Who is CJ?

1.27.21

CJ

If you make a hit so popular, that when you performed it in front of thousands of people and everyone would scream your name, what would you rap name be? Well, for this Staten Island breakthrough artist, he keeps it simple with his real world nickname, CJ. Born Christopher Daniel Soriano, Jr., CJ is a twenty-four year old artist, who despite his nonchalant nickname, is making some serious noise in the hip-hop industry.

Whether you are, or are not super familiar with CJ at the moment, you have likely heard his hit single, Whoopty. The single has blown up as a Tik Tok sensation, and is making it’s way to Billboard Charts everywhere. Whoopty peaked at 19 on the US Billboard Top 100, and number at 7 in Hip-Hop and R&B chart, specifically. This peaked at 3 in the United Kingdom, and 1 in Greece. This is a massive, breakthrough record.

CJ released this song in the summer of last year, and has been co-signed by Cardi B, French Montana and many other A-List Stars in the game. If you are thinking, man, I really thought Pop Smoke sang this song, you are picking up on drill hip-hop. Mostly common in New York, Pop Smoke carried this sound into the mainstream world, and CJ has suggested that he was inspired by Pop Smoke to make this track. He says he wants to keep his name alive, as well as the drill scene in NYC.

According to a Warner Brother Records interview, this was CJ’s first drill track, and is typically a more melodic rapper, than anything. However, CJ is due to drop a new EP executively produce by French Montana, which should be a mostly drill sound, with a few melodic records mixed in. I definitely see this being a nice duo, where drill music is somehow quite high energy and could be played cruising, or in the club - which is key for French Montana.

Being a young artist from New York, CJ says his favorite rapper growing up was 50 Cent. Interestingly enough, 50 Cent and Pop Smoke did have a great working relationship, so it will be interesting to see if 50 picks up on this, now that he is focusing some of his time back into the music scene.

You may be wondering if CJ is a one hit wonder. How can he top this? Well, last night he dropped his second single, BOP. I can assure you that it surely is one, as well. Just two minutes in length, the track has that drill feel to it, but mixed in with some of CJ’s melody. It is the beat that remains super drill, and the content, but CJ’s delivery is a bit more melodic than Whoopty. The content is not anything substantial with substance, but it is just a bop. I think it will do well, I think it could blow on Tik Tok again, and I think it will bring the drill scene back into fruition.

Fivio Foreign was on his way to the next major artist in this scene, but has been getting himself into some legal troubles. Hopefully he can get his act together, and the two can make a record together. I am much more into this scene than the rock rap, sad rap, mumble rap, so I am excited to see where this goes. It is up for CJ, from here.