Much like the artists on its roster, Sooper Records has always struggled to define itself by the standard conventions of the music industry, and is most comfortable in open defiance of those norms. What began in 2016 as a small cassette label in the basements of Chicago's DIY scene soon became a springboard for the city's most exciting genre-bending polymaths, laying the foundation for a new network of like-minded freaks across the country. In its 10th year, this artist-owned Chicago label continues its mission with an innovative roster and catalog spanning both coasts. You can explore the fruits of Sooper's decade-long mission in the new anniversary compilation 10 Years of Sooper Records available on the Sooper Store.

Initially, debut releases from owners NNAMDÏ and Sen Morimoto, and close collaborator KAINA, found international audiences with their post-genre approach to creating alternative pop music from the perspective of 1st generation children of immigrants in the US. The label found a niche in releasing debut albums from artists whose genre tags contained way too many words; jazz-trained bedroom-pop savants, pioneers of baroque-rap, queer-country, and modular drum & bass continue to keep a singular definition of the label's sound just out of reach.

After making a name for itself in Chicago, Sooper stretched out, marshalling their knack for identifying multi-hyphenate freaks and staying ahead of what's cool (and maybe even quietly influencing it). They became the first label to release music by groundbreaking artists on the East and West Coast such as Water From Your Eyes, This Is Lorelei, Cisco Swank (of WHATMORE), and Luke Titus. In the nature of Chicago's deeply collaborative music scene, the label's roster also carries early features and contributions with artists including Ravyn Lenae, Ratboys, Saba, Kara Jackson, Lala Lala and many others. Emblematic of Sooper's outsider approach to independent music, they found common cause with recognized standard bearers of the rock underground Pile, and released the influential Boston band's 9th studio album Sunshine and Balance Beams in 2025 to critical acclaim.

Sooper Records has found praise in its genre-bent catalog. The FADER noted that the label “has quietly released a series of innovative albums”. In tandem with its unorthodox approach to music (and the music business), the label has become known for its outspoken voice in activism. Sooper has been profiled by NPR, the Chicago Tribune, Bandcamp Daily, the Chicago Reader and others; with FLOOD Magazine saying “the label's co-founders and artists wind up succeeding as activists without thinking too much about it... the Chicago-based label tends to find themselves speaking up for their community, as well as for national social justice causes." Indeed, co-founder NNAMDÏ was named a Chicagoan of the year by the Chicago Tribune in 2020 for his activist efforts and fundraising with Sooper around social justice issues. Despite the little label's growth, Sooper remains committed to rethinking industry structures and finding what's next. As it always has been, innovation comes from the outside; it's all us freaks together who move the needle.