Beatmart continues in its honorable mission to provide Godly hip-hop. Their latest offering is one of their best, Soul P's "The Premiere," smooth and real.
The west coast’s Soul P is one of the nation’s most acclaimed indie emcees, not to mention one of the hardest-working, staying busy with constant touring and recording. “The Premiere” is set to hit the streets on December 26, But Suite caught an early sound-check and is here to tell you, Soul P is steady on with his signature deep lyrics and authentic perspective, fearlessly casting his eye on the social issues of our day, even questioning the motives of some other artists on “Money More.” Soul P holds nothing back on “The Premiere,” and that’s only part of what makes it so good.
Soul is upfront about the rough paths that led him to his present place of ministry, but he is ready to use it all for good now, and offer hope to others on a dead-end road. “To those who are going through something,” he says, “keep believing ‘cause you will have a premiere.” The 16 tracks of “The Premiere” are ripe with autobiographical material, playing a big part in the project’s authenticity and power.
Bright and poppin’, “I’m Here” announces his arrival and his sense of being in a position ordained by God. From there “The Premiere” flows as a mix of club cuts (the hooky new-wave “Whoa Whoa!” and the slammin’ “Step Clap”) and reflective rap (“Hey Young Man” and the life-affirming “We Don’t Know”). There is a surprising amount of romance on “The Premiere,” including Lisa Kimmey’s (Out of Eden) standout guest spot on the sweetly R&B-flavored “Goodness.” And “You Make Me” is straight out of Ephesians 5 in its perception of virtuous relationships. Soul P includes a wide mix of beats and backdrops throughout, from the tribal funk of “Do My Thang” to the banging beats of “You Can,” and a number of tracks have an underlying 70’s feel beneath their fresh beats. It’s an interesting take, envisioning Huggie Bear popping up behind “We Don’t Know” or “Hey Young Man.” Soul P has strong rhyming chops and is articulate and clear throughout, a pleasure to hear. I know it seems like a long way away, but mark your calendar for December 26, and pick up “The Premiere.”
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