A LONG TIME COMING
Interview with Soul P
By: YOUNG

As the anticipation builds to conduct this interview, we play phone tag. Two calls became three and yet we kept missing each other phone call. On the fourth call I hear, “Wha dup YOUNG”, as it seems that the voice on the other end is in route to a destination with a time limit. “SOUL whatz going on man” I proceed to ask, trying to get right to the point because I knew Soul P. was a busy man but allotted time to speak to TCP Magazine. I prompted, “So tell us about your self because your site and myspace page is very partial as to information about you”. He starts by giving his birthplace of the Might North West, born and raised in Seattle Washington but now lives in Portland.

Coming up in the streets being affiliated with gangs that sold crack became an influence to this straight A, athletic student in his youth. Thirteen years of age and father being the “WEED MAN” for the neighborhood, Soul developed a notation that this was life. Never making it pass 6 grade and living with his cousins gave him an opportunity to see God at work in his life. I asked so what was the turning point in your life, that made you see that there was more out there to life? With an attentive ear he stated that he always knew God exist; “I would even allow the street preachers to pray for me even when my cuddies wouldn’t”. He knew that their prayers might be the reason he would live another day cause in the streets anything can happen. “But the turning point was when a murder took place and his name got wrapped around it”. After months of investigation he still got locked up even though he no association with the murder he had secret indictments.

Going to jail and getting out in 98 a brand new man that had a relationship with Christ, his mom’s took to a youth group. Before he could get through the door something identified with him. “I didn’t go to church like that but I didn’t know…. I didn’t know they rapped in church like that!” This was the bait that caught him. Spending time in jail writing, he knew he had a gift to rap so this was second nature. Not even taking a second thought he know he had something to say that would inspire people so he pursued music.

Now eight years under the belt, the transition from the church to the streets, from the trunk to Wal-Mart was hard. “At first doing stuff for the church was very smooth, it was setup, but once I stop doing stuff for the church and started hitting the clubs and streets…it was a struggle. Even still it’s a lot of work that need to be done.” Hitting the scene that most would give a rebuke gave him the people’s eye. Keeping it clean and Godly was his focus and this made him stand out. “I always had the message of Christ and people respected that and the way I put it.”

Having a mission for the people to be able to relate, feel, and be change thru the music that Christ might be glorified. Giving an example of a photographer buying a record, thru the music the photographer was persuaded to get back into the church and give her life to Christ. “God was tugging on her heart to get back into the church and she never thought she would me an artist like me…and God answered her prayers. She met an artist that was real and loved God.”

This being Soul’s third solo album, he takes each song privately and focus on the rhythm and lace it with God’s word that people can relate. “I try to take people on a journey. I want them to have a good time but at the same time I want to impart something to them that would change their life.” Asking what he thinks is the most construed image people paint about him he states, “I think the only misconception is the album cover of “The Premier”. The album cover was a concept that would show case Soul P as an artist but the music remains the same…show casing Christ. When people met him they met a person that is down to earth and the cover is just art.

Having a list of people that have influence him since he has started on the good journey, he did not mention his mother. Though she is away in jail, he states that she show him how to hold it together. She still ministers to women in prison despite what she face each day. “Shout Out to moms…” Anybody that is staying true to God and still walking and showing love…. Shout Outs to you!