Home > Music > Soul Position > Discography

Soul Position 8 Million Stories Release Date: 2003 10 07 Label: Fatbeats/Rhymesayers Ent Although Columbus, Ohio's Soul Position had released a five-song EP the previous year, 2003's 8 Million Stories is the group's first full-length record, and is definitely a strong debut. Blueprint's songs all tell stories of people and the situations they might find themselves in. The events can be humorous (as in "The Jerry Springer Episode"), critical ("Look of Pain," "Fckajob"), or just explanatory ("Run," "Right Place, Wrong Time"), but they're always very detailed and good at capturing listeners' attention. Yes, Blueprint can be overly dramatic (almost all of his serious tales end in death or destruction of some sort), but this can be excused by the fact that he is very sincerely trying to point out and comment on problems in American society. And anyway, he lightens the mood of the record by inserting more playful songs between the heavier ones, like the three-part "Candyland," in which he reminisces on growing up in the '80s, alphabetically listing toys and TV shows (how many hip-hop albums reference popples?) in "Part 1," high school activities (that's a loose definition, as both "Coca-Cola jackets" and "feeling girls' booties" are included) in "Part 2," and types of candy in "Part 3," all over a lush beat. And it's no mistaking that RJD2's the one making the music for Soul Position. 8 Million Stories sounds like it was taken right from the Dead Ringer sessions, complete with descending, melancholic guitar and piano lines, and funk-inspired rhythms. This all goes well with Blueprint's delivery, which incorporates a cadenced, almost spoken word style that RJD2 works to highlight with his use of both melodic instrumentation and silence. It's a successful combination, with very few things that fall short ("Run" may be the sole example of a song that doesn't quite make it, with an overuse of the title word that just becomes boring, even though the subject matter -- escape, avoidance, and fear -- is fairly provocative and interesting). 8 Million Stories is quite promising, and definitely puts Soul Position on track to be another great producer/MC combination. Marisa Brown, All Music Guide Tracks: Title Composer Time 1 Intro Blueprint [1], RJD Two 2:00 2 Printmatic Blueprint [1], RJD Two 3:46 3 Inhale RJD Two, Blueprint [1] 3:23 4 Jerry Springer Episode Blueprint [1], RJD Two 5:21 5 Candyland, Part 1 RJD Two, Blueprint [1] 1:19 6 Just Think Blueprint [1], RJD Two 5:24 7 Fuckajob Blueprint [1], RJD Two 3:58 8 Look of Pain Blueprint [1], RJD Two 4:12 9 Survival Blueprint [1], RJD Two 4:24 10 Candyland, Part 2 Blueprint [1], RJD Two 1:35 11 Share This Blueprint [1], RJD Two 5:37 12 Run Blueprint [1], RJD Two 3:58 13 Right Place, Wrong Time Blueprint [1], RJD Two 4:11 14 Candyland, Part 3 RJD Two, Blueprint [1] 1:06 15 No Excuse for Lovin Blueprint [1], RJD Two 5:04 16 1 Love RJD Two, Blueprint [1] 12:43 Releases: Year Type Label 2003 CD Fatbeats/Rhymesayers Ent 2004 CD Rhymesayers Entertainment 2003 LP Rhymesayers Entertainment

Group Members: Rjd2 Blueprint More >> Similar Artists: Aesop Rock Atmosphere Psalm One Afroman More >>

Influenced By: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth Eric B. & Rakim More >>

Browse More Music:
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z