The Students of Soul

Far beyond your rhetorical definition of old school, the Soul Students is a universally magnetic hip hop collective. With some of the freshest definitions from across the planet, Soul Students strive for lyrical excellence. With clarity and a dexterity with words, the Students create the complete hip hop sound with a musical aptitude for straight ahead to cosmic jazz, breezy 70s Soul, and their unique 80s-
90s hip hop roots.

While attending college in Hampton, Virginia the state of mind aligned members with bi-coastal influence:

From San Diego,CA producer/emcee Kameleon calls upon a life of music from Wes Montgomery to Antonio Carlos Jobim to create vivid instrumental production and a hand full of raps for the crew.

From Pasadena, CA emcee Sin blends target sharp narratives with witty Molotov cocktails to create soulfully classic gems. His album Welcome to the Show is now available through Loud Minority Records. By day, he uses his cape to operate a confection franchise in Las Vegas and work in environmental science in Cleveland,OH.

Collaborative producer Dread is a teacher in the greater Los Angeles Public School System and spends time working on a reggae album with both roots and dance-hall influences. Proud influences of his Jamaican heritage and unique humor, Dread's beats are a favorite among soul music lovers.

Emcee/poet Zion is from Cleveland, OH. He tours the Midwest regularly with the abstract Muamin Collective and represents the seminal Soul Students group Phase 1 with Sin and Kameleon. With hand picked scratches from the crew's pool of djs, Phase 1 shines a light to the tribal vibes of the 90s.

From Chicago, IL, brilliantly relative emcee The Cubist spawns startlingly graphic raps with a penchant for moral and musical integrity. He will soon pursue a Masters Degree in economics in Michigan.

The windy city also houses native son and influential producer/dj AL Bumz. Al served as the station manager and host of The Soul Students Radio Show for Hampton's 88.1 WHOV from 1999-2008. His remix collection is a testament to his vast knowledge of music from walls of vinyl to digital loops.

The poetically professional New York City birthed smooth scissored emcee Awon from the notorious Ft Greene projects. His album Beautiful Loser was recently released by Goon Trax Records in Tokyo, Japan.

Producer Indelible also hails from the planet, but now calls Virginia home. Indelible is known for his ruggedly pristine tracks that radiate rap and remix delight.

Producer Ak ships finely chopped beats for the crew from New Jersey. He has produced for Kindred and the Family Soul.

In their Virginia home base, tactical emcee Dicap travels to Hampton from Virginia Beach to spit disarming raps for social and mental freedom. His album Travelin was the first official Soul Students release and is available online through Itunes and cdbaby.com.

Also from the 757 is Tiffy, the epitome of the femmecee and wife of rapper Awon. The couple has two children and are both featured on the golden era tribute "Real Emcee" produced by Indelible.

Emcee Mac the Menace has been apart of the Tidewater Hip Hop community for a decade. His ties to regional radio and emceeing make him a vital performance component to the 2005-2008 performing unit of Awon, Tiffy, Dicap, and Dj Al Bumz.

Funky producer/emcee Whiz is from the culturally accented Charleston, SC and serves as a historical organizer with the World Famous Lessons in Jazz. The Series evolved from a successful radio show that linked hip hop and jazz music into an annual symposium in conjunction with the Hampton Jazz Festival. Visit them at www.lessonsinjazz.com for interviews and articles about the complex relationship between these two forms of syncopated, Afro-diasporic music.

Willfuly alienated poet Delano, paints landscape prose that hearkens personal responsibility, chromatic wordsmithing, and optimistic aspects of love. He prepares for physical therapy school at an east coast institution. Delano is also responsible for written documents such as this one and biographies for many of the individual artists.

Clearly diversity and a renaissance of talent are on the side of the Soul Students. The crew is constantly creating new journeys in the hip hop and jazz pantheon adding live instruments to some of their musical works. They have been featured on show bills with Common, Little Brother, Jean Grae, and EPMD! The crew is sure if you like real hip hop you'll find something to love about Soul Students!