Souleye – Wildman (Album Review)

Souleye is your go-to rapper when it comes to positive rap content, and with his 11 track album named, ‘Wildman’, you get a full body of work that aims to uplift, encourage, and relate with listeners in every type of way.

TOP 5

5. DREAM COME TRUE

I love when Hip hop artists blend in pop/techno music into their music, especially when its done in a well laid out way; this is exactly what you get here. Laced with an explosive instrumental, ‘Dream Come True’ treats fans to this highly energetic sound that will have you wishing you can take off work and attend the nearest club party in your area.

Souleye raps with a purpose on this song, providing this slick/soothing sound to the track. Not only do you get lots of meaningful bars from him on this song, but you also get this very catchy melody and approach that compliments the vibe of the record perfectly.

I love the overall vibes of this song.

4. FOLLOW YOUR HEART

They simply don’t make beautiful rap records like ‘Follow Your Heart’ anymore.

The purpose of this song is to promote positivity, as Soul raps about uplifting each other through a variety of methods. He’s definitely confident in his bars, flowing very well over a beat that isn’t catered for a rapper to spit on.

I love positive rap more than anything. Rap has so much energy already associated with it, so why not convert that energy into jubilant thoughts right? Why not listen to a song that makes you feel good? Every once in a while your ears need hand sanitizer too!

3. HIP HOP MEDICINE

This is easily the most lyrical song on this album, as it features an aggressive version of Souleye that is determined to get listeners off their feet.

Accompanied by an old school instrumental that reminds you of 90’s West coast rap, Souleye shines bright being both the hype man and killer MC on the track. I love the timeless flow that he uses on his raps, as he glides through the track spitting some galvanizing bars about his dominance in his genre. You’re going to like the hunger/determination in Souleye’s voice, showing the inner Lion in him when he’s on the mic.

2. CLASSIC

‘Classic’ reminds me of one of those hip hop records in which the featured MC’s can just speak their minds without the pressure to appeal.

Souleye has the first verse on this song, and he raps with this slow tempo that allows you to hear his every word. In his content, he truly does open up his feelings, making sure he is as vulnerable as it gets to his fans.

Chachillie has the second verse, and he makes sure he puts his stamp on the song from start to finish. With a tongue-twisting flow reminiscent to Three Six Mafia’s style, the North Carolina rapper focuses on dropping as lyrical a verse as you will get on this album.

Chantal Kreviazuk is featured on the hook of this song, and her spirited performance rounds up the beauty of this song. Just like Souleye, she has this slow tempo’d sound that allows you to zone out from start to finish.

This might be my personally favorite song on the album

1. WILDMAN (5/5)

‘Wildman’ is a passionate record in all fronts: You get a chilling hook from Lynx, and aggressive bars that show the appetite for realness that Soul has been blessed with.

‘Wildman’ has about 3-4 sides to it: Pop, hardcore rap, soul, and absolute wildness at the end. I absolutely love the record, and see it as a track that took more than a day to make.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

DREAM COME TRUE (4/5)

2. CLASSIC (4.5/5)

3. WILDMAN (5/5)

4. SOUL EXPRESSION (3.9/5)

5. FOLLOW YOUR HEART (4.8/5)

6. MILES AWAY (3.9/5)

7. YOU’RE AN ANGEL (3.8/5)

8. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (4/5)

9. PAIN BODY (3.9/5)

10. SNOW ANGEL (4.3/5)

11. HIP HOP MEDICINE (4.5/5)

OVERALL RATING (8.5/10)

To call this simply a rap album doesn’t do it justice, it’s a musical experience that excels in many different genres. While passionate raps is the engine that drives the car, it’s versatility is just as important to its overall appeal. I feel like Souleye did a tremendous job of putting everything together, excelling in the role of orchestra-tor for his own music.

Truly blessed with the ability to rap, SoulEye drops some of the most truthful/genuine bars you would ever hear from an MC. I feel like no bar is wasted from him, which tells me he takes pride in being an inspirational figure to his listeners (Not just a rapper).

‘Wildman’ is a pleasant surprise in every type of way: If you needed to hear something that could give you a positive boost in your day, this album did just that. If you needed to hear some raw/old school bars, this album provided that. if you simply needed to listen to music that makes you feel good inside, this album provides that (And then some). If none of these categories fit what your looking for in an album, you can at least appreciate the fact that Souleye was able to create an album doing it totally his way.