Soluss Shows His True Talent On “It’s Him” & Talks More About His New Project
Intro:
Michigan artist Soluss is featured in today’s artist interview after dropping his new project titled “It’s Him” this month. The 14-track release serves as a solid representation of Soluss capturing the moment & creating some of his best music to date. After being inspired by artists like Danny Brown & Clear Soul Forces, he’s now ready to become the next big talent from the Great Lakes region. His passion & dedication to the craft are truly undeniable in comparison to other Hip-Hop peers. Before reading our brief conversation, make sure you check out this new album below.
Me: What was the creative process like while making this new project? How'd you get inspired?
Soluss: It all started because I was making a beat, and my cat, Chex, walked over the keyboard. The song that came out of it was called "Chexmix," and that was actually the name of the album for a while. It ended up evolving into something much larger, and I became more confident in it. After realizing it was my best work, I changed the title of the album to "It's Him" but kept the song Chexmix on it, and included Chex in the handmade album art.
What a neat story, haha! In addition, how would you describe your style to someone who’s never heard it before?
100% Me. If you listen to the music, then you have a pretty good idea of who I am. I always keep it totally honest and authentic, even if it means I might say some stuff out of the norm.
After moving on from having “Chexmix” as the album name, what does this title mean to you, and why did you choose it?
I chose the title because I am quite confident in the project, and simply wanted people to know that was the emotion going through my head while we were creating it. I just kept thinking, “man, that was good”. I am really him! I decided to stop being as reclusive and passive about my work and let people know that this is a project not to be missed.
What was ultimately the most challenging part of the creation process?
Getting out of the slump of not recording for years. I haven't recorded in almost 8 years, so after rebranding myself and building more confidence, I decided it was time. That and money... making music isn't cheap!
And what does your life look like outside of music, too? Any hobbies or interests that fans may not expect?
I am a huge tabletop gamer. Everything from Warhammer to Everdell. A good friend of mine happens to be right by our studio, so a few times I was able to get in a game of Warhammer with him, and immediately get to my studio session after.
At what point in time did you realize that music was your calling? Or was it more of a natural progression?
Pretty much as soon as I could talk, I wanted to be a performer of some type. It wasn't gradual at all. I think if I had to pick one specific moment that sparked my passion, it would be a friend's gathering in 2008ish, where I met my now close friend Ron1n Sumo, and Him, Kayoken, and myself freestyled the whole night, even though I was terrible at it. We have around 4 hours of recordings from that night. I was like, "Man, these guys are really good. I need to get so much better." We went on to form our group "Ready Set Flow," and we are constantly creating together still.
Excellent! Additionally, are there any other upcoming releases or plans that you're comfortable sharing with the readers?
Nothing concrete that I can say right now. There are some things in the works, such as the album "Kim's House" by Kayoken and myself, along with a project from me and one of my favorite artists of all time that I can't say right now, but we will definitely have a short project together. I recently signed with Architect Entertainment, and I have been working with Detroit's "The Davis Way" on my future moves.
And finally, in your own words, why should a new listener check out this new release today?
Because if they don't, they will be passing up the chance to maybe find something that really resonates with them! That's all I want. I just want people to hear my music and feel something. If I can make that happen with this album, then I can consider it a great success!
