Jon StojanDefying the norms of contemporary hip-hop, SODABOY, a rapper represented exclusively by About My Business Entertainment (AMBE), engraved his name in the industry’s fabric, impacting the hearts of listeners with moving lyrics that spark conversations about current world issues. Though his professional venture into the industry began a mere five years ago, SODABOY’s portfolio includes multiple successful releases, such as Now Or Never and DROP IT.
Known as the ‘Minnesota Viking,’ SODABOY connects with his audience through prolific narratives of struggles, motivation, and resilience, encapsulated in rhythmic songs that entertain and ignite emotions. This Alpha artist knows what he wants, how he wants it, and how to get it, igniting drive and passion among his fans.
Now embodying ‘The New, The Now, The Next’ spirit, SODABOY’s journey begins in a single-parent household in Minnesota. Growing up without a father, he felt an insatiable urge to build a different, better life for himself and his family. That fervor led him to hustle on the streets, where he found purpose in music. “A lot of people do music for the fame and notoriety,” SODABOY shares. “All I ever wanted to do was to feed my family in a different way.”
Central to SODABOY’s success story is inner Minneapolis – a city he comes from, a city he loves, and a city where dreams of fame often fade away. The artist describes his home as a small town with all the entities of a big city, where aspiring musicians struggle to succeed. SODABOY, discovered and supported by AMBE – an independent label dedicated to propelling local artists to new heights – is on the right path to repeat the success of Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, The Jayhawks, and other Minneapolitans who gained global recognition.
“Those who have succeeded have done it in their own way, not the industry way. That’s what I am trying to achieve—pave the way for others to break through the Minneapolis glass ceiling and let their unique voices shine,” he adds.
More than where he comes from, Minnesota was SODABOY’s initial stage name. To avoid confusion between the innovative rapper and a producer out of Sacramento who shared the pseudonym, SODABOY decided to find a better-fitting name. He quickly realized that he’d refer to himself as the ‘Soda Boy’ in the third person, creating lyrics like: “Put me on a mic, I bubble up like Sprite.” He says, “SODABOY sounds like a superhero. That’s what I always tell people who ask where the name comes from. I’m the real SODABOY – I love my city, I love my state, and I’m like a superhero lurking in the dark, waiting for the right time to help my people thrive.”
After multiple successful releases, SODABOY is gearing up to shake the scene even more in 2024, with three new singles coming out soon. “I was born to rap. My journey wasn’t about finding a passion for music; it’s a story of turning a dream into reality and entering the hip-hop realm professionally,” SODABOY shares. “From the first time I heard rap, I fell in love with it. Music is a stabilization amidst the chaos and a gateway to happiness when things get tough. Rap is a soundtrack to my life. It has been since the start, and it will forever remain the biggest part of me.”