Hip Hop Awards 2022: Get to Know Saucy Santana, the Explosive ‘Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist’ Nominee
Saucy Santana has been affectionately referred to as the unofficial third member of City Girls, but the social media personality is now stepping into his own lane as a musical artist, rapping sex-positive lyrics and encouraging inclusivity among all creeds. Though his career is relatively new, the hard work is already paying off. Santana has had several viral moments, worked with some of the industry’s brightest stars, and has released club anthems back to back, including his viral hit song “Material Girl” and “Booty.”
The Miami native earned his first ever BET Hip Hop Awards nomination for “Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist” at this year’s ceremony hosted by legendary rapper Fat Joe. He’s up against several big acts from the past year, including Baby Keem, Blxst, Doechii, Fivio Foreign, GloRilla, and Nardo Wick. Before finding out who will take home this year’s title, get more acquainted with the rising artist.
He began his career as a makeup artist
Before becoming the fantasy that is Sacy Santana, the aspiring entertainer was a makeup artist for celebrity clients including Miami-based duo City Girls. During a Grammy Awards interview, the rapper revealed that he is best friends with Young Miami’s cousin Tyrus.
He continued, “They had already started rapping and would do shows in North Florida. We would hang out with them, and eventually, I would do their makeup when they came to North Florida. We built a strong bond, a brother-sisterhood, a real friendship, just by working together.”
He went viral
In 2020 Santana released an uptempo record titled “Walk” that quickly went viral and would latre birth two social trends, #walkchallenge and #letmeseeyouwalk on TikTok. Social media users globally shared videos of themselves strutting down fictional runways, to Santana’s track including several celebrities, earning him a cosign from legendary emcee Nicki Minaj.
He’s an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community
Hip Hop hasn’t always been the most welcoming of its members being an open member of the LGBTQ+ community. However with his platform and help from others he hopes to be a beacon of hope for others seeking out a similar journey. Santana who came out as gay in his teens told TIME during a sit down, “I’m proud to be iconic to people, or to be making history to people or people seeing me as a future icon or future legend. Because I’m opening a door for my community, people of my culture.”
- advertisement
He’s performed with pop icons
This summer Grammy Award-winning pop icon Madonna teamed up with the rising sensation during her Terminal 5 performance in New York City Pride, where they performed a mash-up of Madonna’s 1984's "Material Girl" and Santana’s viral hit.
He began rapping because he needed a theme song for his podcast
While speaking with Genius, Santana said :“Me and my friends had a podcast that we used to do on Facebook, and we was like, ‘We need to do an intro song so that when we do the podcast, the little song plays in the beginning.’ Out of everybody that had a verse, my verse hit the strongest. So people start coming at me like, ‘Damn, when you start rapping?’”
Watch the Hip Hop Awards on Tuesday, October 4, at 9 PM ET/PT on BET
