We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Original Soul a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Original, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I can’t exactly pinpoint one favorite, but I will say this. Each album will have a specific theme. For instance, “The Glass Album” (2007), we explored the question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”, and created topics around that question. “Escape From The Outside” (2003), I was unemployed and struggling to find work, so much of the content surrounded my frustrations with being broke and unemployed. When I write music, I try to make it relatable to someone else that may have also dealt with the same thing.

Original, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So, to truly understand my back story, you have to go back to 1987. I was in the 6th grade and in music class, we took a break to play “Name That Tune”. When it got to my turn, I was unable to guess the song with the clues that were being given, and I had to explain that I really didn’t listen to the radio, to know the song. My peers made me feel kinda bad about that, so I said I would start listening to the radio a little more. Fast forward to 1992. I was in a class called IT Tech Systems and for this portion of the class we learned about audio engineering and radio broadcasting. By that time I was into hip-hop music and this portion of the class felt really comfortable to me and I excelled in it. The following year, one of the local radio stations had a song contest centered around Black History Month and I entered, and had my song played on the radio. Many of my peers were listening. All of the knowledge I gained from that class is what I used to record the song. I also did a couple of the school talent shows that year.

From that point on, I continued my education of the arts at one of the local community colleges. At that point I was already doing well on the engineering side of things and had started doing music production for myself and others. By 1999 I had already produced and recorded my debut album and albums for two other artists I worked closely with, who helped me get started. Along the way, one acquires a lot of knowledge based on trial and error, dealing with various individuals and going several places. It is that knowledge of the music industry that I try to pass along to those who work with me.

My big thing has been self reliance. Where I used to want folks to make beats for me, if they didn’t have the time I made them for myself. When I needed a studio to record, if I couldn’t afford it, I built my own setup. If I wanted to use others studio equipment, when it wasn’t feasible I bought my own and learned how to use it. All that knowledge I gained in high school and college, I put to good use. So I bring those same things to my business. I teach studio etiquette. I want the artist to touch the controls and know what to look for and what to listen for, so that if they did choose to work with someone else, they know what they’re doing just as good as the engineers. This is why I don’t tie anyone down to a contract, because once you have the knowledge for yourself, it removes your limits, so you can go anywhere.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Never put the carriage before the horse. Because the thing is, everyone who says they can do something for you, won’t see the vision the same way as you do, or have the same sentiments at heart. Those people will try their best to tear you down. I recall in 2002 when I had just released my 4th album, I was working with a lady and doing all of her production and assisting her with her project. The management team she was working with made her all these promises and they were ready to include me as well, and had supposedly worked a deal with a major record label. After we did tons of work, the management team had the deal ready and some kinda way, things got messed up and they disappeared. This put a lot of my career stuff on hold as well. I also would find another manager, who would place me in situations where I would always be “coming in the back door” in a sense, and it just wasn’t for me. No one said that the music industry would be easy, but you still have to show fairness to the person you work with, and that is something I am also having to learn as a label owner. If I am representing someone, I have to make sure they are put in positions to succeed. I’ve had some successes, but I also have some opportunities and I own up to that.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I love sharing my story and my views with others. I keep adding layers to the story and the legacy continues to grow. I don’t want to be better than anyone. I just want to share. I want to create. I want to build. I can’t see myself NOT working on something, if not for myself then for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.originalsoulonline.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/originalsoul31
• Facebook: facebook.com/originalsoulM4G
• Twitter: twitter.com/originalsoul
• Youtube: youtube.com/c/originalsoul