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Souleye (hip hop artist)

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This article is about the American hip hop artist. For the chiptune musician, see VVVVVV#Soundtrack.
Souleye
Birth nameMario John Treadway[1]
Also known asSouleye
Born (1980-05-03) May 3, 1980 (age 44)
Sturbridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
Years active2000–present
LabelsIndependent
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​
Websitesouleye.com

Mario John Treadway (born May 3, 1980), better known by his stage name, Souleye, is an American hip hop artist. He has released 12 albums, including his latest, Disguised As Tomorrow, which was released in March 2023. Among others, he has performed and recorded with BLVD, and his wife, Alanis Morissette.[2][3][4][5]

He has also collaborated in the studio with artists such as South African rock musician Esjay Jones, Lynx, Lila Rose, fellow rappers like Big Samir, Main Flow and Chachillie and more.

Souleye is a strong advocate for using his music to raise consciousness by writing about themes such as self-discovery, mental health, inner child work, therapy and spirituality. He is also known as a master of lyrical wordplay, polyrhythmic rapping, beatboxing, and rapid-fire freestyling.

Early life and education

Souleye was born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.[6] He began rapping in high school, from which he graduated in 1999. Souleye went on to attend Western New England College on a basketball scholarship for a year before leaving school. He then traveled the country, living in West Palm Beach, Florida all the way to Mount Shasta, California, Colorado, Los Angeles, and then up to the Bay Area, following his calling.[6] He had an older brother who died by suicide.[6]

Career

Early years

In 2001 he began writing, performing and traveling with a loosely knit collective of conscious hip hop artists called the Transcendental Alliance; in 2003, he released an album titled Soul Sessions with underground hip hop artist Campaign.[6]

The same year, Souleye's best friend was diagnosed with cancer. After his death, Souleye retreated to Mount Greylock in The Berkshires of Massachusetts, where he wrote the album Flexible Morality. In 2004, his brother died by suicide, and while cleaning out his apartment Souleye discovered that his brother had affixed a sticker which read "Music Matters" on the ceiling where he hanged himself. Given the same sticker by his brother years previously, Souleye embraced "Music Matters" as his mission statement and released UniverSoul Alchemy that same year.[6]

In 2006, he teamed up with producer Samuel "Sleepyhead" Pohner in Asheville, North Carolina, and as Souleye & Sleepyhead, they released Intergalactic Vibes.[7] The album won a new music contest sponsored by Relix, and as the contest winners, Souleye and Sleepyhead performed on the weeklong Jamcruise 4. While there, Souleye freestyled with Michael Franti, and was invited to play with Bassnectar. Following the Jamcruise, he performed extensively with Bassnectar. Souleye wrote and recorded the song "Amorphous Form" on Bassnectar's album Underground Communication.[8][9] In 2007, Souleye joined the San Francisco-based electronic band BLVD, with whom he recorded the album Music for People. He toured with the band until 2009, and subsequently began performing once again as Souleye.[10]

He met his wife Alanis Morissette at a meditation gathering in a Los Angeles residence in 2009, and they were married in 2010. Souleye opened Morissette's 2012 "Guardian Angel" tour and has since collaborated with her frequently. He released the album Iron Horse Running in 2013 and Identified Time in 2014.[11][12]

Shapeshifting and WILDMAN (2015–2017)

In 2015, Souleye released his album Shapeshifting. The full-length album featured focus tracks, "The Victim" and "Labeled". The music video for "The Victim" premiered on Yahoo Music and "Labeled" made it to the Top 20 Official European Independent Music Charts. The album featured artwork by acclaimed visual artist Rob Prior.

On November 11, 2016, Souleye released the debut single, "Follow Your Heart", to his forthcoming album WILDMAN. Following up to his first single, Souleye released "Snow Angel" featuring Alanis Morissette in January 2017. The music video premiered on Fuse TV and has been reviewed and featured by The Huffington Post.[13] The album was produced by Crush Effect and was released in September 2017. It featured a number of other hit singles, including the title track featuring Lynx.

Soul School (2019)

In 2019, Souleye released Soul School, featuring his first collaboration with South African vocalist Esjay Jones, as well as other collaborations with 2Mex, Sabi, Donny Arcade, and Chachillie, on tracks like "Sacred Design", "Felicity" and "Come Down".

Hunting Teardrops and Disguised as Tomorrow (2021–Present)

He followed up that album with 2021's hunting teardrops, once again working with painter Rob Prior on the cover. The album spun off a number of hit singles and music videos for songs like "Ghost Steps", "Incredible Hulk", "Fireside", "Doorway to the Future" and "Time's Game".

The following year, Souleye released the single 'Emergency", featuring Morissette on the song's chorus. Shortly after, he enlisted veteran music producer ill.GATES to make a remix of the song. It became his most streamed song to date.

