents | TobyMac and Amanda Levy McKeehan |
| Siblings | Marlee McKeehan, Moses McKeehan, Judah McKeehan, and Leo McKeehan |
Truett Was The Oldest Child Of TobyMac
Truett Foster McKeehan was born on September 4, 1998, in Franklin, Tennessee, United States as the oldest child of Kevin Michael McKeehan commonly known as TobyMac, and his wife Amanda Levy McKeehan. His parents have been married since 1994. Truett has four younger siblings.
Truett’s siblings are twins Marlee McKeehan and Moses McKeehan, and Judah McKeehan, and Leo McKeehan. His parents adopted twins Moses and Marlee. Moses suffers from muscular dystrophy. Truett was a student of New Hope until he graduated 6th grade in 2011. He was fond of skateboarding.
Truett Was An Emerging Rap Artist
Truett McKeehan was an aspiring rapper who released music on various platforms under the names TRU, TruDog, Shiloh, and Truett Foster. He collaborated with his father TobyMac on several tracks including, “Extreme Days,” “Gotta Go,” “LoudNClear” and “Hype Man.”
Truett McKeehan appeared on dc Talk’s Solo EP and TobyMac’s albums, Momentum, Re:Mix Momentum, Welcome to Diverse City, Renovating Diverse City, Portable Sounds, Tonight, Christmas in Diverse City, Eye on It and Eye’m All Mixed Up as “TruDog”. He was credited as “TRU” on This is not a Test.
Truett McKeehan featured on the song “Backseat Driver” from This Is Not a Test, and “Alone” from Hollyn’s self-titled EP, as “TRU”. Truett is said to have been “both an independent rapper” and a member of “the group HySociety.”
ALSO, READ: Amanda Levy McKeehan: Inside The Life Of TobyMac’s Wife
Truett’s father Wrote “Scars” to Remind Truett That ‘He’s Not Alone’
Truett McKeehan’s father TobyMac wrote the song “Scars” after Truett left home to pursue his dreams. TobyMac told The Tennessean: “He moved to L.A. and he’s making music, and he’s doing his thing. But to watch him go through that, and watch him get bruised, it’s not easy. So that’s one of the ways life has changed. In that song, I just want him to know he’s not alone.”
“Scars” is on the album, “The Elements.” Also, TobyMac said about the story behind his song “Scars”: “For the first time in my life I found myself sending ships out of the harbor. Up ‘til now our family, our home, it’s been the harbor. People I love the most are going out and facing the pain, the struggle, and the temptation of this crazy world.”
“I’m very aware of the scars that come with life’s journey, but sometimes we insulate those things from the ones we love, our children. So to see them go out there and do this real world it’s painful. I wrote this one for my boy. I wanted to let him know that I’m here for him and God is there for him. So lift your head my son to where your help comes from.”
TobyMac also told Billboard: “I love ‘Scars.’ I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but it’s the closest song to me on the record. I had a few people in mind when I wrote it, but subconsciously I started focusing on Truett, my firstborn son, talking to him a little about what life is throwing at him. I wanted him to know that he’s not alone when the world might get the best of him from time to time.”
“When he looks up and he’s got some scars, I wanted him to know that we all face those things and that he’s not alone in it.”
What Happened To TobyMac’s Son?
TobyMac’s son Truett Foster McKeehan died unexpectedly on October 23, 2019, at age 21. He was found dead at home in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. He died of an accidental drug overdose of fentanyl and amphetamines. His father TobyMac paid tribute to his son in a statement. He wrote:
ALSO, READ: Moses McKeehan: Everything About TobyMac’s Son
“Truett Foster Mckeehan had joy that took the room when he entered. He was a magnetic son and brother and friend. If you met him, you knew him, you remembered him. His smile, his laugh, the encouragement he offered with words or even without. He had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match. And he hated being put in a box.”
