Sol Infinite

It is seldom for an up-and-coming artist who lives and breathes hip-hop to declare with confidence that he is not a rapper. A man with a passion for rhyming who separates himself from the category, “rapper” seems like such a contradiction, particularly in an age where just about everyone wants to be a rapper. But delve a bit deeper and it all becomes more transparent. Sol Infinite (born Larry Johnson) is an artist that prefers not to be confined to just one space. His craft encompasses much more. He is a musician, with no limits.

The multi-talented songwriter/producer/performer is within destination, hoping to make a name for himself, without conforming to the mainstream. Lyrically, he exposes himself, creating music that is introspective, yet still relatable. In a sense, he takes everything he has learned, experienced and admired from others and molds it into music that is intelligent, inspirational, soulful, and unapologetic.

The youngest of two children, Sol Infinite was born in Paterson, NJ in 1981. He spent his teenage years in Montclair, NJ, where he still resides today. Growing up, he remembers going to his aunt’s house every weekend for family gatherings. His aunt would spin records, turning him on to artists ranging from Blue Magic, James Brown and The Dramatics, to KRS One and Public Enemy. It was here that he first discovered hip-hop.

From there he began writing rhymes in high school, simply as a way of expressing himself. He soon realized that it was more than just a hobby—it was second nature. His motivation to create music goes beyond fame and aspirations of material treasures. For him, creating music is something that he has to do.

Today, he is inspired by artists such as Nas, Jay-Z, Mos Def, Chino Moreno (from Deftones), Jimi Hendrix, and Miles Davis, among others. He credits these artists as musicians who have walked or are walking “the tightrope of artistry,” in that they do not do what is expected of them. Instead, they reach for something higher that is honest and real and are unafraid to evolve in their journey.

Now, Sol Infinite embarks on a journey of his own with his first album, Within Destination. In the past, he released an EP, but never envisioned recording a full-length album. As he started recording songs, everything seemed to take on a life of its own. In just five months, he wrote, produced, arranged, and recorded the album.

The concept of Within Destination is universal in that it speaks to a period in life that everyone ultimately experiences. It is about fear and self-doubt. It is feeling as if you are not living up to your potential and then ultimately breaking the cycle of fear by eliminating the negativity or whatever hindrance stands in the way of achieving your dream. In essence, the album is about searching “within,” one’s soul before embarking on the journey towards that “destination.”