Soul Rebel
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Soul Rebel

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The best kept secret in music

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"Soul Rebel"

http://www.vibe.com/community/on_campus/2006/07/soul_rebel/

Soul Rebel

By: Alexis Jeffries

July 20, 2006

In a time when the quality of hip hop music is in question and lyricism is said to be devoid of character and individuality, undiscovered artists are making it known that there is certainly no lack of lyricism in their art form. There’s definitely no lack of soul, either. If this can be said for any “underground” artists, it speaks true to the dynamic and soulful hip hop trio Soul Rebel.

“People are so afraid to be different,” says Mic Sean, 23, one-third of the multifaceted hip hop trio. “Everybody’s a player, pimp and a gangster nowadays, and we’re the common man.”

Comprised of two MCs and a R&B vocalist, Soul Rebel emerged on the scene nearly four years ago at the University of Maryland, College Park, and they’ve been making moves ever since. Rappers Mic Sean and Severe, 23, met while in school at UM and immediately took a liking to each other’s personalities and rhyming abilities.

“The first thing Mic did when we met was hand me a business card,” laughs Severe, a native of East Orange, N.J. “I knew he was a business man from jump.”

Soon, their friendship blossomed into a partnership, and both decided to collaborate, forming a group called “Slum Lords.” Yet, the duo quickly realized that their name was earning them little credibility, despite their skills.

“We wanted to pick a name that represented where we were from and showed we were running things,” says Mic Sean, who hails from Queens, N.Y. “But when we got older, we realized that we had enough maturity to know that pretending wasn’t the thing to do.”

That maturity, nurtured by four years of higher education, a growing fan base, the business-savvy mindset of Mic Sean (who previously had a record deal as a solo artist) and the intellectual lyricism of Severe led them to change direction and call themselves Soul Rebel instead. The name, Mic says, is a double-edge sword, representing the kind of music they make and the kind of people they make music for.

“We make struggle music,” says Mic Sean. “It’s gritty soulful hip hop, and we don’t say anything we don’t feel.”

Their increasing knowledge of the music game and their vision for unadulterated hip hop soul music led the two college graduates, one of which is now in law school, to move forward on their decision to create a sound for their fans that was unique to the current hip hop scene. In doing this, they added R&B singer Devin Johnson, 20, of Baltimore, Md. to the group.

“When we heard about this kid, we weren’t really interested, and when we met him, he was shy,” says Severe. “But when we heard him sing, it was like, ‘dude has a voice!”

Since then, the group has worked with super-producer 9th Wonder, Tony Yayo of G-Unit, and has had their song “Them New York Boyz” featured on a Tape Masters Inc. mixtape.

If being college educated rappers pursuing engineering and law degrees wasn’t unique enough, the dynamic of having a rap group with a singer definitely seemed unorthodox. Yet with the success of groups like The Fugees and the Black Eyed Peas, Soul Rebel found their niche, setting them further apart from mainstream hook singers and self-proclaimed rugged rap artists.

“It makes us more appealing to have an education. It makes us more appealing to have a singer in the group,” says Johnson, who describes his style as a blend of Musiq Soulchild, Dwele, John Legend and Curtis Mayfield. “It’s not everyday that you hear about a group of educated black men, and it’s not typical to see a rap group with a singer either.”

Now in their second official year as a group, Soul Rebel has branched out into multiple business ventures through their company, Soul Rebel Media. With a TV show pilot, a short film, an interactive Soul Rebel myspace page and website, a promo tour with Tapemasters Inc., and a mixtape all in the works, these three young rapper-entrepreneurs are on the grind to prove that “real hip hop isn’t littered with curse words and derogatory statements all the time…It’s real.” as Mic Sean says.

“Hip hop as you know it isn’t going to be the same. It’s going to change with us, and it’s going to change for the better,” says Johnson.

As Johnson’s fellow group member Mic Sean nods in agreement, he makes it very clear that the message Soul Rebel wants to make is quite simple: “Stop the funeral! Hip hop is not dead.” - Vibe.com


Discography

The Soulful Rebellion Part 1 (LP/Compilation)

Sold approximately 1,000 copies between NYC and Atlanta

Tapemasters Inc. Presents... (LP/Compilation)

One of 28 acts featured. Sold over 5,000 units.

Sincerely Yours (Single)

Received numerous spins on 93.9 WKYS. Licensed for the soundtrack and score of the film "Contradictions of The Heart".

If It Could Sing (Single)

Licensed for the independent play "Samurai".

Them New York Boyz (Single)

Received numerous spins on 88.1, 95.3, and 96.9 in Miami, FL. Was the song featured on the Tapemasters Inc Presents... compilation.

Lonely (Single) - To Be Released Fall 2006

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio


Soul Rebel is a music group comprised of 2 MCs - Mic Sean and Severe, and 1 Singer - Devin Johnson, representing Queens, NY, Newark, NJ, and Baltimore, MD respectively.

A hip-hop group with a soulful sound, Soul Rebel has moved over 6,000 UNITS in the last 4 months via "The Soulful Rebellion Part 1" (Released in February 06) and "Tapemasters Inc. Presents - The Inc Files 8" (Released in May 06).

Additionally, Soul Rebel has performed continuously since the beginning of 2006 in New York (The Lucky Cat, Chocolate Monkey, The Five Spot, Prospect Park), D.C. (Cada Vez, Busboys and Poets, Mirrors), Maryland (The University of Maryland-College Park)and Atlanta (The Apache Cafe). Including events sponsored by Starbucks, Bank of America, Triple Five Soul, Life Beat, The Children's Aid Society and others. Also active in the community, Soul Rebel has served as featured performers at events that raise health awareness among children (The Self-Love Campaign), as well as promote diversity and acceptance in the greater community (Brooklyn Pride Festival and Parade).

After licensing their music for the score and soundtrack of a film ("Contradictions of The Heart"), a play ("Samurai"), receiving numerous spins on 93.9 WKYS in MD/DC for their song "Sincerely Yours", and on 85.6 in Miami, FL for their song "Them New York Boyz", Soul Rebel is now knee deep in the process of crafting their official full length debut to be released in Fall 2006.