With the first line of his latest EP ITIS, rapper/producer SoloSam ask “what is you plottin, what is you schemin?”, a question that anyone who has been following his rise has wondered for the last few months. It turns out that what he was plotting was a 7 track EP that shows off his versatility as both a rapper and a producer. Each track attacks a different idea with a surgical precision, bouncing from his personal story to larger social commentary.
ITIS was written, produced and composed by SoloSam. With ITIS, Solo delivers a body of work that exudes confidence, self-awareness, and gratitude from the MC. The project is based on the concept of escaping excessive consumerism and the feeling that comes with it once you give in. For those who are unaware, “itis” is the lethargy that comes after overeating, yet ironically, there is a sense of urgency to ITIS.
SoloSam uses his powerful baritone to show the ills of a society based on overconsumption, and to motivate listeners to think about what they are taking in, and what they are accepting because of their apathy. The instrumentals vary in style, but have an underlying cohesiveness that brings the whole project together. ITIS was engineered by long-time collaborator, Rob Mefford b.k.a. BanksTheGenius and features singles ‘Fast’ and ‘The Come Up’. ITIS feels like an instant classic and like most classic projectsthe more you listen to it, the more you find.
Give it a listen below.
A few months ago SoloSam released the video to the single “Fast”
SoloSam entered the Chicago local scene after deciding to leave college as a psychology and communications double major and Division I football player to pursue music full-time. SoloSam has captured the attention of the local scene and more through his captivating performances and invigorating records. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.