Confident, hard-hitting rapper Sally Sossa delivers biographical
tales that occasionally betray her sensitive side. Although the
Houston native has cited the likes of Nicki Minaj and early
supporter Lil Durk as influences, Sossa quickly distinguished
herself after uploading her first recordings while in high
school. She made her label debut as a teenager in 2020 and has
since released Life of Sossa (2021) and 4EVER SOSSA (2022), projects
highlighted by hits such as the Durk collaboration "Star Song" and the Flo
Milli-assisted "Toot It Up." Born in 2002, Sossa learned to rhyme -- and
developed a competitive spirit -- during the many family rap battles that
permeated her youth. In high school, she fed much of this determination
into playing basketball. However, when an injury forced her to take time out
from the sport, building a rap career became her number one priority. By age
17, she had uploaded numerous tracks and mixtapes online, transforming
from an artist with local support to one with the backing of
established names in the industry. Early on, Lil Durk
become a key mentor. He almost signed Sossa independently, but eventually she chose a deal with Listen to the
Kids, an imprint patronized by the major label Interscope.
In 2020, "Who You Are," the first track released as part of
the contract, achieved 500,000 streams within a matter of
months. This was swiftly followed by "A Letter to the
Streets," "GMFU," and "100 Flows," pieces that all ultimately appeared on Life of Sossa, issued in September 2021. While those tracks were filled with
attitude, tempered piano-led material such as "Need
Me" and "It Ain't Love" brought her softer side to
the fore. The latter track included a reference to
her grandfather, an early champion of her
talent who died before Sossa's career had
begun to blossom. Another ballad, the
Lil Durk collaboration "Star Song,"
became Sossa's most streamed song
to that point. Life of Sossa wasn't even
a week old when she released "TMU," the
first track from her follow-up project. By the
end of the following March, she issued 4EVER
SOSSA, an EP. An expanded deluxe edition of the
set was out that September, and it was soon trailed
by singles such as "Real Freak" and her first 2023 offering,
"Never Be the Same.
Sally Sossa has proven to be the next voice out of the Houston rap scene. The recent high school graduate has excelled in the books and the industry as she became the first female talent under Interscope’s joint venture with LISTEN TO THE KIDS. Impressing the industry with her 2019 mixtape series, In late 2020 the emerging artist dropped her label debut project “Life of Sossa” which has garnered over 31 million streams globally and includes fan favorite “Star Song” feat. Lil Durk. The single currently has over 25 million streams on spotify and over 1.5 million creates on tik tok. Sally’s new project, “4EVER SOSSA” includes fan favorites, TMU & Moncler Coat and features a guest appearance from Flo Milli on the lead single "Toot It Up". It also highlights her versatility- from her melodic flows to hard-hitting bars, she shows she can hang with any of her peers, men and women alike.
Inspired by the likes of Lil Durk and Nicki Minaj, Sossa’s voice in hip-hop is one of heart and strength with each release setting her apart from her peers. “I want my fans to know that I’m real, I’m authentic, I’m me, and I’m making music to help them,” she says. “I’m growing with my fan base and they’re growing with me.”
DJ Chuck T is a revered pioneer and trailblazer in the Carolina Hip-Hop music scene. Starting his musical journey in 1998 as a recording artist under the name Priest, he made waves with his debut album “843 Baller,” quickly gaining notoriety in South Carolina. Before hanging up his mic in 2001, DJ Chuck T collaborated with notable Southern artists such as Pastor Troy and Three Six Mafia, and even caught the attention of Epic Records A&R Joe Cerini.
Transitioning from the mic, DJ Chuck T explored producing, engineering, and artist management for two years before landing a role as a production assistant at Charleston’s Hot 98 radio station. It was here that he discovered his passion for DJing. Investing in a pair of turntables, he immersed himself in the art, creating mixtapes, DJing parties, and earning spots on BET’s Rap City and MTV’s Mixtape Mondays. His mixtapes have been featured in the The Source Magazine, The Foundation Magazine, XXL Magazine, and Ozone Magazine.
