Written by: Jennifer Ward

Andrew Gonzalez, also known as Son of Jojo, is an aspiring hip-hop artist making a name for himself. Gonzalez, raised in the Bronx in New York, has been working on his music since he was a freshman in high school. Years later, Gonzalez is still working toward his dream.

Gonzalez grew up with his mom playing freestyle music all the time, which heavily impacts his art today. Growing up with his dad playing artists like Michael Jackson, Pearljam, and Stevie Wonder, influenced him to find his sound.

However, Gonzalez didn’t always want to pursue music. Originally, his dream was to be in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and has been playing basketball since he was 8 years old. When his hobby of mixing music started to become more than that, music began to take center stage. This transition was pretty seamless for Gonzalez.

“I see a connection between hip-hop and basketball. I guess it has to do with a lot of the communities minorities grow up in, they’re very connected,” said Gonzalez. “Also, the love for fashion is very similar in both. So I feel there was just this instant transition in this competitiveness and drive. Even now, I still crunch on music like I’m playing sports.”

One day freshman year of high school, Gonzalez decided he wanted to release a song, regardless of his lack of experience. With the help of his cousin, Gonzalez finished the song Christmas time that year.

Photo by Tyler Thompson

“It was a terrible song,” said Gonzalez. “I was playing basketball at the time, it was my first passion, I was getting clowned for it at school and it was just super funny. But I ended up sticking with it, I made another song just over [his cousins] beats, and it just became therapeutic for me.”

Although this wasn’t Gonzalez’s first music experience. Gonzalez was in a talent show in the third grade, performing a Michael Jackson song thanks to the influence of his dad. He blew not only his class but his teachers away with his talent.

Along with releasing music, Gonzalez also performs shows that include visuals on the stage with him. Albums like “Sonics 2070” released in 2022 and “HAPPILY ALONE” released in 2023 are examples of this.

Gonzalez’s original artist name was Andrxw, but has recently changed it to Son of Jojo. With Andrxw being his artist name since high school, he felt as now a college graduate he needed a “rebirth.”

“Jojo was my mom’s nickname growing up so it felt right to continue creating under the Son of Jojo name, especially if I’m gonna continue being more honest and vulnerable with everything that I do in music going forward,” said Gonzalez.

Along with sports and music, Gonzalez is also a self-proclaimed “film nerd.” Gonzalez views music and film to be linked and wants to find ways to incorporate both in his music. “It brings the world more to life of whatever sonic world I’m trying to build,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez’s most recent album releases “HAPPILY ALONE”, and “HAPPILY ALONE (The Final Cut”) are the works he is proudest of. “It means everything to me, not to be cliche,” said Gonzalez.

“HAPPILY ALONE” was deeply inspired by Gonzalez’s grandparents, and remains a tribute to them and the life he lives after their passing. “HAPPILY ALONE” remains not only a personal album but one that he finds very emotional.

Album
HAPPILY ALONE (The Final Cut)
2023
Son of Jojo

“Aside from it being about me, from a more basic perspective, it’s kind of my take on the hero’s journey. When you fall down into a hole in your life,” said Gonzalez. “I always pictured it as the SpongeBob episode. When SpongeBob falls down to rock bottom there’s only one bus that can take him back to Bikini Bottom. That’s kind of how dark I tried to make the dark moments of the album. I just feel like people can relate to being in that, or even the sunken place. Just being in that hole and finally being able to crawl out of that, how fulfilling that would feel.”

With a background in music engineering, Gonzalez also has experience with helping other artists on this end of music as well, working with artists like Sean Leon and Daniel Ceaser. Although juggling both is a struggle, it’s still a field Gonzalez has an interest in.

Most music artists dream of moving to Los Angeles or Hollywood, but not Gonzalez. He dreams of traveling the world while working on his music, and being in the shadows while he and his team create music. Gonzalez said, “Ideally for me, I already have creative freedom now being an Indie artist. But I [would like] financial freedom mixed with creative freedom.”

Gonzalez has much planned upcoming to look forward to. With an album freshly finished, a rollout is soon to come.

You can find Son of Jojo on Instagram @son.of_jojo and listen to music wherever you find music.

Link to Son of Jojo’s Music

Son of Jojo

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