Nobody gave sOuL from the O (Oakland, CA) permission to make his brand of Hip Hop, and he likes it this way. Sometimes eclectic, sometimes fierce, pounding on the doors of the establishment, he has been on a collision course for expanding the boundaries of Hip Hop music for some time now. Releasing his first album in the early 2000’s, followed by a string of singles, vinyl pressings, EPs and live performances, has culminated into his most compelling project yet: ‘Contraband Mixtape’.

‘Contraband Mixtape’ is a collection of 12 songs that feel like a full length concept album: with its unifying themes of raw emotion, plagued by social ills, haunted by love gone, and 2 timely interludes, it is able to cover a range of topics without losing continuity or the listener’s ear.

From the first single ‘Hand Ova Fist’ a pounding track (borrowed from Brenk Sinatra’s ‘Tryin’) with a lyrical tale about being on the run from the police, to ‘DREAMS’ (prod. by DJ D Sharp) dub reggae infused anthem of achieving one’s aspirations against all odds. While ‘All These Guns’ (prod. by Woodstock) features guest appearances by Stic.man (DeadPrez), Bicasso (Living Legends) and ‘Do D.A.T.’ is a powerful Gil Scott-Heron inspired track about police brutality, and the struggles that confront the Black community.

‘Contraband Mixtape’ journeys further to celebrate a new day on one track, to asking provocative questions on the next. Its ultimate strength, however, is its ability to be relevant to current events, and remain entertaining all at once. sOuL from the O’s ‘Contraband Mixtape’ is available now for free download for a limited time. Take a listen!

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