Since 2003, DJ Chuck T has garnered over 35 awards for his DJing prowess. His “Down South Slangin’” and “Sexxxplicit R&B” mixtape series is a cornerstone of Southern Hip-Hop, solidifying his legacy. Even after 20+ years in the industry, DJ Chuck T continues to actively DJ and break new records. He’s played a pivotal role in helping artists such as DaBaby, Young Dolph, Yung Joc, Gorilla Zoe, Plies, Boyz-N-Da Hood, and Trey Songz go from being local superstars to multi-platinum superstars.
In 2019, he founded The Foundation Of Music, an initiative dedicated to educating aspiring artists about the music business. He travels across the Southeast, independently and within schools and colleges, to teach his class. In 2021, DJ Chuck T made history by organizing and hosting the NBA's first-ever Music Industry Night for the Charlotte Hornets, a highly successful event that continues to thrive. In 2023, DJ Chuck T was inducted into the "Who's Who in Black Charlotte" Hall of Fame and was selected to be a judge for the BET Awards and BET Hip-Hop Awards. In 2024, he won the highly coveted "#1 DJ In The South" award at the Southern Entertainment Awards and “DJ Of The Year” at the Southern Plug Music Awards. DJ Chuck T also sits on the music industry and communications mentors board at two of the most prestigious Historically Black Colleges in the Carolinas, Livingstone College and Benedict College. DJ Chuck T's impact on the music industry remains profound, as he continues to innovate and inspire.
DJ Chuck T aka "The Most Powerful Man In Carolina Music"
- 9x Southern Entertainment Award Winner
- 5x South Carolina Music Award Winner
- 3x Southern Plug Music Award Winner
- 2x Queen City Award Winner (Best DJ & Best Mixtape DJ)
- 2x Gainesville Music Summit Award Winner
- 2x SMES Award Winner
- 3x Geechee One Magazine Award Winner
- Voted MTV's Best Mixtape DJ of 2006
- Featured in The Source, Vibe, XXL, and The NY Times
Unapologetic and focused are two words that describe singer and
songwriter Miya Guggs. The qualities that allowed her to be an
elite athlete on the basketball court now help the independent
artist launch her music career. A woman of many gifts, Miya’s
talents on the hardwood allowed her to earn a scholarship to her
hometown college basketball team, Kansas City (Kansas)
Community College. Nobody would have blamed Miya if she had
pursued her hoop dreams to their logical conclusion – a college
education, maybe attracting the attention of a Division One school
and becoming a Lady Jayhawk and achieving the ultimate dream
of being drafted into the WNBA. Miya, however had a different
dream. It’s a dream that Miya first spoke into existence during late
nights in the presence of her aunt, Denise. “We would sit there
and watch music videos because me and her are night owls,” Miya
recalled. “We would be up watching music videos, and I
remember watching those videos and I was like, ‘I want to do
that.” This is a part of the story where Auntee Denise tries to talk
sense into the child by telling her about the steep odds she faces
in trying to make it in the music business or describing the
cautionary tales of heartache that befell those tried to make it in
the industry and failed. However, Miya’s aunt encouraged her
niece to follow her dream. “She was like, you can do this, and I was
on my way,” Miya said. The singer and songwriter also received
support from her parents to pursue the music that constantly
played in her head and her heart – even when Miya was on the
court. “It’s crazy because during halftime I would just think about
music,” she recalled. “It was a hard decision to leave basketball
because I do enjoy the game, but school and basketball kind of
wore me down.”With the encouragement from those who cared
for her the most, Miya was all in. “A lot of people expected me to
have a back-up plan, but I don’t really believe in that,” she noted.
