24 Sep Charlie Wilson: Still R&B, Still Relevant
From lead singer of the iconic Gap Band to revered solo artist in his own right, with four decades of hard work and success in the music game under his belt R&B legend Charlie Wilson still knows exactly how to get the people going. His latest album, Love, Charlie, was released at the top of the year but it is his constant touring and collaborations with contemporary hit-makers that keep him at the forefront; his recent live TV performances with Kanye West serving undeniable reminders of Wilson's ever-impressive, soulful showmanship, in case you forgot. In our recent interview, Charlie Wilson discusses staying relevant and inspired, working with Kanye, his admiration for Rihanna and Beyonce, and battling prostate cancer. Watch below.11 May Ladylike: Terri Walker x Nicole Wray talk inspiration and resurrecting soul
Taking it back to the days of afros and bell-bottoms, Terri Walker and Nicole Wray are Lady - a singing duo soaked in so much soul that not even a Spongebob Squarepants: Motown Edition could compete. Offering up copious amounts of unfiltered vintage soul sounds, their musical teaming is one welcomed with open arms.
Having just released their debut self-titled album on the highly regarded and ultimately respected Truth & Soul record label, the girls are currently on the road in America tearing up the circuit with their authentic adaptation of retro soul-meets-classic Hip-Hop. Pushing a genre often overlooked by the mainstream, Walker and Wray, led by their head and their hearts, have an undeniable date with success.
Speaking to SoulCulture prior to their American takeover, the girls explain what it is about music that keeps them inspired still to this day, and the reasoning behind their resurrecting a genre that inspires a world of feeling.
11 May Star Trek Into Darkness | Film Review
Since the broadcast of the original TV series in 1966, Star Trek has had so many sequels, reboots, re-inventions and spin offs that it becomes quite laborious to calculate. But never has the franchise received the widespread appeal given by its JJ Abrams (Director) reenactment, which began with his aptly titled Star Trek (2009) and now continues with Star Trek Into Darkness.
Starting more or less where Star Trek left off, Into Darkness follows the exploits of Captain Kirk and his First Officer Spock as they "go where no man has gone before, explore new worlds and new civilisations" whilst perpetually debating the value of reason against intuition, blow things up, almost get killed, introduce pre-modern beings to advance technology by accident and basically unleash mayhem.
If I reveal too much more of the plot I’ll risk ruining the movie - but in brief it goes like this: a building gets blown up in London, lots of people die, Noel Clark (Doctor Who, Kidulthood) appears, the perpetrator is quickly revealed, numerous Starfleet officers plan to catch the bad guy and then, quite literally, all hell breaks loose. And that’s pretty much the sum of it.
25 Apr Big K.R.I.T.: “Music has always been my therapy”
Soul Culture sits down with Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T for our ongoing #OKNotToBeOK mental health campaign, as he speaks on music as therapy, loneliness, depression and finally making the decision to be happy.23 Apr Wretch 32 on using music to express himself and cope with anger
"It's an amazing thing that I found music, man..." Following on from Ne-Yo's talk on the therapeutic power of music, chart-topping British rapper Wretch 32 sits down with SoulCulture and reveals how he uses music as a portal to express himself, for our #OKNotToBeOk mental health campaign.08 Apr Chinua Achebe was my hero. | Tribute
Chinua Achebe was my hero.
As a second generation Nigerian immigrant growing up in England, role models who I could genuinely identify with were few and far between – especially in the 1980s, when it was still a big deal to see a black face on TV. So much so that we’d receive phone calls from family and friends whenever there was a Nigerian representative on the news, a film or more notably, Family Fortunes.
I think I was 10. The world was smaller and the answers to the big questions were much bigger. I remember asking my mother why God was white and I was black. Instead of answering my question directly, she [as she often did] asked me why I thought so. I hadn’t a clue, so she asked me about what I had learned in school about religious history, about black religious history to be specific. My blank expression was enough for her to reach up onto the mantelpiece and pass me a book.
I looked at the title: Things Fall Apart. Did the customary flick through for illustrations and saw nothing. Mum noticed my lack of interest and promised me to stick with it and it would be worth it. I sat down and devoured the entire thing in one weekend.
12 Mar Tech N9ne on indie success: “Majors would have to offer a lot for our blood, sweat and tears”
Independence is something highly celebrated by many in the music industry today. While independent labels have been around for years and years, it wasn’t until the decline in music sales that indie labels then became the best way to get your music heard.
In hip-hop, labels such as Amalgam Digital and Koch, now known as E1 Entertainment, are two of the biggest names in the indie market, and then there was of course Rawkus Records once upon a time, who introduced the world to acts such as Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and a certain white boy by the name of Eminem.
There’s one label name missing though; and while they might not be a household name quite yet they are in fact one of the most successful indie labels on the planet; Strange Music.
With partner Travis O’Guin, Kansas City rhymer Tech N9ne started Strange Music in 1999. Since its launch the label has had big successes in the form of multiple album releases, sold out tours, and one of the biggest selections of music merchandise any label has to offer.
Taking time out from his busy European tour schedule, Tech N9ne sat down with Soul Culture at his first ever UK show to discuss independent sales, Kendrick Lamar, and battling with his dark side.
12 Mar Freedom Of Speech: Turk talks Prison, Lil’ Wayne & Hot Boys Reunion
While it was Akon who famously sang, “I’m locked up/ They won’t let me out,” his miniature stint in the pen is nothing in comparison to many other sentences handed out in the hip-hop community. With bigger incarcerations coming in the form of Chi-Ali, who has just come home after a 12-year bid for manslaughter; and ex-Bad Boy rapper Shyne, who was released in 2009 after serving a nine-year sentence for attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment; it seems as if jail time and hip-hop, at times, go hand in hand.
Enter Tab Virgil, Jr., better known by his stage name Turk.
A Cash Money Records ex-signee, the New Orleans rhymer was a member of the highly successful group the Hot Boys. Alongside Lil’ Wayne, B.G. and Juvenile, with Baby aka Birdman, Slim, and Mannie Fresh overseeing things, Turk and the crew quite literally took over the airwaves between the years of 1998 and 2002. Selling records in their millions as a label, Turk’s only solo effort with Cash Money came in the form of the Gold selling 2001 release Young & Thuggin’.
After leaving the label disputing financial differences, Turk’s world would evidently be turned upside down in 2005 when he was convicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm, and an unlawful user addicted to a controlled substance in possession of a firearm. With all of these charges stemming from the shooting of a police officer early 2004, it was obvious that Turk was in hot water and there was no way of cooling it down.
Serving his time whilst also releasing a few albums in the process, Turk was finally released in October 2012 and Soul Culture were granted some time with the unsung Hot Boy.
14 Jan SoulCulture 13 for 13: JMSN
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Record Label: White Room Records
Age: 25
Drawing inspiration from some of the darker, overlooked and more honest portions of human emotion, the unique being that is JMSN captured our attention in 2012 with his beautifully unnerving and haunting odes, coupled with accompanying artistic yet almost horror-like self-directed visuals that in equal parts shocked, scared, hypnotised, disarmed and left us in awe, and is set to continue raising the bar this year.