Conversations with Son-Of-Rhythm

Today we’d like to introduce you to Son-Of-Rhythm.

Hi Son-Of-Rhythm, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Drums have always been a part of my life since I started playing them in church at age 7. My birth as a multi-percussionist began when I heard God’s voice instructing me to pick up my first hand-drum, the “cajon” in a music store. From there, I began putting together my own unique setups of world instruments. This is where I took on the name “Son-Of-Rhythm” and began performing wherever I could. As my setups got larger, my love for Tribal House & Afrotech music was also growing. For years, I enjoyed the sounds of artists like Black Coffee, Culoe De Song, Sun-El Musician, Black Motion, Dlala Thukzin & more; but now, I had the instruments to express my own interpretations for the rhythms I had this affinity for.

Over time, I searched for DJ’s to collaborate my talents with, but this became a bigger challenge than I imagined. In Atlanta, we were dominated by DJ’s who considered themselves “open-format” so it was hard to find someone that was even willing to consider playing with a percussionist and focus only on genres like Afro House, Afrotech & Gqom. This is where I decided to buy my own DJ controller and create “pre-mixes” for my performances. Surprisingly, I learned how to use the controller so well, I no longer needed a DJ to play music. In times where I had no DJ to show up, I even performed “hybrid sets” that combined my DJ & drum performances simultaneously. At this point, I realized I had a unique sound and I was slowly building a community that was looking for the same vibe. This led me to run my own events under the guise of Piano Is For Lovers, which showcased the music I loved, in the way it needed to be heard.

As my events grew, I gained more confidence in myself as a DJ & Performer. I began headlining my own shows and putting my mixes online, through my YouTube series called The Algorhythm Mixes. The response from this was overwhelming! I started growing a global fanbase faster than I could locally. People from around the world were asking what my Track IDs were, not realizing they were mashups & remixes that I was creating live! This encouraged me to start putting out music after I dropped mixes, which grew my name even more globally as a DJ/Artist. Currently, I boast a 95% global audience, even though I’m in a city that is still growing in the Afro Electronic music scene. This is a true testament to the power of the internet & social media.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I live by the motto “follow your heart” so I honestly don’t worry if the road is smooth or not. I am satisfied with fulfilling whatever God has guided me to do. If there’s any challenges along that journey, it would just be operating as a very niche artist in a city that it dominated by popular music genres. But even with that, I still embrace the challenge of spreading the music I love.

Part of that challenge turned into a “full circle” moment for me, at our ASAMBE! ATL party in December 2024. The year before that, “3 Step” was being coined by artists like Thakzin, Murdah Bongz, Dlala Thukzin etc., and I completely fell in love with the genre. It was the “key” that unlocked me as a DJ & Percussionist. When I heard “The Magnificent Dance”, I was convinced this was the sound I wanted to center my performances around. I started playing 3-Step everywhere in 2023, but people would walk to the DJ booth and tell me to turn it off. Haha! Other DJ’s told me I should focus on an Afrobeats/Amapiano sound (Asake “Amapiano” is the #1 song at this time). Long story short, I didn’t listen to them. Once I had my own event (ASAMBE! ATL) in 2024, I re-introduced the 3-Step sound in my sets and by the end of that year, our crowd didn’t care what the genre was; they just knew it was good music! I took a lot of risks in that December 2024 set but our crowd loved it! I will never forget that moment. Some of the same people who told me my music wouldn’t work were in the crowd that night. It confirmed that it was ok to follow my heart, and in the worst-case scenario, the world would just have to catch up.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being a Hybrid DJ & Multi-percussionist has taken me to heights I would have never imagined. To be able to play the music, I’ve had to take on multiple roles as an event curator and community leader for my brand, Piano Is For Lovers. But as much as I enjoy playing music from around the world, no feeling gives me greater joy than seeing the actual artists getting a chance to travel & perform their music through my platform. This was one of my ultimate visions for Piano Is For Lovers, and I’m proud to help Atlanta build that bridge. This is a city that has an influence in every part of the world, thanks to trap music. One thing I’m learning is that artists want to visit here and be a part of our history; they know just as much about ATL as we do about them. To book an artist for an event is cool, but I didn’t fathom myself building core memories that will live with me & them forever. Just imagine taking your favorite artist from South Africa to a Waffle House, Magic City, or Trap Music Museum for the first time. That’s pretty cool!

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Atlanta is my second home. I’m originally from Augusta, but I have lived here longer than my hometown. I’ve had so many full circle moments here. From being a kid, shopping at Foot Locker in Underground Atlanta, to throwing my own event in the same space (which was Railroad Atlanta at the time), my life story has simultaneously weaved in & out of the threads that have evolved ATL into an international hub city. It’s great for people like me who thrive within global cultures but still love the humility of living in the South. No matter how far I go in life, I will always be a “Georgia boy”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sonofrhythm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonofrhythm
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonofrhythm
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SonOfRhythm
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/sonofrhythm
• Other: https://www.pianoisforlovers.com