There is something to be admired when it comes to an artist comfortable in their own skin. Fearless storytelling is something you do not get a chance to experience regularly. By fusing elements of Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Funk, and Hip-Hop, Silas Stapleton III is a young man content with doing anything outside of the norm. Sticking to his own honest brand of music has the Jackson, MS product making waves. From local publications like Jackson news channel WAPT, to national outlets like Vibe magazine everyone is on notice with the rapper, SilaS.
2015 saw a change for the musician, formerly known as Trey Parker, with the release of Gullah Gullah Island. Though already known for his regional success, this 90’s Nickoledeon-inspired single took SilaS to new heights. The single has organically grown to a life of its own and is still growing virally with nearly 700,000 plays via soundcloud and youtube. In addition to that success is an approximate 22 million total views of memes based off the song, such as this one. Gullah Gullah Island is certainly an addictive record that takes you down memory lane, but what really makes it special is the content matter. “I kind of wanted to flip the whole spectrum on it and change the meaning” said Silas in regard to the song. “Everything that’s going on with social media right now and in the world. The current events are what triggered me to do the song the way I did”. Using the nostalgic sample, SilaS imagines an all black world which is devoid from many of the issues that currently plague our community. Police brutality, drugs and poverty simply do not exist in this land. It is Black Excellence in audio form.
The trip to Gullah Gullah isn’t the only journey SilaS looks to take you on. His latest release, The Day I Died, is a vast exploration in itself. It teleports you to the mindset of an adolescent Silas Stapelton and the path in which he develops into a man willing to accept himself and his surroundings. Track by track opens up chapters to a bigger story, each record essential to the overall body of work. “The biggest theme of this album is being comfortable in my own skin and accepting who I am as a person”. There are stories of a childhood crush on “Nicki” to pair with tales of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Power Rangers on “One Saturday Morning”. On this nostalgic journey you really get to follow his his electric path as a youth. The music here has so much content and is presented in such a charismatic manner that is so honest, you have no choice but to learn more about him upon listening.
We recently had the distinct opportunity to sit down with Silas to discuss his music. With an album as personal as TDID it was a great chance to learn more about the stories that inspired these songs. To get the scoop on that, the changes he has made within himself and much more listen to our complete interview below.
http://soundcloud.com/1stdayfresh/exclusive-interview-w-dearsilas
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