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Soul music has been an integral part of pop culture since the very first record hit the turntable. From Elvis Presley to Jay-Z, everybody needs a bit of flavor to be successful. These days, it goes unsaid that there is a constant stream of new hip-hop and R&B artists trying to make their voices heard. And the more soul you have, the better the chance that you'll get noticed.
Portland is fast becoming a leader in the hip-hop movement, and Soul P. is one of the best emcees that Portland has to offer. This man is destined to change the way you view the art form of hip-hop. Born and raised in Seattle, Soul P. has been through the struggle and is ready to share his musical vision with the world. Growing up in The Yesler Terrace neighborhood, Soul P. came face-to-face with the harsh realities of the streets at an early age. Even though he was surrounded by crack cocaine and gang warfare, Soul P. persevered. These early experiences influence his music, giving Soul P.'s lyrics and rhyming an authentic flavor that is rarely found in today's sea of commercialism.
Soul P. is an emcee with an extremely solid resume. He began his solo career by independently releasing two critically acclaimed albums, Simpy Soul and The Soul Affect. Both albums are noted for their gritty street-influenced production and meaningful lyrical content. These records established Soul P. as a serious contender in the underground music scene. With his explosive combination of intelligence and strength, Soul's independent material gave him a solid platform on which to build his music.
In the summer of 2005, Soul P. took the opportunity to record the street banger "5 Fingers" for a prominent underground mixtape series helmed by DJ Morphiziz. This project led to a close working relationship with Beatmart Recordings, a young Nashville-based hip-hop collective. Soul P. continued to build and work with Beatmart Recordings and over the following months and talks eventually led to an official record deal. As soon as material was ready, Soul P. and Beatmart released Soul's label debut, The Premiere.
The Premiere gave us a look into both sides of Soul P.'s persona. Soul is without a doubt a hip-hop afficianado with his roots on the streets. On the other hand, this man keeps a deep personal faith in God. In his own words, Soul P. explains. "My relationship with God is one of the main messages that I wanted to get across with The Premiere. I want people to understand that after everything I've been through, that album was like my movie premiere. Up to that point I had been through so much and dealt with so much garbage. Now I'm here to give a message of hope to those who've dealt with their own struggles. I can equate this to Allen Iverson finally getting the chance to play pro ball. To those who are going through something, keep believing 'cause you will have a premiere."
The following year, Soul P. and Beatmart parted ways on friendly terms. Once again looking for a label home, Soul P. tried searching in his own neck of the woods. His relentless work ethic and intense flavor grabbed the attention of Liquid Assets Recordz, a local Portland label with a taste for street appeal. Within months of inking a deal with Liquid Assets, Soul P. was hard at work on a mixtape, once again grinding it out in the studio. During this time, Soul also started his own music group called King's Empire.
After focusing on his faith with The Premiere, Soul P. is ready to focus on his hip-hop. His work with Liquid Assets has already spawned a number of solid west coast jams, including "West Coast Blues" and "Money Money Money." His lyrics cut to the chase; Soul P. is not an emcee who pulls any punches. Over pounding rhythms, Soul waxes poetic about life on the streets of the Northwest. You won't find any sugercoated hip-hop around here. As listeners clamor for more, Soul P. and Liquid Assets are already preparing Soul's debut for the Liquid Assets Empire.
In the vein of any good leader, Soul P. is equipped with a battle plan. He is convinced that he has to hit the market where it's at. "I hope that the market will continue to open up their eyes to hip-hop," Soul P. comments. "There is a huge need for creativity in the genre right now. I want to help change the idea of how it should be done. Liquid Assets and I are here to make hot, hot music. I want the world to know that you can't put hip-hop into one little box."
How do you represent a dynamic individual like Soul P. with just words? Forget the outside hype and let him talk for himself: "I've been through a lot," declares Soul P. "Now I've got to go for the top. Liquid Assets and I are going to work hard together and reach our ultimate goals. It's going to be tight.
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