BIO
His words stir emotion with a voice filled with soul and truth. Original Soul is a man blessed with a gift to reach into your heart and enlighten your mind with his realism and insight. In a watered-down era of rap music, Original Soul stands out with his lyrical skills and fearless approach to topics rarely discussed by the majority of artists considered "successful". His versatility is unparalleled, easily transitioning between rap and song with comparisons to D'Angelo and Mos Def, although he lists names like KRS-One, Guru, Talib Kweli, The Roots, and Common when asked of his influences.
Three of Original Soul's most popular songs are built around topics that are mostly ignored by today's artists. "Beautiful" is an ode to the respect women deserve, yet rarely receive. The pain in his voice delivers honesty with lines like: "Never gave it a second thought until I seen that black bruise on her arm…now I ain't jumpin' to conclusions, but if she's fightin' with her man she's losin." Follow that with the tribute "Single Mother" and you will recognize the insightful truth Original Soul speaks. Then he takes the weight of the world on his shoulders as he leads you down the cold streets in his song "Winter Coat" and pleads "Stop passing these people by." He has the rare talent and ability to take a club crowded full of hardcore Hip-Hop heads and have them all singing along to a song that is built around the topic of homelessness. It's funny to hear him tell the story of when he was booed off stage at a High School talent show when you witness the connection he makes with crowds today.
To meet Original Soul is refreshing. There is no gimmick, no flash, and no swagger. He is humble and has a pure personality that is so amazingly unique that the moniker Original Soul is truly befitting. Original Soul is a native of Dallas
Original Soul has a unique sound with subject matter built around topics that his community can and should relate to. Positive with the edge of street sense and honesty…Original Soul is the truth.
What are others saying about Original Soul and his music?
"My first impression of Original Soul was what a meek and humble soul he was. After listening to "The Glass Album" I got a new revelation of the man I met. I would have never guessed that such a meek soul could deliver such powerful and motivating messages through his music. The lyrical content in this album grabbed me from the first track and held my attention until the end. The message of awareness and self-examination rang throughout the album and causes one to take notice.
Original Soul effortlessly flows through each verse with ease; delivering knowledge and wisdom of a man many years his senior. This metaphorical genius draws your attention into each word that drops from his tongue. His words are sharp as a sword and cut straight through you, but the messages heal as well. You begin to understand the journey and appreciate the invite. I felt like a student in the classroom of my favorite subject and couldn't wait for the next lesson to begin. In short, Original Soul answers the question "Is Hip Hop Dead?" Original Soul has the refreshing element that hip hop, as I remembered it, was created for...awareness. I can't wait for my next class. Or should I say...I drank from the cup that was filled and my empty glass is waiting for more." – Exposure Magazine
"The Glass Album, the eighth from Dallas underground hero Original Soul is infused with the man's essence, a nearly impossible feat, in the atmosphere of today's "microwave" mentality in regards to making music. Most are nearly obsessed with making tunes that fit neatly into popular mainstream music, in order to draw attention to their work. In other words, to the artist of this era, all news is good news even it's bad news. The journey of OS is to shun the path his contemporaries follow like lemmings, and thru his music, give listeners a piece of himself.
The LP starts off with a collection of calls from people in Soul's intimate circle giving him their thoughts on critics, fans, peers, haters and detractors, then from the first song, the tone is set. The production, primarily done by Soul himself is minimalist , stripped bare of conventional hip-hop's overusage of samples, odd syncopation, and exaggerated soundscapes, and replaced with warm, souful instrumentation, perfectly complimenting the power in Soul's rhymes. The poet on these tracks is something other than an average MC, boasting about skill or possessions, or vaguely browbeating listeners with pseudo intelligence or condescending psychobabble. The sharp tone of Soul's vocals, coupled wtih his perfectly timed verses guide the audience thru the bold proclamations of his wisdom and intentions to school the ig'nant, giving voice to deep subject matter most of his contemporaries avoid, including his own insecurities, the plight of single mothers, and a yearning for the intellectual upliftment of his generation, and the people who can relate to the struggle we all know as life.
If the glass still half empty after listening to this album, you need to keep refilling it until
your thrist is quenched..." - Unsigned, the Magazine
"Original Soul is a multi-talented musician who bridges the gap between R&B/Soul and Hip-Hop with a style and flavor that is all his own. Original Soul is more than qualified to transform you into one of his biggest fans" – Pegasus News
"It's great to know
"Love THE GLASS ALBUM...keep it coming!" – Ebony, 360 D Radio
From the creative spirit of Original Soul comes the album Pure: Reflections Of Self And Beyond, dedicated to bringing rap back to the essence with a blend of hip-hop and soul. Pure… is a poignant album full of expressive lyrics, raw emotion and subject matter ranging from pressures of being an artist, sex and everything in between. Pure… features production from Entity Starr, Picnic, Jack Nickelz and Original Soul himself. Original Soul opens the album up with the jazzy track “Whatever”. After the intro Original Soul jumps right into the mission feet first and leaves a footprint on the Entity Starr produced “Day Job”. Then on “Work Dat”, which is produced by Picnic, Original Soul excels in setting himself apart from lame derivative rappers. The album takes a left turn from there as Original Soul goes into the sensually titillating “Do It For Me”, a track sure to arouse the attention of its listeners. On “Lookin Back”, the MC offers his audience a nostalgic look at his 17 years in the game while serving as lyricist, singer and producer. Then, Original Soul delivers a couple of smooth, soothing D’Angelo/Andre Benjamin influenced jams, “Relax” and “Grown”. The latter shows Original Soul harmonizing and rhyming about tales of lost young minded individuals. The album is a smooth ride from that point on. Pure… as a whole is a good album. At some points during the album, Original Soul’s style sounds more like spoken word than rap, but it makes for an appealing alternative to commercial raps’ norm. Pure: Reflections Of Self And Beyond is definitely worth checking out. -Remon Johnson, The Urban Advocate