Soulection : The Music Collective That Challenged The Status Quo
Soulection, the Los Angeles success story, is a beat inspired music collective, radio show and record label that has recently celebrated its 5th anniversary. The group has pushed the boundaries in regards to the notion of how typical hip hop and RnB music has been received, and has continued to challenge the status quo.
Los Angeles in the 80s and 90s remained home to some of the most iconic rap and hip hop artists. With the likes of NWA pioneering the G funk and gangsta rap era, we were also graced with Dr Dre, Tupac and Snoop Dogg, who all left not just cultural but political impacts on the cities music stance. It is without question or debate that L.A is a city that has become renowned for its musical excellence.
The early 2000s saw the emergence of a beat led uprising, where producers and beat makers were filling the city with eclectic beats, creating this sublime bubble of experimental and edgy instrumentals. Flying Lotus, for example being one of many to really thrive in the L.A electronic producer scene, paved the way for collectives like Soulection. You could say that Soulection was birthed from its city’s discography, coinciding both its RnB and hip hop roots with house and electronic music, establishing themselves as a faction focused on beat making and DJ’ing.
They’ve truly embarked on “The Sound Of Tommorow” by creating a new and specific genre
Soulection officially took off in January 2011 by Co founders Joe Kay, Head of A&R and radio host and Andre Power, the Art Director. The first radio show aired and started something beautiful for both Joe Kay and Andre Power. The radio show is where Joe Kay features Soulection signed artist’s music and also interviews a series of musicians that Soulection are drawn to. As to date, under the Soulection radio show, Joe kay has interviewed artists such as Kehlani, BJ The Chicago Kid, Omarion, Ginuwine and many more. A selection of musicians that represents where the underlying influence stemmed from as well as current day musicians that also emerged from the scene of a genre already celebrated. The collective curated what I would say is an equivocal style of music that intertwined many popular genres to create a sound that appealed to many. Something unique but easily assimilating into the major music cultures that existed not just in the USA, but globally. Soulection has been the go to platform for producers that are trying to make a paradigm shift between older and more acclaimed genres of music, and the new generation sound through sampling. I would describe Soulection as a “Genre-Bending” group. It remains undeniable that Soulection as a whole, were kids who grew up on RnB/Hip hop.
It would be ludicrous to not mention Soundcloud and Soulection in the same breadth. Soundcloud, the online audio distribution platform, has played an important role in upliting the prosperity of Soulection. It has remained the hub for all of Soulection’s members to connect with their audience in an easy and accessible way. It’s safe to say that much of Soulection's success was partially due to the olive branch that Soundcloud handed them.
The affiliation with a cluster of musicians and producers that soulection has built, has made them a signature for the new generation electro hip hop scene in America. The production prodigy and Michigan native Sango has been the man behind many of Soulection’s most commended projects and songs. He’s known mostly for remixing some of your favourite’s popular tracks, putting his own personal spin on Craig David, Drake and Justin Timberlake. Sango draws much of his inspiration from Brazillian music and Portuguese vernacular, as was seen in his series of projects “Da Rochina” 1–3. Whilst being most known for production and beat making, Soulection also takes to musicians who are vocalists, their Collaborative would be incomplete without rapper Goldlink. With his 2014 debut “The God Complex” propelling him to greater heights, Goldlink remains a solid member and asset to soulection. Not only does his presence in the collective outline the versatility of the group, it also truly embodies the idea that Soulection are pushing for “The Sound of Tommorow” via pairing up with fresh and new rap talent. Goldlink officially released his latest album “And After That, We Didn’t Talk” with the soulection label.
Soulection is a group that never ceases to amaze me in regards to their work ethic and progression. They really do embody what a foster of talented creatives can amount to when working collaboratively to capitalise on both the past and present in regards to the music industry. They have challenged the status quo.
