Ab-Soul is an American hip-hop artist from Carson, California. Born via birthname Herbert Anthony Stevens IV in 1986, Ab-Soul has risen to fame over the last decade and a half as one of the most truly unique figures in the rap game. With a blend of uncarved lyricism, determined ambition and a fearless willingness to both innovate and experiment, Ab-Soul has successfully carved out his own lane to stand among the generational titans of today's rap music.
Before establishing himself as a prominent rapper, Stevens was just an unknown emcee growing up amid the throng of Los Angeles's hip-hop scene. His father, a music industry veteran, could often be found nurturing young Ab-Soul into his own personal rap protege. Unfortunately, Ab-Soul's opportunity at a prolific music career was cut short in 2003 as the emcee's father passed away due to a brain aneurysm. During his father's passing, Ab-Soul gained the notion that music is transcendental and acts as a lasting landmark in that it lives eternally regardless of owners. With that debut philosophy, he selected his moniker "Ab-Soul" which can be summarized by concept that "our souls remain ageless." While mourning the unfortunate blow of his father, and subsequently moving from Los Angeles to Carson, Ab-Soul made his first mixtape in 2006.
In the early days of his music career, Ab-Soul considered himself an underground artist who focused on making distinct soundscapes that were generated from witty wordplay and unpredictable flows. As a young unknown trying to make his mark, Ab-Soul spent time linking up with the right circle and familiars to reach an ever expanding listener pool. Getting his name out, Ab-Soul joined East Coast rapper J. Cole on his worldwide release “Friday Night Lightsâ€, and later connected up with fellow Grammy Award-winning West Coast rapper Kendrick Lamar. To further promote his own talent, Ab-Long Beach-native even recruited some of Southern Californias ear engineering minds such as producer Sounwave or feature Sean "P. Diddy" Combs to throw a flavor to his crafts.
In late 2010, Ab-Soul group Black Hippy was announced and represented four some hip-hop luminaries tag teaming and building together by the powers of Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock as Top Dawg Entertainment's first line up collective. Entitled after their hometown of `Cali" prior to they signed to rap music mogul Dr. Dre's Interscope Records as the first grade of TDE's roster. Consequently, Black Hippy would perfect their self-produced debut single “Zip That Chop That†together and extend their dynamic as a cohesive musical unit. Spearheaded by Ab-Soul, the foursome would apply classic raw lyricism and an element of relatable storylines to revive the Los Angeles Underground Hip-Hop scene
Between 2011 to now, Ab-Soul has gone on to release four solo cut projects, each advancing his strong fundamental cornerstones hip-hop delivery: excellent worldplay and tireless wordplay, personifying conceptually amazing raw soundscapes that pair up the infinitesimal ingenuity you hear on each bar. Ab Soul studio efforts began with 2012's "Control System" released on Top Dawg Entertainment and rolled on with his next release having guest appearances of guest Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar. Aside from success locally and nationally, Ab-Soul even achieved a Grammy nod for his work on 2013s â€good kid, m.A.A.D City†title track for â€Best Rap Song." After a three years hiatus, Ab-Soul put out a total of four independently-released albums, including 2017's "Why Do I Love You".
A true visionary of hip-hop, Ab-Soul continues to puts out respectable projects as a solo artist, combining both soulful life depictions and ethereal lyrical elements within a panoramic imaginative style that is all Ab-Soul's own. His initiative to break boundaries and willingness to take risks have molded Ab-Soul into the authoritative creator of his time. Having toured overseas across Europe and North America, Ab-Soul takes parts in hip-hop writing and collects inspiring new material that he combines into a tantalizing cocktail to be enjoyed by the masses. Entertaining a generation of growing rap fans, Ab-Soul serves up cultural cuisine of conscious thought provoking stimulation in a manner that simply cannot be overlooked.
So nearly 15 years in the game, Ab-Soul is established to be a leader of hip-hop for generations to follow. With an eclectic beat selection and global collaborators, Ab-Soul is crating his own unique legacy, transcending over hardships as he journeys for more soundscape genius. Having steadily proving his weight since his father's passing, Ab-Soul is living with an inspirational appreciation for the craft, and is word the way music. This journey to his dream-reality is inspriation to intellectual ears across the world, and is a constant reminder that your demise can become your destiny.