“I’m just going to keep going and it was nice to hear
encouragement, especially at a young age, because most people
will tell kids to be more realistic. “I appreciate what my auntee
told me and I feel like the universe spoke through her.” So, Miya
decided to devote efforts to pursing her passion. The results can
now be heard in a series of singles that showcases a vocal her range and diversity that allow her to
move from sultry ballads like “Situationships,” to
conversational rapid fire, hip-hop inspired delivery of “Bad
Boy,” a club banger where Miya playfully and seductively
where she lets a roughneck guy know that she can be his ride
and die chic. “Bad Boy” pairs Miya with Richard Wingo,
member of the legendary R&B group Jagged Edge. That track
gave Miya an opportunity to work artist who made music that
was a part of her mom and aunt’s soundtrack. “It was a very
nostalgic feeling and I really enjoyed working with him,” Miya
recalled. “He’s funny and a very talented person. And yeah, my
mom and my aunt listened to Jagged Edge a lot, so they were
really excited for me.” “Situationships,” Miya’s latest single,
provides insight into her songwriting process. The song tells
the story of a person trying to manage emotions and
expectations in a relationship.“Iwas on Twitter one day and
one of the topics that was really trending was situationships,
and I was like I can talk about that because I’ve experienced
that,” she recalled. “So I kind of put my little take on it – my
little two cents and it became something really cool. “It was
how I was feeling in that moment and it came out really great.”
Miya takes her next step in her career when her EP, “Patterns,”
drops later this year. “I’m excited for that and I am putting the
finishing touches on it.” The EP will be a mix of new tracks and
tunes from her existing catalog. She said that the album’s title
tells a story. “It actually refers to the patterns in relationships
that I’ve seen that are just negative and I am kind of making
people aware of that.” That mindset of using music to seek
truth shows that Miya is following a path laid down by singers
like Amy Winehouse, SZA and Jazmine Sullivan. “All of those
women are unapologetically themselves and that is what
draws me toward them, and that is what inspires me to be
unapologetically myself,” she said. “That is what it’s all about.
“Following your own dreams and being an inspiration to
others to achieve their dreams. The same thing that those
artists do for me, I want to do for others.”
Lil Heavn is an american rapper and singer from Topeka, KS.
Formally known as "Tione Jackson" Lil Heavns energy makes
them a standout performer. Their sound is lively, quintessential
hip-hop. From the beginning of their set, their volume and
motion made their uniquely popular with the crowd. Lil Heavn
performs with a spackling of backup instrumentalists,
soundboard operators, and others. Their talent and raw energy
electrifies the crowds from on stage. They are apart of both
collectives G.O.T.H. GVNG & Vivid Zebra.
A podcast focused on the healing
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Podcast where we get to the CORE
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The Core Queen Podcast Studios
offers spaces for content creators
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Tay Simone is a Charleston SC native and Goose Creek High
School Alumni. What you can easily observe and absorb
from her is the bubble and excitement in her personality.
She brings her ecstatic style and enthusiasm to the
airwaves of Z93 JAMZ as the host of Saturdays nights. Tay
Simone is a creative maven and versatile with a multitalented resume. She has been heard and voice overed
many brand commercials televised and radio produced
along with appearing in other branded content all over the
internet. She has also worked with many big fish in the
industry with film and photography, while also joining some
tours of house-hold names whether hosting, interviewing,
filming, or event coordinating. Tay Simone’s media career
began in 2019 with a monetized YouTube channel which led
to the radio career that began in 2021 as a radio personality
at one of Charleston’s non-profit radio stations. She
elevated to her Saturday night show on Z93 JAMZ in 2024
and excited to elevate with more to come. Spend your
Saturday nights with Tay Simone! Tay Simone is not just
here to hype you up but to also teach, encourage, and
enlighten by providing gemstones, knowledge, and even
shining light on our honor roll students all while playing
your favorite tunes and some entertainment news. On Air:
Weekends 7pm-12am.
Q. Hey everyone it’s ya boy Darren Southern Plug Brown, here with a mega Southern Plug Exclusive. Introducing to some, Tay Simone. So, tell our readers that may not be familiar with you or your work just who you are and what it is that you do exactly.
A. Tay Simone. I am a multimedia personality and radio personality
for Z93 JamzFM radio in Charleston SC airing every Saturday
night at 7pm. You can find me at some of your favorite festivals or
concerts hyping the crowd up from the stage as your Emcee. But
it doesn't just stop there, you may also find me hyping up the kids
of the community at elementary schools and other children
events.
Q. So, what inspired you to start your journey in the radio game?
A. I started my journey just having fun on YouTube, creating viral
videos. Once I realized I could make income just genuinely "being
myself" I searched for more ways to make my hobby into a
career.
