Jalen Santoy

Rapper Jalen Santoy delivers his lyrics with passion, blending serious raps with heartfelt singing over soulful and jazzy production. • Born in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Santoy began making when he was 15. • Santoy’s first release was the 2014 single “God,” which earned a remix from Virginia rapper Big Pooh, an early champion of his music. The two would also collaborate on Pooh’s 2015 track “Kings.” • He scored a massive streaming hit with 2015’s “Foreplay,” which is built on a sample of “Happy” by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. • In 2016, Santoy released the Charlie Eastern EP, named for a Charleston rap group founded by a cousin who was killed in an act of police brutality. • Santoy released his debut album, II Shepherds, in 2020.