Two years since his previous effort Gutter Rainbows hit stores, Brooklyn rhymer Talib Kweli drops off his fifth solo album Prisoner of Conscious. With an array of featured guests, a magnitude of rhythmically responsive instrumental backdrops and more subject matters than a book of short stories, the 15 track lyrical get down is a tempo frenzy of intellectual poetry.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This is definitely something that singer Omar Lye-Fook can relate to. As a longstanding member of the UK soul community, since the mid 80‘s he’s been part responsible for putting the UK on the map musically. Not changing his delivery, creative mindset or his target audience, whether it’s his happy-go-lucky attitude to life or his passionate application to making music, you just can’t help but love him. Respected by everybody, hated by none, having him back after seven years is some what of a relief.
Whilst the Maybach Music Group ran roughshot over the three months of inconsistent summer weather, the enigmatic powerhouse collective known as G.O.O.D Music was quietly creating a buzz akin to a tropical hurricane. News of the imprint’s joint album Cruel Summer began to surface as the group’s leader, Kanye West, spent this past summer adding lyrical muscle to affiliates Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz’ cuts [in addition to fleeing from the paparazzi with ‘new’ beau Kim Kardashian]. As we enter the Autumn months, can his collective create an ‘Indian Summer’ of substantial heat?
For all the youthful lyricists who have contributed to 2011 being a memorable year for Hip Hop, it has also been down to the chief rhymers whose brief appearances in the spotlight have surrounded immense projects. Whether it was Talib Kweli's gem from earlier this year or the empirical release from The Roots this month, the old dogs still have it in them to run rap regardless of their limited appearances in the media. For Chi-City's Common, every release is celebrated as a victory for the genre.
Chi town rapper turned actor Common and author Adam Bradley, known as the hip hop scholar, will soon be releasing Common's autobiography One Day It’ll All Make Sense; named after the widely respected lyricist's third solo album. Synopsis: In One Day It’ll All Make Sense, Common...
“Real Hip Hop’s been lost but now it’s found right here,” Guru recently declared in a London hotel room. The rapper, made legendary for his work alongside DJ Premier as the wordsmith of Hip Hop duo Gang Starr, was back in town “on a global grind” with producer and business partner Solar to promote their latest work together on 7 Grand Records; Guru 8.0: Lost and Found, which features Solar on the mic for the first time. I last spoke to the pair in the summer of 2007, when it was clear the duo were on a mission to shake up the impact of ‘intelligent’ independent Hip Hop. Catching up two years on, their path hasn’t changed... But has the climate?
Since her introduction in 2007 with the album day.break 2.0, Muhsinah has been highlighted by many as a stand out artist among a generation of contemporary artists breaking the moulds of soul music. The Washington Post describes her as "part of a new breed of young soul rebels who seamlessly meld electronic beats with layers of jazzy arrangements and unorthodox song structure."
From the balcony of a fly North London pad overlooking the Arsenal Emirates stadium, Muhsinah talks to SoulCulture about her DC roots, the experience of touring with Common and her musical transition away from samples and speeding towards vulnerability, from day.break 2.0 to The Oscillations and beyond.