Up-and-coming rapper Saucy Santana has had a year of big wins and great successes. Since hitting the rap scene in 2019 with his debut single “Walk Em Like a Dog,” he quickly rose to hip-hop stardom for his catchy, upbeat songs; his unapologetic style and flow as an openly gay rapper; and his viral TikTok hits. In the latest accolades for the rising star, Teen Vogue announced Santana as one of its June cover stars.
In the digital issue, which dropped Tuesday, Santana, born Justin Harris, opened up about his dream music collaborations with Lizzo and Lil Nas X, his original aspiration to be a celebrity makeup artist and embracing his gender identity in hip-hop.
“Before, I didn’t want to be labeled a gay rapper,” he said. “Then, in the middle of my career, I started to embrace it because I just felt like it was helpful to my culture and to my people.”
Santana says he’s happy his rap career took off, but he wasn’t expecting it to because he had other dreams.
“I thought I was going to be a celebrity makeup artist, I didn’t think I was going to be the celebrity getting their makeup done. I didn’t think that I would be a rapper. But I’m happy it happened.”
He says he’s “manifesting” and “praying” for a Lizzo collab soon and already has a new song Lil Nas on the way, called “Down South Ho’s,” expected this summer. Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane is also on his list of hopeful music partnerships.
Santana just teased his latest track, “Booty,” with Latto, which comes on the heels of his tour run alongside the Atlanta rapper. The track is expected this Friday, June 10.
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