Grandaddy Souf

Raised in Orlando, Florida, hardcore rapper Grandaddy Souf had already become self-reliant by age 12 and confronted two felony charges by the time he turned 15. Athletics secured a college scholarship, yet after a few seasons of football and track, an injury eliminated any prospect of a professional career. Though he completed his degree, narcotics distribution defined his livelihood following graduation until music intervened. In 1999 he partnered with former football teammates to launch the independent imprint Parra Mo Entertainment, issuing the album Da Drought that included the strip-club single “Get Dis Money” alongside the raw street cut “Savage Journey.” The subsequent mixtape The Bootleg arrived with its own single, “Run It,” leading to a contract with Loud Records that promised a major breakthrough. The label folded, however, before Souf could record. In 2003, still recognizable by the pipe he carried, he joined SRC and devoted the next four years to tracking his debut album. Released in summer 2007, Chasing My Dream finally brought national exposure through the lead single “Keep Em Coming Back.”