SoFaygo

Known for his catchy verses, acrobatic flows, and charismatic cadences,, SoFaygo (born Andre Dontrel Burt Jr; October 3, 2001) rose to star status in the “PluggnB” scene on SoundCloud, a hybrid genre made from the melodic elements of R&B, the hammering 808s of trap, and the energetic lyricism of rap. After the release of his Lil Tecca-produced and Cole Bennett directed video-single "Knock Knock" in 2020, SoFaygo quickly transformed from a bedroom producer to a genre-defining artist, amassing an army of loyal fans with over 800,000 followers on instagram, 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and hundreds of millions of streams. Signing under Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Records shortly after and touring as direct support for Trippie Redd’s Tripp At Knight Tour, SoFaygo has since found himself at the forefront of an exciting wave of young new artists who are ushering in the next generation of Hip Hop. After bursting onto the scene in 2020, racking up over 400 million streams, glossing the cover of XXL's 2022 Freshman issue, and being announced as an Apple Music ‘Up Next Artist’, SoFaygo is ready to usher in a new era of superstars in Hip Hop with the release of his debut album, Pink Heartz. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, but raised in Cobb County, Georgia, SoFaygo was just North of Atlanta when the global pandemic disrupted outside life, affecting his last year of high school. However, for SoFaygo, moving from the classroom to online classes brought the isolation to prioritize exploring Atlanta, making music and spending late nights in Deaf Star Recording Studios. His choice in choosing craft over college paid off almost immediately as the mixtapes he released before graduation elevated him from relative obscurity to more than 1.9 monthly listeners on Spotify and over 800,000 followers on Instagram. “I got the hot hand!” Faygo boasts on “Got! Damn”, the closing track off B4Pink, a five-track, summer 2022 EP released as a precursor to his Cactus Jack debut, Pink Heartz on November 11th. The long-awaited album has been in the works since last spring. Not only has the time been spent developing as an artist, but adjusting to the industry and experiencing the live reactions people have to his music. It was a tough process for the introverted teen to figure out, but life inside the industry had its thrills. Coming out every night to perform their collaboration, “MP5” while on tour with Trippie Redd or performing in front of LeBron James at his son Bronny’s 18th birthday party are two instances of how working within the new world was opening up opportunities for SoFaygo to expand. Along with the new album, Faygo’s recent single “Hell Yeah” (feat. Ken Carson) was featured in the new Beats by Dre campaign, King of the Court starring LeBron James and his son Bronny James that debuted in the 2022 NBA season opener. With expansion comes pressure. Demands. Feelings he didn’t experience when an older cousin allowed him to record his first songs in the fourth grade. The results were lovey-dovey Chris Brown-inspired R&B. After discovering Chief Keef, Rich Homie Quan, and Young Thug in high school, his style became more versatile. The results were hypnotic Atlanta-inspired rap-singing. His debut album Pink Heartz showcased a version of SoFaygo that is fully himself. A more vulnerable, personal, and emotionally-attuned artist coming-of-age in the aftermath of a global tragedy as well as opening doors for a new wave of rap rock stars making the music for their generation. Boasting star-studded production credits and features from Pharrell, Lil Uzi Vert, DJ Khaled, Don Toliver, Gunna, and Ken Carson, Pink Heartz serves a triathlon of styles and sounds, showcasing Faygo's effortless ability to skate through balmy melodies, stadium-ready verses, and party-starting songs alike. On the album's appropriately titled intro track, "Transparency", SoFaygo provides an apt explainer for the careful curation that went into his long-awaited debut––“I told my fans I’m gonna drop soon some things just can’t be rushed / Man it’s a craft man it’s a process i gotta keep it up”. On his previously released singles "Fasho", "Blitz", "Another One" and "Hell Yeah" (feat. Ken Carson), SoFaygo displays a sense of comfort as he experiments with and refines tunefully melodic structures. Another notable record from SoFaygo's debut album includes the motivational track "Took Off" featuring DJ Khaled and fellow Atlanta superstar Gunna who trade glowing verses over a quintessential, ear-candy instrumental produced by Pharrell. SoFaygo also performed an acoustic version of his record "Fasho" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! leading into the release of his album. With a kaleidoscope of eclectic styles and sounds showcasing his ambidextrous ability to transition from rapid-fire bars to saccharine singing––SoFaygo is solidifying himself as the torch bearer for a new generation with his debut album, Pink Heartz.