INT CAR-NY SUMMERTIME MORNING-1993

 Photos by Charles Valencia

An eleven year old James “SoSoon” Gantt is in the back seat of a coffee brown ’63 Cadillac Deville. He is traveling to an unknown location with his grandfather and cousin. The voices of Ed Lover, Dr. Dre, and Lisa G introduce the morning show on New York’s 97.1 FM, a “foreign” station that SoSoon’s cousin has discovered while randomly turning the dial. Hip Hop music is playing. SoSoon is familiar with this music, but has never heard it quite like this. He listens attentively.

In the days, months, and years following, Hot 97 would become one of SoSoon’s primary sources for Hip Hop culture. As an only child raised in a sheltered middle working class home, SoSoon clocked a lot of hours listening to the radio. He grew up during a time when Hot 97 played an array of music from a wide variety of artists: Busta Rhymes, Outcast, Lost Boyz, Nas, Jay-Z, Biggie, Snoop Dogg, Lil Kim, Total, Mobb Deep, Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, Buckshot, Mary J Blige, 2Pac, and The Fugees amongst others. Soon was always moved by the versatility of the sounds he was exposed to.

This diversity inspired SoSoon to develop into the versatile artist that many aspire to become or have proclaim they are, but usually fall short. SoSoon’s recipe for success: one tablespoon of social awareness, one tablespoon of fashion aficionado, a dash of NYC night life, a dose of love lost and love discovered--finally mix in a cup of lyricism, and you have a versatile emcee.

By performing on the tri state college circuit, SoSoon realized early on that in order to appease multiple audiences you have to treat every track like a single, while at the same time understanding that the single is one part of the whole product. According to Soon, every song is a performance. He states “Whenever I create a new song, I think to myself can this be performed and/or can this get radio play?” SoSoon understands the craft behind the core of the art: the ability to balance a catchy sound with a relevant message; something essential to the longevity of an emcees career.

One of SoSoon’s standout characteristics is his ability to paint lyrical landscapes. His works, which read like screen plays, have inspired Soon to take a deeper look at one of New York’s most revered artists, Spike Lee. Rather than rely on music as his only muse, Soon decided to study the career of a man whom he hopes to emulate through his own artistic outlet. After years of hearing peers talk about the visual aspect of SoSoon’s music, he began to realize how much he has in common with Spike Lee.

“We both proudly wear our glasses, and use our respective art forms to show our viewers and listeners a different perspective of New York City, which is a microcosm of metropolitan cities all over the world.”

The impact Spike Lee has had on SoSoon’s artistry has caused him to refer to himself as The Spike Lee of Hip Hop.

SoSoon realizes that such a bold statement can and will likely stir up controversy amongst die hard Spike Lee fans. However, he is prepared for any potential backlash.

“Spike Lee means a lot to a lot of people, especially blacks, especially in New York City. Understanding this, I’m confident enough in my art, the message it carries, and the ideals that I stand for. I will always have agency over the artistic aesthetic of my work. I will always find a way to entertain while educating. These are some of the many ideals that Spike Lee has embraced throughout his career. Ultimately as I continue to progress, you will see the parallels between our respective careers.”

SoSoon’s debut solo release, The Bandwagon: Directors Cut, is a 12 track journey through New York City. It fills in the gap between the two extremes which most emcees direct their focus: the realities and perils of living in a state of poverty, and a life of excessive wealth. Each narrative is filled either with Soon’s personal stories, or the often overlooked lives of working class New Yorkers. This engaging opus opens its doors to listeners, and like an MTA bus, will chart a course through the diversity of experiences that comprise urban life. While New York is an obvious focus, the truths expressed by each song’s content are universal. From his director’s chair, SoSoon pans the camera, peeling away the glamour of both the ghetto and celebrity life to uncover what it is really like to live in New York.