Sally Sossa on Finding a Home in Herself Through New EP, 4EVER SOSSA
Sally Sossa | Photography by Cassidyboi
A young Black woman sits in a hat and tracksuit smiling. Her colorful hair and aesthetic showcase who she is: bright, positive and forward-looking. But the story she’s telling is not simple, it’s not always happy. The juxtaposition of her story with her demeanor is simultaneously intriguing and somehow uplifting. Sally Sossa has spent her life grinding through pain, certain there was always something better on the other side. And you know what? She proved herself right time and time again.
That drive led Sally to where she is now: right on the cusp of the biggest explosion of her life. Her new EP, “4EVER SOSSA,” dropped Friday, March 25, 2022 – and Sally could not be more ready to take off.
Thanks for being here with us today Sally! Tell us who Sally Sossa is. What does she represent?
Sally Sossa is a loving, humble, noble young woman. But she’s also got a side that’s a vicious hungry, monster - it’s like I’m two-in-one. I represent strength and empowerment while also being able freely express yourself without shame about what the world thinks.
What was your upbringing like?
Well, my family loved doing rap battles! I found out how hard I could go when I was 7 years old. My mom is from Michigan and my stepdad is from Louisiana, so rapping at home was standard. My influences at the time had me cutting rhymes like Nicki Minaj and then coming right back with cool, chill vibes like Drake. These family battles gave me the confidence to know I could do this. If I can’t do nothing else, I know I can do this.
The biggest battle we had as family, I was listed to go last. I knew, even as a little kid, they were trying to set me up. So when the second round came to be they realized they’d underestimated me because I flew past my cousins and homegirl. In the end, it came down to me and my brother rapping over what a Busta Rhymes beat. I can’t remember what I said, but I was on one of my Nicki moments, you know how she switches it up. I switched up the rhyme and my dad and uncle immediately lost it, screaming about how I won the battle. I came from last place all the way to the top and that made my family realize, okay this little girl got something.
Was your family always supportive?
Yes, but I had to face some tough love. I was put out of the house at 16 and it changed my perception of life. I felt neglected and I was angry, but I know now that I’m not proud of being kicked out of my parents’ house - I should have been home with my family! But I did learn a lot and I think the experience made me smarter and wiser because I had to grow up fast. It also brought me closer to God because I knew that with Him, I was never alone. Through that hardship, I came out with my first record - 20 songs, no features, at 16 years old. It showed me that no matter how hard you fall, in the end it’s just about how fast you get back up again.
That’s powerful. It’s amazing to see where this journey has taken you. Let’s dig into some of your tracks. Tell us about "Zodiac Signs."
This song is my baby, and probably the hardest record I’ve made so far! This song took me so long because I had to find the perfect beat, I had to lift up each sign and I had to make sure the song encouraged people to tap into their sign. So I said, I’m gonna take my time and I’m gonna put this record together so people can really feel their personality shine through each sign - all 12 signs! This one is definitely one of my top favorites I’ve ever recorded.
And what about "Tooted Up?"
This song was the first raunchy song I recorded about my body. My friends told me I had to make myself sound sexy and I was like… How do I make myself sound sexy? So, once I built up that confidence to do that, I was like, let’s go crazy. Everyone knows I can go hard when rapping about any other topic, so it was time to really talk about this, our sexuality and power as women. I want all the women listening to this track to know that they are the shit. Period.
Which one of your tracks got a bigger response than you were expecting?
The record I didn’t expect to get as much love as it did is “Who You Are.” I’m a Christian, I’m God-fearing, so I’m gonna put all my trust in the Most High. So many people say writing about that stuff is lame, so I was surprised, like, wow - a lot of people are really feeling this track. And that’s amazing because I love how I can express that side of myself, to show I’m not afraid to give God His glory and that people are still with me through that.
And which one of your tracks do you feel is most slept on?
My most slept on record would be “It Ain’t Love.” If you haven’t heard that record yet, you should go listen. When I made “It Ain’t Love,” I was going through a difficult time. You know those times when you’re hanging around a guy or girl and then it hits you that this vibe is not genuine. I went through a time in my life when I felt like I was forcing relationships just to feel affection, and I came to the realization it was all fake love. That song helped me process the fact that I don’t need to be around these people if It Ain’t Love.
So how did these songs come to be? What is your creative process like when you record?
My creative process is different every day. Some days I’m not feeling it, but I still muster up the courage to go to the studio and record. Other days, I am really feeling it and I know I’m about to record a hit. On studio days, I’m usually picking up my sister, going to get some weed, maybe stopping for some liquor, then heading to the studio. But beyond any of that, the most necessary thing is good energy. I’m not bringing you to the studio if you’re gonna be on some negative vibes. The energy I bring around me is very important whenever I’m working. This is why we work at a studio our friend runs out of his home. I like the at-home vibe, especially since I like to record totally alone. So the process is different every time, but that’s generally what it looks like to get ready and get hyped to record something: snacks, weed, good energy.
Sally Sossa | Photography by Cassidyboi
When did you realize this was gonna happen? When did you start seeing the signs that you were going to make this your career?
When I put out that first project at 17 years old! I was sending my music to everyone on Snapchat and Twitter — I was just putting myself out there as much as humanly possible. Once my song “A Letter to the Streets” got picked up, I saw it as people giving me the green light. People were treating that song like it was something Drake recorded! It showed me that I can really blow up making music.
So as you and your music have matured, which parts of your sound do you really wanna focus on?
I still wanna continue to focus on all parts of my sound. My mentor, Lil Durk, says to always stay in your lane so no one fucks with you. I respect that and want to balance that with creating new sounds. I want people to fall in love with me over and over and over again. At the end of the day, music is a drug and people want that same feeling. I want to give them that feeling in different ways, though. A literal comparison is to weed: you have sativa, indica — same drug, totally different feelings. That’s what I want my music to do, to mimic that experience.
And what about collaborators? What do you look for in a musical partnership?
I love artists who can complement my style, but still bring a certain fresh vibe. It’s like looking for lemons, you want to pick the right one. Everything has to be a plus, an addition to my sound, but it’s also about building relationships and knowing that you can still have that relationship with the person beyond the record. I think about all that when I’m looking for collaborators.
What can we expect from your EP ‘4EVER SOSSA’?
You can expect an unskipable EP. You can expect jumping up and down with happiness. You can expect every good emotion possible. And, most-importantly, you can expect to feel motivated. I think this EP is important because not only is this my baby, my fourth child, but there’s a lot we’re facing in the world right now. Everything bad that could possibly happen seems to be happening everywhere. With this project I just wanted to take my fans out of this world, and I feel like that’s what we accomplished. It’s not even a distraction so much as another home you can go to. If you don’t feel at home where you are, you can always come here to Forever Sossa. I want it to be a second home.
Of course, once y’all fall in love with the EP, I know you’re gonna want the album! So I’m already right back in the studio knocking out record after record. My goal is to make sure I’m in the studio recording at least 2-3 songs every session so I have so many songs to choose from for the album. We straight work.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming musicians?
I say this all the time: keep God first — whatever you believe in, put your spirit first. Never let someone taint what you believe in. But also believe in yourself. We have enough people trying to be like other people out here, so give people someone new to fall in love with. Finally, be consistent in your work and listen. Listen to the lessons your loved ones share with you, there is always someone who has something to teach you and something you need to learn.
‘4EVER SOSSA’ is available for streaming now on all music platforms.