“She like ‘Faygo, you getting bigger’. I remember when you was a lil’ n****,” Atlanta rapper SoFaygo said on “Knock Knock,” one of his most popular tracks to date. Little did the artist expect the 2020 cut to rapidly elevate his career, but that’s exactly what happened when the track traversed TikTok – introducing SoFaygo’s energetic-yet-melodic sound to an entirely new group of listeners. Now, with several EPs and mixtapes under his belt, SoFaygo is stepping into a brighter spotlight with his debut album, Pink Heartz.

Previous SoFaygo projects like After Me, Angelic 7 and War presented a sound that bridged elements of trap, punk rap, hip-hop and experimental rap – all while remaining quintessentially Atlantian. Even though his music has a deep connection to his city’s signature rap cadence, the young artist is simultaneously evolving what Atlanta hip-hop can be and how he fits into its larger picture. Pink Heartz diverges from SoFaygo’s previous projects by bringing another individual into the fold engineer and producer, Bakkwoods. Prior to this relationship, the rapper seldomly worked with anyone else, so forging new tracks with another creative not only bolstered his sound but affirmed it.

“I’m expressing a bunch of bottled-up feelings that I’ve had. That’s what I feel Pink Heartz is, a representation of my personal growth.”

“[Working with Bakkwoods] showcases a new level of maturity for me,” said SoFaygo. I’m expressing a bunch of bottled-up feelings that I’ve had. That’s what I feel Pink Heartz is, a representation of my personal growth.” Crafting a debut album can be difficult for any artist. From laying down cuts to determining a theme, the direction is not always initially clear. But in a way, the uncertainty eventually provided a path for SoFaygo.

“It was a very overwhelming process because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with the album at first,” said SoFaygo. “We came to the conclusion that there needed to be a purpose for this album, so I took a completely different path [than I did on my previous projects] and it became more personal.”

With Pink Heartz, the Atlanta native showcases a fuller picture of his personality. Alongside discussions of his lifestyle and how he got to his current position, the strongest aspect of the project is the emphasis on emotions. SoFaygo taps into what people don’t see – expressing feelings of anxiety and stress that he’s had over the past couple of years. Lines like “Ima just run all the pain away as soon as I light up the blunt” and “You know I got sh*t on my chest, so this is the way that I vent” from “Goin Back” nod to these heavy feelings and how the rapper uses them as fuel. SoFaygo doesn’t stick to one theme or topic over the course of the project, rather opting to discuss a cascade of moods.

“One thing that you’re going to learn about me through this album is that I’m human,” SoFaygo noted. “I go through emotions and that’s what I’m trying to capture in Pink Heartz. I’m not trying to capture just one emotion either … we’re going through a roller coaster with this thing.”

“One thing that you’re going to learn about me through this album is that I’m human,” SoFaygo noted. “I go through emotions and that’s what I’m trying to capture in Pink Heartz. I’m not trying to capture just one emotion either … we’re going through a roller coaster with this thing.” Another highlight of Pink Heartz is its list of heavy-hitting guest features including Pharrell, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Gunna, DJ Khaled and Ken Carson. But what’s impressive about the list of collaborators is that SoFaygo’s sound doesn’t get lost in the hype. “Stay Awake” with Lil Uzi Vert exalts both rappers’ punk rap/eclectic styles, while “Slip” featuring Don Toliver highlights SoFaygo’s melodic prowess.

Breaking through the noise of SoundCloud, SoFaygo represents a class of musicians that continuously churned out content for years before stepping onto the big stage. Even as an emerging force, the Atlanta rapper has nearly three million monthly listeners on Spotify and is this year’s Apple Music “Up Next” Artist. Now with his debut album, the rapper is sure to keep climbing as his music finds the sweet spot between emotion and euphoria.

At the end of our conversation, SoFaygo ruminated on what the album title means: “Having a pink heart means you wear your heart on your sleeve. You’re very open about your feelings and who you are.” It’s that openness that powers this project and serves as an exciting start to Sofaygo’s next chapter.