yr a story teller...

When I heard "The underclass" I almost shed a tear which is rare for me (unless its gospel music). Reason being I was a blue collared worker myself and let me tell you ,being a tradeswoman has its own struggles. But truth is when people want a service they seem not to acknowledge you as a person. I did elevator construction and all people would do was constantly ask from day one is "when will the elevator be done" (mind you that alot of the time they would know in advance that the elevator would be out of service for several weeks). Then they would start complaining about why they need elevator blah blah blah not realizing the hard and DANGEROUS work it would take to make it happen. They didn't care that we could possibly die in the process. Then after all of that I would go in the street with white collared workers looking down on me because I was dirty and considering me "lower class" when in all honesty I was making more money than them a lot of time and more importantly without the hard work of us blue collars their little world might not be as comfortable you know. sorry for such a long message just wanted to let you know how much i was feeling that piece...

The beats got me hooked but the lyrics blew my mind. There were many "did he just say that" moments. I knew that SoSoon was a good lyricist but this is the complete package. I'm definitely a fan.

SoSoon is an amazing lyricist. he treads that line between mainstream and conscious rap well. i have the pleasure of knowing this man and seeing him grow since that performance at 40/40 to his double single release on black Friday. His music is amazing and he has a great character and a beautiful soul which shows throughout the songs he writes and performs. he gives voice to the other wise silent faces of this city and of this country. i am glad to know him as a performer and as a friend. soon the world will know who SoSoon is.

I remember a tear being shed between the two of us over a new piece he wrote about the unseen people (predominantly of color) who keep this city running. The people who keep the city awake when the rest of it's inhabitants are sleeping. He said it to me as a poem, but I heard it later with the beat backing it up. It was a great moment to share that emotion, and I won't forget it. :)

I like it cuz he is DOPE, PERIOD, EXCLAMATION!! Youi can tell he thinks about his lyrics and his hooks are on point. I mean what else do you want? damn!

I went to SoSoon's double single release party on Friday November 28, 2008 and it was so phenomenal! The ambiance of the venue was perfect for the occassion: SoSoon's birthday -- a memento of a year's worth of accomplishments including the long awaited CD release.

The room was filled with the energy of the audience's sheer excitement and anticipation for SoSoon's performance. However, before his set, we were given a jam packed showcase of some of New York's most talented poets and artists. Somehow, knowing that each artist was someone that Soon genuinely respects and/or considers to be his friend made the performances more meaningful and memorable.

Although all of the performances were spectacular, I have to spotlight Charan P. She read a poem written for her brother, which is one of SoSoon's favorites. The poem tells a story about the "boxes" that young black men are literally and figuratively placed into in our society, but the piece particularly outlines how academic failure often leads to limited options in life. This poem and performance sticks out to me, not only because it is one of SoSoon's favorite poems, but because it captures the essence of SoSoon's name and the spirit of the work that SoSoon does behind the scenes. As a student, full-time worker, and community service agent -- SoSoon creates his music based on the beliefs that art can be fun yet socially responsible, art can catalyze positive social change, and art is culturally relevant.

To end the show, SoSoon did a 30 minute set, which highlighted his growth and lyrical versatility. The content ranged from lyrically savvy tracks that illustrated Soon's keen writing abilities, to uptempo joints that showed Soon's MCing skills, and then to more conscious tracks that illustrated his perceptions/world views. In addition to this, the songs performed were linked together by pre-recorded transitional interludes, which demonstrated SoSoon's cleverness and playful creativity...

I'll stop there and just suggest that if you missed this one, do your research and catch SoSoon at an upcoming show!

I am blessed to have witnessed this performance and I can't wait until the full album release party! I am happy for Soon, Tim, and everyone else who worked so hard to make this event so successful. Cheers!

-G