Why I'm coming home (an open letter)

04.17.13

I’ve been around the globe. India, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Brasil, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and finally my maternal homeland of Haiti. Ten counties in ten months, and the door is open to a world I’ve only partially discovered. This has been the most exciting year of my life! I’ve trekked into jungles miles away from the nearest human, settled in cosmopolitan labyrinths making dear friends and developing daily routines, I’ve been sucked in by paradise tropical islands on more than one continent, been touched by people and various struggles of the greatest importance and in desperate need of support, and fell for girls in more than one country, yet still… I’m coming home. Back to work.

It was 14 years ago that I wrote my first rhyme. More than half a lifetime has passed since then and the feeling music gives me is still the same. Art has always come naturally for me, even before I could read or write I was drawing, painting, and improvising music while other kids were playing outside. But it wasn’t until I first heard my voice on a recording, and when I stepped on stage, that I knew what my calling was. I could see the power in words and how the stage could be used as a platform not just to elevate the artist with the microphone but the people who surrounded him, soaking in the music.

I have been blessed with your support. An ever-growing following of people who enjoy my music, and value what I have to say. Few people are given this opportunity, and I view it as a privilege and treat it as a responsibility.

Everywhere I have gone on this spectacular journey I have connected with people through music. Strangers have turned to friends through shared rhythm and rhyme. I was welcomed into spiritual ceremonies in East Africa, brought on stage at Carnival in Brasil, welcomed in the studios and homes of internationally respected artists as well as unsung heroes and geniuses; all the while not-so-quietly soaking in my surroundings like a musical sponge.

However, all the while home was calling. My life and career back in the US was never far from my heart, and I spent many hours on long train, plane, bus and boat rides writing rhymes and thinking about my people back home. My responsibility to share and educate, and bring people together. I spent the first part of my career sharing… My life, my story, Yours Truly. Then I needed to further educate myself on life beyond my world. And now I head home, humbly ready to share my new vision.

Expect new music, new ideas, and more shows in new places. The Zilla is back.

I missed y’all.

Yours Truly,

Sol

NEW SINGLE: “Dope” (prod. by The Zillas)

04.02.13

New Video - “Sometime in April”

01.24.13

Written, recorded, and filmed in Durban, South Africa, here is the video for “Sometime in April”. SIA explores the current duality of my life, split between the places I’ve traveled to and my life back home in Seattle. The title of the song is a reference and announcement that I will finally be returning back to the United States in April after completing this 10 month trip around the globe. The song is produced by Nima Skeemz (“2020” & “Paint”) and the video is shot by Pascal Bennett.

My Time in India

10.30.12

June 22 - August 18

India is one of those places that will undoubtedly change your life. The man I was before I landed in Delhi and the man I am now, after having spent two months traveling around the country, are strangers in many ways.

Spending my days walking through Tamil temples in Madurai built before Christ, waking up to morning prayer echoing from 18th century mosques the size of the White House, and visiting contemporary guru’s ashrams as well as the infamous Auroville (Google it…) cult-like colony but not before my homie was literally cursed by a holy woman, spending the next 24 hours puking his guts (and the evil spirits) out. Shit in India is real… even the spiritual and supernatural.

Throughout the two months I was in india, I made my way around Delhi, Agra, and different parts of Rajasthan before heading south to Karnataka, around Kerala and ﬁnally deep into the soul of Tamil Nadu and it’s powerful history, culture, and people. In my time I learned what I could of each language (different sometimes between town to town), made some of the best friends of my life, and wrote music when I could ﬁnd the time and mental space away from the craziness.

Much like I saw when I was in Brasil in 2009; the socio-economic disparity in India is colossal. Some of the world’s best universities, smartest scientists, and richest royalty and businessMEN live in India, but so do some of the worlds poorest, starving, and illiterate people. And with a total population of more than 1.2 billion people, the number of folks below the poverty line is disheartening. I was moved by the things I saw, the history and spirituality I felt, the many friends I made and conversations I had. The result was a transformation, only one country into my global journey and I am moving past the old me…

For those that have been following my travels via Twitter, Instagram and such, I appreciate you all. Everyday my experiences are reminding me of how blessed I am, and keeping you updated on this adventure is really important to me. Expect more to come in the near future. For now, you can view the whole photo album from India here.

From my heart to all of you.

Yours Truly,

Zilla

“Old Him” (Prod. by The Zillas)

10.16.12

Since I started traveling, it’s been a pretty dynamic experience. It’s been beautiful and very difficult at the same time. India is a place that has some of the most promising things, but also some of the most devastating things. They have greatest thinkers and wealthy businessmen, yet at the same time millions of people starving and struggling. Photographs just don’t do it justice. While in India, I was lucky enough to find my way into a studio. Being back in a comfortable environment, like the studio, I was able work though my thoughts and created this song.

Here is “Old Him”, a song produced by my Zillas (Elan Wright & Nima Skeemz) 8,000 miles away back home in Seattle, written while on the night train to Bangalore, India, and recorded in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It was recorded while I was severely sick from food poisoning (caused two months into my trip, after being convinced by my Indian friends to try KFC for the ﬁrst time in my life). Side Note: While their reputation is subpar in the United States, both KFC and McDonalds are held in high regard as “middle-class” restaurants in parts of the world such as India and China. You will see young couples going on dates at KFC.

For those that have been following my travels via Twitter, Instagram and such… I appreciate you all. Everyday my experiences are reminding me of how blessed I am, and keeping you updated on this adventure is really important to me. Getting access to consistent internet has made it tough to send updates, but this new website should help, and so should the new music about my experience. Expect more in the near future, but for now I hope you enjoy “Old Him”!