Jalen Santoy

Jalen Santoy, a rapper whose measured delivery pairs with introspective verses reminiscent of J. Cole, gained early traction through tracks such as "God" and "Foreplay." Multiple hip-hop outlets and sites highlighted him as an emerging talent worth following, coinciding with the 2020 arrival of his debut album II Shepherds.

Originating from Charleston, South Carolina, where he was born, and growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, the artist now based in Los Angeles started making recordings at 15 years old before dropping his initial single "God" during 2014. Virginia emcee Big Pooh created a remix of that song and included Santoy on the 2015 cut "Kings." Also in that year, Santoy put out "Foreplay," a piece of jazzy hip-hop built around a sample from Bobby Hebb's "Sunny." The track later featured on his Charlie Eastern EP, issued the following year. This seven-song collection, titled after the rap group started by his deceased cousin who fell victim to police brutality, contained the single "Off the Glass" along with the sincere tribute "Mama Loves Me." Santoy put forth the single "Vices" in 2017, moving his style closer to sharp-edged peers including Nick Grant and Vince Staples. Additional singles followed, among them 2018's "Doors of Perception" and 2019's "Dip," which paved the way for the full-length II Shepherds in 2020.