Q. How and when did you coin your stage name and how do you feel that title fits you?
A. Before calling myself Tay Simone I was referred to as Tavinci
(ultimately because I considered myself an artist such as Da
Vinci.) After maturing to radio I wanted to be perceived
authentically and become more of myself so it was super easy just
to go by my first and middle name which brought my stage name
to Tay Simone in year 2021.
Q. Do you have any upcoming projects or announcements to make?
A. This year I will be dropping a new project that I will not be
spilling any details on just yet, but keep up with me on social media
so you don't miss out! Also, planning more kid friendly events this
year, be on the lookout for a candy and costume event this
October for the community of Charleston.
Q. What would you say is the quote on quote secret recipe for your success?
A. My secret recipe to my success would include a few ingredients but most importantly RESILIENCE,
CONFIDENCE, AND CONSISTENCY!
Q. What was your favorite part about hosting on the radio?
A. My favorite part about working in radio and media is meeting so many wonderfiul people who play
gigantic roles that you would often overlook. Networking and becoming friends or business partners
with these role models definetly keep me motivated and knowing they will contribute to what I create is
even more heart warming.
Q. Name a time where you've faced adversity in your radio career? And, what impact did it have
on you or your career?
A. In every career you will eventually receive some type of criticism or even rejection. It was almost
discouraging in the beginning being super ready to begin my own radio show with a bigger station, but
I kept hearing from the other talents and even the program director that I wasn't ready. It only made
me practice and show up more and of course prove everyone wrong.
Q. Is there something in specific that you want people to know about you or your art?
A. I would like people to know that even though I speak about things that are relatable, motivational,
and even some gossip, I initially feel like I have this voice and platform to teach and wake up our
community that is still asleep and allowing the world to live life for them. I would eventually like to
reach those people and create an army of knowledgable people who will also teach the generations to
come.
Q. Okay, so its no secertyou are a very attractive person. Our men readers would like to know,
are you boo'd up or what? If so spilLthe tea. Who's the lucky guy?
A. I love my man, my man, my man! And that's all I'm going to say.
Q. How do you juggle your personal life and professional life?
A. Juggling the personal and professional life isn't hard at all when you love what you do for work and
make it more personal. I honestly have times where I can't tell the difference between the two.
Q. What advice would you give those wanting to start their journey in your field?
A. Anyone interested in being on stages, on radio, or even helping kids and families in the community
should just start. Find someone who you could consider a mentor and allow your wings to grow. Take
that risk and do not be afraid of failure.
Q. Who would you say is your biggest inspiration and why?
A. I am inspired by all success black women. Generational wealth is my biggest inspiration.
Q. Ok we do this every interview! What creatives would you absolutely die to work with?
A. OMG! Like please put me in the same room with Pretty Vee and I got the rest!
Q. Tell our readers how they can book you and connect with you on the world wide web and on
the socials.
A. Stay updated with me on my socials TAY SIMONE (facebook) @TAYSIMONEE (instagram) Whatever you
would like to inquiry about your upcoming event or project email INQUIRY.TAYSIMONE@GMAIL.COM
Known for their energetic live shows, Opus & The Frequencies have earned a reputation as
a must-see Columbia act. This reputation has seen them playing small clubs and bars in
support of local or touring regional acts, as well as gracing bigger stages like the St. Pats
Festival in Five Points, Columbia Food and Wine Festival’s Concert On The Runway,
Solfest Rollfest, and USC legacy events (Tiger Burn, First Night Carolina) in support of
bands like Hippo Campus, Illiterate Light, The Blue Dogs, Flipturn, lighthearted and Brook
and The Bluff to name a few. The Frequencies harness an eclectic blend of influences—
funk, indie rock, Latin grooves, and pop sensibilities—converging into a distinctive sound.
This sonic alchemy flourishes whether they take the stage as a four-piece or an expansive
ten-piece ensemble. The band found time between extensive gigging to record and release
their first EP release, “You’re Trash Kid,” in early 2023. A largely self-recorded labor of love,
the EP served as a crucible for their growth, offering invaluable insights into the intricacies
of the recording process. Armed with this newfound wisdom, Opus & The Frequencies are
currently in the process of recording "Euphoria" and "It's Time," two dancey funk-fueled
singles primed for release in early 2024.
