21 Aug Plan B – ill Manors | Album Review
It’s probably no mere coincidence that ill Manors, the third studio album by rapper, singer, songwriter and film director Plan B, has emerged at the height the Olympic euphoria evoked by the London 2012 games. Where the event’s opening and closing ceremonies aimed to congratulate the multiculturalism, talent, creativity and all round success of the city and in fact the state, Plan B’s rugged, abject and sometimes sinister poetry seems to have provided an alternative commentary.
16 Jul Nas: “We don’t chase pop, pop chases us”
On the UK leg of NaS' recent tour, SoulCulture TV took a road trip up to Manchester to speak to the legendary emcee about his latest album, Life Is Good; out today (in the UK) through Def Jam. After performing for the Academy crowd, Nas discussed the energy behind the album and his hopes for it to inspire artists, shared his thoughts on commercial distractions in the rap game, Damian Marley's influence on his live shows and more.
26 May Jay-Z x Kanye West 'Watch The Throne' in London | Live Review
Otherworldly. That is the first word that comes to mind when trying to describe exactly what went on at London’s O2 Arena the days that the city belonged to Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Arguably one of the most-hyped albums in recent years, the announcement of the "Watch The Throne Tour" in Europe brought with it expectations that you’d think would be insurmountable, unreachable.
But you’d be wrong.
14 Feb Maverick Sabre – Lonely Are The Brave | Album Review
The youth of today are too often subjected to “rubbish” music, Hackney born, Irish bred Maverick Sabre once said. He went on to say that in the Top 20 chart “no-one seems to be talking about the issues that people go through on a daily basis anymore.” A bold statement - but one he challenges with his own debut album, Lonely Are The Brave.
27 Jul Erykah Badu Live At 02 Brixton Academy | Gig Review
For many Erykah Badu fans, Ms Wright can do no wrong. The songstress, rightfully heralded by many as an icon within modern-day soul, seemed aware of this when taking the stage in London’s Brixton Academy on Saturday evening, resulting in a complacent and flawed set.
28 Jan Donell Jones: Music’s Missing The Love
After releasing his album Journey of a Gemini in 2006, Donell Jones took a break from the music scene for a minute. In that time the R&B singer-songwriter, who has written and produced for likes of Usher, Silk, Brownstone and Madonna, decided it was time to cut ties with his record label, Jive - and now after four years away is ready for a comeback. He released The Lost Files EP last year and joins the growing list of artists and bands from the ‘90s era, like Maxwell and Jodeci, who have all returned to try and revive their R&B/Soul successes. Donell reveals why he believes people are now missing the R&B music of the ‘90s and how he is vowing to bring some love back to his music.
SoulCulture: It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from you musically and otherwise, why the break?
22 Jan [Verb]swish: Inspiring Writers, Pithy Statements & The J Word
With an art form as over-subscribed as Spoken Word, amidst all the have-a-go’s and blaggers the listener can become disenchanted and hard to impress. That’s where [Verb]swish - Richard Smartt Jnr to his mum – comes in. His distinctive delivery, erudition and seemingly effortless wordplay are a welcome reminder that exceptional performance poetry is still alive and kicking. SoulCulture caught up with one of London’s brightest poetic stars.
SoulCulture: Which writers would you say have had the greatest impact on your work?
19 Jan Renaissance Man: An interview with Homecut frontman Testament
"I’m very much embedded in Hip Hop... everything I do has got that Hip Hop undercurrent to it. If I’m doing a Jazz tune it still has a Hip Hop aftertaste," says Andy Brooks aka Testament, Homecut’s infectiously charismatic frontman.
Despite it being a windy day on London’s Southbank, Testament is enthused as he talks to SoulCulture's Tola Ositelu about his musical heroes, using rappers as points of reference where others would use more pedestrian examples. But to limit Homecut’s sound to just Hip Hop doesn’t take into account the group’s varied style and myriad musical inspirations. Testament cites an impressive array of artists as influences from Hip Hop staples Nas, J Dilla, Madlib and Mos Def to Jazz and soul legends Bob James, Grosvenor Washington Jnr, Gil Scott Heron, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Erykah Badu and more obscure acts such as Moondog. He’s partial to a bit of Bossa Nova too. With such a dazzling list of musical icons, Homecut must be a collective of some very informed individuals...
18 Jan Sincere – Written In The Stars (Mixtape Review)
Argue amongst yourselves as to which part of the UK produces the best music, but it has become very obvious that the North side of London has churned out some of the best emcees. With Sway and Chipmunk collecting numerous plaudits and the Grime scene dominated by many from north of the River Thames, one artist has been consistently releasing quality material for some time now.
Whether known for "That’s Not Gangsta" or collaborating with KidBass, Sincere continues his pursuit of the highest accolades with his new mixtape Written In The Stars. As his recognition grows with each new track, a compilation of soon-to-be-released tracks is the ideal platform to introduce many to his lyrical arsenal.