In this profile of an up-and-coming rapper, Sonny Ski talks about balancing faith, family and fierce competition as he prepares to release his next project, ‘Regular Guy, Irregular Mind.’
Personal Music and Unwavering Confidence: Rapper Sonny Ski (Photo/Saby Raw @saby.raw)
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When you think of a truck driver, you think long nights on the road and pounding energy drinks and gas station coffee.
That’s not the case for Sonny Ski, the 26-year-old Art Prize-winning hip-hop artist who’s been making waves for the last year amid Grand Rapids’ music scene, with his song, “Grand Rapids, MI,” racking up more than 100,000 views on both TikTok and Instagram.
The viral track from Sonny Ski — who drives a truck around Michigan and the Midwest for J.B. Hunt — comes from his 2024 album, “States of Mind,” an introspective coming-of-age story about growing up in The Mitten.
“From the jump, my music had to be personal, that’s why I wrote it,” Sonny insists during a sitdown interview with Local Spins. “Y’all can’t tell a story like me, y’all can’t do concepts like me. That’s how I compete, where it’s like y’all not more creative than me though.”
Looking Ahead: Sonny Ski (Photo/Saby Raw @saby.raw)
Sonny’s story of adolescence on “States of Mind” reflects deep and unwaveringly honest assessments of his struggles in school on the intro track, “IntroDeuce,” some of his difficult work and home life on songs such as “Comin’ of Age,” and more personal ballads inspired by his grandmother, aka “Mema,” on “Mema’s Focus” featuring Headband Henny and on “Family First,” with Sierra Skye.
He opened up about his meaningful connections with his grandmother. “Man, I’m an old soul, my mema has the same birthday as me, May 20. So ever since I was a kid, we’ve had a close connection. … I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, while my parents were working, my grandparents would always look after us, so I grew a deep connection just based off that. My mema eventually couldn’t live on her own, so she stayed with us for a little bit, and she could no longer drive. So that’s where ‘Mema’s Focus’ comes from. At first, she just let me borrow it, and once she couldn’t drive any more, it just became my car.”
That car sparked funny tales, with Sonny cracking jokes about holding his trunk open with a broom.
As for live performance, Sonny’s electric stage presence can be felt by anyone who watches him live, and the recognition he’s received from key players in the area’s hip hop scene is undeniable.
“When I performed at the (February WYCE Jammie Awards), just doing that with a live band and to be noticed on that kind of scale, it was crazy.”
He’s also toured with artists Sixman and Miz Korona throughout Canada.
“The fact that I’m performing out the country, like when I was in Quebec, they didn’t even speak English, but they still mess with me, it’s just a crazy feeling.”
VIDEO: Sonny Ski, “CDL Sonny”
PONDERING FAITH, MOVING TOWARD ‘REALITY RAP’
Sonny also ponders his faith on “States of Mind,” assessing what’s true and what isn’t, questioning predestined fate and what’s created by man.
“As a kid, I wanted to be a pastor, So I was super Christian as a kid. But at a point, both parents were working, we stopped going to church, so it just kinda fled my mind.”
But creating “States of Mind” helped lead him back to his faith, noting many faith-based hip-hop artists accepted him with open arms, including Kevi Morse and Steven Malcolm. He’s thankful to those artists who supported him early on, and he respects their dedication and commitment to their faith.
New Music on the Way: Sonny Ski (Photo Saby Raw @saby.raw)
He recently released the single, “Steppin’ Out,” with Pablo Eskobear and Adrian Wright, and has now moved onto his next project, “Regular Guy, Irregular Mind,” which he describes as “human music” and “reality rap” — an attempt to illustrate more of his regular day-to-day life. (Scroll down to listen to “Steppin’ Out.”)
“On ‘CDL Sonny’ (view video above), my mentality was I still work a 9 to 5, so how can I make being a trucker into a banger.” The new project, he said, covers “regular topics, done irregular.” He compared the theme to that of the popular TV sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris” stating, “It’s like nothing is going right. But I’m not feeling sorry for myself, cause I’m not that famous rapper. I’m not doing stadiums, so I have to be real with myself and with the audience.”
For Sonny, moving forward with his music all comes down to his unwavering confidence and fierce competitive nature.
“Rap is the thing I’m most passionate about, so for me, if it’s a competition and I lose, it doesn’t sit right with me, so I guess the confidence just stems from competition,” he said. “I still have a mission to complete. With my music, I want you to see my growth both as a human and spiritually. So as I get older, I’m going to really have my mind straight and know exactly where I land on things. I make my music to help people, too. It’s not for selfish benefit. I’m trying to give people something they can live with, that helps them go on with life.”
Sonny Ski will release “Regular Guy, Irregular Mind” on Sept. 29 on all digital streaming platforms, with plans to release his next full-length album, “The Workin’ Man: Fruits From Labor,” in 2026
Listen: Sonny Ski, “Steppin’ Out” (with Pablo Eskobear and Adrian Wright)
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