SoulJa (born November 1, 1983) is a Japanese hip-hop musician best known for his emotional collaborations and contributions to the digital music boom in the late 2000s. He debuted in 2005 with the indie mini-album First Contact and made his major label debut in 2007 with the single ”DOGG POUND". His breakout moment came in 2007 with "Koko ni Iru yo" featuring Aoyama Thelma—a heartfelt song about long-distance love that reached No. 6 on the Oricon chart and exceeded 2 million digital downloads. The song helped popularize the ringtone ("chaku-uta") trend in Japan. In 2008, Aoyama Thelma released an answer song, "Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa", which became the top-selling digital song of the year and earned a Guinness World Record. The pair’s collaborations—including the final track "Hanasanai de yo" in 2010—collectively surpassed 10 million downloads. SoulJa continued releasing music and working with notable artists like Yumi Matsutoya and DA PUMP’s ISSA. In 2013, he joined Avex and released the single "Ame nochi Hare". Beyond performing, he has worked as a producer, including a 2019 album for singer Ai Nishida. In 2022, he reunited with Aoyama Thelma on her single "Itsumademo", marking their first collaboration in 12 years.
