As I'm gearing up to finally drop the very special project which is the short playlist of music I've decided to call 'Soular Express', I wanted to give some information about how it came to be created and it's significance to me. First off I'd just prefer to call it a project rather than labeling it an album versus a mixtape or an EP because I feel like there are certain expectations when those terms are used that I'd like to avoid with this. To me this project (which is technically an EP) is best described stylistically as a moderately conceptual, lo-fi alternative trip-hop type rap sub-genre. To sum it up content-wise I'd say it's me expressing certain ideas an emotions that resonated with my soul at one point , which brought me to the title and theme I eventually went along with. (“Soular Express” which is a play on the childrens book turned movie “Polar Express”)
A lot of the songs are already old to me but will be new for the listeners because I spent a few months debating releasing them or not, and by old I mean like going on 2-3 years old except for two of the records which I finished only recently before finalizing the project around the fourth quarter of 2017. This album has elements of my usual lyrical and conscious styles from previous mixtapes but is intended to be more experimental and introspective. I touch on issues I went through such as low self-esteem, depression, loneliness and keeping faith. There are fun and upbeat songs. It's mainly about my journey of self-discovery, coming to grips with my feelings and looking for light in the dark.
It's important because this will be my first all-original project. The beats and production was handled entirely in-house with my Movement #19 ENT family, mainly my big homie who is going by the pseudonym Yusuf Hakeem for this project. He taught me a lot about DAWS when I first started recording music and is one of my main go-to producers. He’s been locked up for the past 4 years and will be out February 2018. He left me a flash-drive full of hundreds of his beats before he went away and most of the beats used on the project come from that flash drive. it was important to lock in with a particular sound this time around.
Besides the first song the rest of the project features only my dad -- DJ Raastar Da Selector aka Ras Cassii , who helped with backing vocals, mixing, production, and mastering on most of the record. He co-wrote the hook and was heavily involved in the lead single "Hey DJ" featuring my friends from 'Spliff6an6' TJ da 90s baby and Jimi Dope. Also he sings leads on track 8 "We Will"
To tell a little about each song; Track 2 "It is what it is" is about acceptance but also realizing you're not suppose to settle. Track 3 'Really On One' is a song painting a picture of the struggles of disappointment and aggravation. Track 4. "All Alone" is about coming to grips with your strength and your faith when it's not easy and you feel like no one can relate or is in tune with how you feel. "How we feel" is about being introspective and keeping it real with ones self. "We will" is about finding confidence and belief in divine will and optimistic manifestation. "I Escape" has a lot of deeper meanings about salvation and precaution.
Sorry for all the delays! The project will be available most places where music is streamed and physical copies soon to come directly from me. Hope y'all appreciate the music,send me feedback when it drops! #SoularExpress