With so much negativity in our world, it is always refreshing to hear a group with a positive message without sounding corny. Thus the unique combination of the emcee (Lil Sci) and the Femcee/songstress (Stacy Epps) bring to life Sol Uprising (Lil Sci + Stacy Epps). Sol Uprising combines the perfect balance of male and female energy to create their own vision of soul music. Sci’s hip-hop edge and Stacy Epps melodic voice and emcee prowess may conjure a certain nostalgia for certain groups like the Fugees or Digable Planets, but after one listen to their debut Sol Power that certain nostalgia will diminish and the agenda that Sol Uprising prepares to express comes to life.

     The duo’s debut would answer the question “what would a co-ed Blackstar sound like?” as the blend of uplifting messages, raw rhymes and soulful melodies run parallel to Mos Def & Talib Kweli’s now classic debut. But don’t get it confused with a Blackstar clone, as their unique style develops into a world of its own. Solid grooves like the lovely “Solar Love” and the moody title track “Sol Power” massage the listeners’ eardrums with mellow vibes and potent lyrics. The chemistry between the two is beautiful on “They Don’t Know”, where Stacy’s lovely vocals provide the perfect landscape for Sci to drive his message home “So many go against the grain for dough/allot of sex money and drugs fa sho/ignorance is bliss/that’s why we bring the sounds of purpose/and watch all the frauds get nervous.” Don’t sleep on Mz. Epps either, after one dose of her venomous truth on “The Uprising” she will bring many hip hop headz to their knees. When she delivers “I’m callin cease fire for my brothers on the streets/in the middle east be careful which way you aim your piece/I was once blinded in the belly of the beast/now its freedom I seek/and it won’t stop until the missions complete…” over the same sample that Nas drove the dagger home on “Ether”. Her scathing verse will have the most lame cat thrusting a noble fist into the air. With a generous portion of the album produced by ID4Windz, it never misses a step with its continuous vibe of that beautiful fireball we call soul music.

     Although Stacy Epps’ soulful singing approach may not be every hip hop head’s cup of tea, for those who love the fusion of soul and hip hop, Sol Uprising delivers. With Sol Power’s deep rooted tones and powerful messages it may not be embraced like it should. But with artists like Dead Prez, Mos Def, and Common pounding home raw messages and getting mucho love from the mainstream, Sol Uprising may be on the right track. So get your souls ready because this unique duo is ready to shake up the world.