Before The Rideshare Queen became Atlanta’s most famous Uber driver, she was touring with Beyoncé, performing on The Academy Awards and singing in Kanye West’s Sunday Service Choir. So while she can easily get you from point A to point B, the beloved TikToker’s extensive music pedigree is not to be overlooked.
Her ongoing #UberConcertSeries has helped spotlight many emerging artists who land in her car’s backseat, and now she’s turned the dashboard cam onto a sibling duo finally going viral after years of independently releasing music together.
@theridesharequeen ONLY IN ATLANTA !!! #theridesharequeen #ridesharestories #uberchronicles ##musicvideo #atlmusicscene ♬ original sound - theridesharequeen
In the clip, which has nearly two million views to date, Rideshare Queen drives Syr x Syon as they film a DIY video to their 2021 banger, “Big Dawg.” Her curious side eye gradually turns into a smile, until the late blooming single gets Rideshare Queen’s stamp of approval. “I’m a big dawg,” the two repeat excitedly, speaking their own success into existence.
“Only in Atlanta can a normal Uber pick possibly turn into you starring in [a] rap music video,” Rideshare Queen writes on TikTok, adding in the comments section that Syr x Syon have since become her “babies.” Below, PAPER talks with Syon, one-half of Syr x Syon, about their sudden fame and what’s next in 2024.
You released "Big Dawg" back in 2021, but the track is getting a second life right now thanks to TikTok. Did you ever anticipate something like this happening?
No, me and my brother have been preparing to release new music and formulate a plan on how or when we would release new music. The momentum was so out of the blue and I’m honestly excited about it. We made this song in 2021; two years later now starting to grow legs is awesome.
Did The Rideshare Queen TikTok happen by chance? Did you know her before getting into the Uber?
When I met The Rideshare Queen, it was honestly so random. We were on the way to our show and my whole team was with us. We knew there wasn’t going to be any parking, so we decided to get an Uber. We were filming BTS for our show when we got into the Uber. Rideshare Queen saw us recording and asked if we made music; we told her “yes” and she asked to hear it. We couldn’t play our new music, so we decided to play “Big Dawg” because it’s out on all platforms. Rideshare Queen is definitely a vibe, such a beautiful person. Before meeting her I actually saw a video of hers on TikTok, but I didn't realize it was her until she told us about her TikTok.
Have you talked with her since the TikTok took off?
Yes, we decided to meet back up and do a collaboration on another video to do a freestyle since we weren’t able to do it last time. My brother Syr and I still stay in touch with Rideshare Queen and will sometimes run into her at different industry events. She was just as excited as we are about the video.
How did "Big Dawg" first come to be?
When “Big Dawg” was made, my brother Syr made the beat. My manager was like, “This is going to be a hit, y’all should call this ‘Big Dawg.’” We started writing, then “Big Dawg” was made. Our process is: we start with the beat first, then work on the hook, freestyling melodies. Once we have our hook we move onto the verses, but just know it involves a lot of dancing and vibing out.
I read that you and Syr are "polar opposites." How does that play into the music?
Syr is more laidback, observant, not really talkative — but very opposite when creating. I’m an extrovert, very talkative and a risk taker. Because we’re different, we’re more like a ying and a yang — really balancing each other out. Where one lacks is the other’s strength. Syr and I are siblings; we are three years apart with Syr being the oldest. He has always been musically inclined, but started pursuing music at age 11. I then followed his lead out of sheer jealousy. Though I loved poetry, my interest in songwriting and singing started when I was 13 and I began rapping when I was 15.
You're both Atlanta-based. Does the city impact your work?
Atlanta is definitely the place to be when pursuing music. Syr and I are starting a movement, called “Neo Atlanta,” in which we are trying to take the original sound of Atlanta but flip it and take it to another level with unique sounds, beats and flows.
What do you have planned for 2024, especially now that "Big Dawg" is going viral?
New music, more shows, still pushing “Big Dawg,” and continuing to build our fanbase and brand. We’ve worked hard for years developing who we are as Syr x Syon, now it’s time for the world to know who we are.
Photos courtesy of Syr x Syon
