the blackSoil project

Whether you love it or hate it, one thing is for sure: hip hop music evokes emotions that demand response. In the case of Rahlo, the innovative artist behind the blackSoil project, previous images, preconceptions and expectations of what a hip hop artist are do not apply. Confidently and without reserve, Rahlo gives a clear insight into himself and the dedicated messages in his music, which encompass his own progressive and experimental style.
Consciously choosing to part ways with the usual musical and song writing influences of his genre, Rahlo combines an eclectic love of different artists, genres, and time periods for his inspiration. Artists such as Mos Def & Talib Kweli, whose songs had an immediate connection through their sound and the depth of their lyrics; the Roots, who in the mid to late 90's were radically different in their use of a live hip hop band instead of a dat machine or dj; George Clinton and Parliament, who believed in having a good time with their music while rejecting any restrictions or confinement in their image and ideas; to Al Green who was simply and uniquely himself, and who believed in becoming a success on his own and in his own terms.
The Calm Before The Storm is the second release from the blackSoil project, and contains a collection of songs that focus on some of the elements of real life and how we live it. For example in 'What We Do,' Rahlo touches on how powerful the use of words are in our lives and how the mere use of them shape the relationships and the world around us. So often people use words to communicate to each other without first thinking or reflecting upon their true meaning or impact. This song is a call to action to concentrate on the message we want to communicate. Not for the short term benefits but for the long term enrichment.
In l.o.s.t (the law of space and time), he expresses concern over the fact that there are many who claim to understand the power of words and music, yet they choose to wield that power in ways that don't seem to benefit humanity. It's a statement or call to action to recognize that our actions don't take place in a vacuum, but that others are also affected by the things we think, do, and say.
And with that thought in mind Rahlo presents It Ain't the Shadow, in which the recent birth of his son prompts him to take a long hard look at himself and the person he has become, the shadows he has chased in his life, and what it all means. He even questions what to pass onhow does he prepare his offspring for this warfare that we call life?
The blackSoil project is not innovative because Rahlo has decided to create something musically different from other artists in his genre. The blackSoil project is innovative because of the way Rahlo explores questions surrounding the issue of freedom--true freedom. The freedom to be your own person, the person you were created to be. The freedom to be the best human being you can be and challenge others to do the same. In a time when everyone is learning or defining what freedom means to them, can there be a better definition or explanation?