“He expressed himself through the music he made. And by made I mean, written, recorded, produced, mixed, and designed the art. All of it. A true artist. His first show was a week ago, and it was nothing short of electric. Everyone felt it, everyone knew it. He could’ve easily taken the easy route and put music out when he was 12, 14, 16, even 18, but he always said he wanted to live some life and have something to say before he did it.”
“He didn’t want to be a child star, he wanted to be a man with scars and a story to tell. I always admired, respected and encouraged that stand. Truett always had a soft spot for God. The Bible moved him. His heart was warm to the things of his King. He was by no means a cookie cutter Christian but give me a believer who fights to keep believing. Give me a broken man who recognizes his need for a Savior every time. That’s who Truett was and how he should be remembered.”
“My last moment with Truett in person was at his first show this past Thursday at the Factory in Franklin, Tennessee. I had to leave the next morning very early to fly and start our Canadian tour. As I stood in the audience and watched my son bring joy to a room, I was as proud as a “pop” (as tru called me) could be.”
“It was the culminating moment of a dream that he had since he was 12. It couldn’t have been sweeter. Our music, and what we say lyrically couldn’t be more different, but the outcome was much the same… offering a room full of people a few minutes of joy in a crazy world. Our last text exchange is shared above (swipe). My wife and I would want the world to know this…”
“We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under-the-table deal with Him, like, we’ll follow you if you bless us. We follow God because we love Him. It’s our honor. He is the God of the hills and the valleys. And He is beautiful above all things.”
TobyMac released “21 Years” as a tribute to his son. On Instagram, he shared a clip from the track’s music video and wrote: ““21 years” is a song I wrote about the recent passing of my firstborn son, Truett Foster McKeehan. I loved him with all my heart. Until something in life hits you this hard, you never know how you will handle it.”
“I am thankful that I have been surrounded by love, starting with God’s and extending to community near and far that have walked with us and carried us everyday. Writing this song felt like an honest confession of the questions, pain, anger, doubt, mercy and promise that describes the journey I’m probably only beginning.”
“One thing I know is that I am not alone. God didn’t promise us a life of no pain or even tragic death, but He did promise He would never leave us or forsake us. And I’m holding dearly to that promise for my son as well as myself.” TobyMac and his family launched the Truett Foster Foundation in honor of Truett McKeehan.
The foundation is set to raise money to help kids pursue education in music. “Truett Foster McKeehan had an untamable grand personality and dreams to match,” the foundation’s website says. “Since the age of 12, he knew he wanted to make music. Dreams are so important to kids growing-up. Too many children do not have the financial ability to pursue their dreams.”
ALSO, READ: Leo McKeehan: Everything About TobyMac’s Son
The website also wrote that: “We want to use this fund to help kids do just that: to get an education – to pursue music – to get the chance to chase their dreams.” The website added that “Truett would love that.” TobyMac took to social media to share photos from his son Truett McKeehan’s funeral.
In 2022, about three years after Truett McKeehan passed away, TobyMac told People, “I will forever be a different man. I thought, honestly, with my five kids and my bride, that I had the perfect life. And we’re really messy now. It’s not so neat anymore.”
“The pain and anguish was just killing us. I never thought I would ever have it together again,” he said. “I want to write songs that resonate. It’s amazing how many people have experienced loss and how a song just loves them well, wherever they are. I’m so grateful for that.”
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving we have something we’d like to share… Such overwhelming love has surrounded us this last month. We still don’t quite know which end is up but we do KNOW, we are loved. As we mourn our firstborn son, God has poured out His love on us (cont.) pic.twitter.com/eDxuDCV1AS
— TobyMac (@tobymac) November 24, 2019
TobyMac made it known that he and his wife Amanda Levy McKeehan knew of their son Truett’s struggles with substance abuse. “It wasn’t something that we thought was OK, but we didn’t think it was an urgent problem, I guess,” he said. “I do think that he knew where we stood on it and wanted to honor us, so that was a battle that he fought.”
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