Get To Know Sol Jay [Interview]
San Francisco native, Sol Jay, has been around music his whole life and really began to take it seriously at age 13, when his father gifted him Ableton. After facing adversity, with a life-threatening car accident in 2019, he had an eventful last two years with his two projects, #UNDERGROUNDKINGS and Angel Keane. Get to know more about Sol Jay below:
You started music when your dad got you Ableton Live, take me through that and why you stuck with it?
When he got me Ableton, I was already a huge lover of music since I was like eight or nine. I was raised in LA, and I started loving hip hop. I was like eight and would start listening to the radio station, Power 106. I would wake up every day at 5:30 am to listen to that station. When I was 13 and I had the power to make my own music, I utilized it as soon as I could.
Take me through how the car accident gave you a whole new perspective on life, music, and chasing dreams.
Things took a huge turn after the accident and my perspective on life. It’s just the fact that I got a second chance at life. I need to take advantage of that in making sure that I live right this time. A whole lot changed. The main thing with my music is I wanted it to be more raw and real. I stopped capping in my music. There is a lot I unintentionally spoke into existence through the years. I feel like when I got more raw with it, people were able to view it more how I want them to.
How special was it when #UNDERGROUNDKINGS came out just under six months later?
It was special. It was a mark in my career. It was like my first ever mixtape, and it was a collab mixtape with over 50 different artists/producers on it. A lot of those artists and producers are doing really well. I still do wish there were changes like how it was released. I feel like it could’ve gotten more traction.
You follow that up with you most recent project, Angel Keane. How do you think you leveled up with that?
It was a big level up for sure. It was more of an innovation into my own sound with that one. I love the R&B sound. Doing the Pluggnb sound and innovating that into “Angel plug,” my own subgenre that I call it. It’s the angelic feel I bring to it. That one, I really like. The whole project, I was able to make sounds go well together.
Take me through the collaboration with ericdoa.
We used to be really close when he was more underground. Same with one of his main producers. We used to be in a lot of group chats and voice calls. I ended up sending him the song and he sent it back. We just went from there.
How did your single, "Criminal Mind,” come about?
I kept that one in the vault. It’s crazy because I always wanted Tory Lanez on that one. I even met him when I came out to shoot my music videos. He asked to take my number down and everything. The reason why it was in the vault was because there was an open second verse. I either wanted to match the energy I did on the rest of the song or just get someone else on it. I felt like my song evolved on it so I figured I’d just drop it.
Tell me about your, “Viper” music video.
The “Viper” video and the “lonely lullabye” video was a huge turn in my image and how I want to be portrayed. In the end of the video, I am basically portrayed as the viper. “lonely lullabye” video. She is gone and have bIt is a trilogy with the “lonely lullabye” song and the next one coming.
What are some dream collaborations dead or alive?
Of course, Tory Lanez. I could make a platinum record with him. Drake because he is the person that got me into loving hip hop so much when I first heard “Forever” with Lil Wayne. brakence as well. He is amazing. He brought out some influence and expressing myself more.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I haven’t had a lot of time to think about that. Off the top, I want to have reached at least 10 million monthly listeners and at least 5 million in the bank account and my own house in LA. I want to have one of my dream cars.
What’s your dream car?
A purple Lamborghini or a purple Tesla.