On March 3, 2023, Souleye released his 12th full-length studio album, Disguised As Tomorrow, which features some of his most dynamic and ambitious tracks yet, including collaborations with Esjay Jones, fellow rappers Big Samir and Main Flow, and singer/songwriter and activist Lila Rose. The album has spurred a half dozen singles, including "Human Spirit", "Letter To The Old Me", "The Unheard", "Protected", "Weight of Your Soul", and "Exit the Maze", as well as "Emergency".[14]

Disguised As Tomorrow was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the idea that the 'tomorrow' we may anticipate for ourselves may not always be the one that comes to pass. The sound is a departure from the lighter tone of hunting teardrops, with much darker and heavier sounds for a more sonically complex musical journey. It has received tremendous praise from critics, some calling it 'album of the year' and "a whole-hearted masterpiece".[15][16][17]

Personal life

Souleye and singer-actress Alanis Morissette married on May 22, 2010.[18] Their son Ever was born on December 25, 2010,[19] their daughter Onyx on June 23, 2016,[20] and their son Winter on August 8, 2019.[21]

Discography

Albums

  • Disguised As Tomorrow 2023
  • Hunting Teardrops 2021
  • Soul School 2019
  • Wildman 2017
  • Shapeshifting 2015
  • Identified Time 2014
  • Iron Horse Running 2013
  • Music For People (with BLVD) 2008
  • Balance in Babylon 2007
  • Intergalactic Vibes 2005
  • UniverSoul Alchemy 2004
  • Flexible Morality 2003
  • Soul Sessions 2002

Guest appearances

  • VokabKompany& Stephan Jacobs - "Me Against Me" single 2013
  • VokabKompany - "Let it Fly" single 2013
  • Apaulo 8 - "Youthful Inheritance" from Infinite Possibilities 2011
  • Lila Rose - "Magick" from Osmos Your Sonica 2009
  • MiMosa - "Delivery" from Hostilis 2009
  • Random Rab - "Clarification of Meaning From a Rose" 2009
  • STS9 - Hidden Hand, Hidden Fist from Peaceblaster The New Orleans Make it Right Remixes 2009
  • Seventhswami -"Escape Artist" from Here For Now 2009
  • On The One - "Love Addiction" (remix) from Love Addiction 2008
  • "Shine" from The New Kong 2008
  • Breakbeatbuddah - "Mind Check" from Mind Bombin 2007
  • Lynx - "Just One Step" from Grain Of Sand 2007
  • Bassnectar - Amorphous Form from Underground Communication 2005

References

  1. ^ "BETTY BOOP". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  2. ^ Us Weekly Staff (June 8, 2010). "Who Is Alanis Morissette's New Husband, Mario "MC Souleye" Treadway?". US Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  3. ^ Thomas, Devon (June 9, 2010). "Five Things You Oughta Know About Souleye". CBS News. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Souleye Discography". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  5. ^ DX Staff (September 21, 2017). "Rapper Souleye Drops "Wildman" Album". HipHopDX. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e Selah, Makkadah (February 24, 2005). "Medicine Man". New Times. Broward/Palm Beach, Florida. Retrieved August 13, 2015. Treadway was born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. ... He continued his love affair with hip-hop through high school, graduating in 1999 and earning a basketball scholarship to Western New England College. But after a year ... he left school and hit the road....
  7. ^ "Intergalactic Vibes at All Music". All Music. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  8. ^ "(Video) Souleye and Michael Franti Performing on JamCruise". YouTube. Rolling Wheel. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  9. ^ "Listen to Bassnectar - Amorphous Form - Feat E Note & Souleye". The Music Hutch. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  10. ^ Mendick, Jonathan (July 23, 2009). "BLVD bring 'dance party' to Beatnik". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  11. ^ Pajer, Nicole (October 17, 2012). "Alanis Morissette Takes Rap, Works With Husband Souleye". Billboard. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  12. ^ Jamm, Rick (June 3, 2015). "Souleye: "Identified Time"". Jamsphere. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  13. ^ "Pioneering a New Way: Rapper Souleye on Art & Commerce". HuffPost. January 31, 2017.
  14. ^ "When Visual Art and Music Collide: An Interview With Genre-Bending Hip-Hop Artist Souleye and Acclaimed Visual Artist Rob Prior". Swaggger. July 6, 2023.
  15. ^ "International Hip Hop Artist Souleye Just Made 'Album of the Year' With 'Disguised As Tomorrow'". Daily Music Spin. March 8, 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  16. ^ Rebecca Cullen (March 8, 2023). "Souleye - Disguised As Tomorrow". StereoStickman. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  17. ^ "With Latest Album, Disguised As Tomorrow, Genre-Bending Rapper Souleye Cements Legacy As One Of The Most Inventive Hip-Hop Artists of His Generation". The Source. March 18, 2023.
  18. ^ Laudadio, Marisa (June 7, 2010). "Alanis Morissette Marries in Intimate Ceremony at Home". People. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  19. ^ Hammel, Sarah (December 27, 2010). "Alanis Morissette Is a Mom!". People. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  20. ^ Juneau, Jen; Nelson, Jeff (July 8, 2016). "Alanis Morissette Welcomes Daughter Onyx Solace".
  21. ^ Pasquini, Maria (August 12, 2019). "'He's Here!' Alanis Morissette Welcomes Son Winter Mercy — See His First Photo". People.
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