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URBAN MYSTIC: Up-and-comer reveals latest 'Revelations'
The son of a minister, Urban got the urge to sing in the choir loft and has welcomed his very gospel-esque sound to urban radio. His sophomore album, “Ghetto Revelations: II” is actually his debut into the limelight. This disc is quite aggressively making Urban a household name, bringing back producer KayGee and bringing on board help from the likes of rappers Paul Wall and Trick Daddy to show-off on the disc, available in stores now.
“’Ghetto Revelations: II’ is a continuation of ‘Ghetto Revelations I,’” Urban said of the new disc. “Basically, my first album had a lot of old school, soulful vibes on it. It had one rap song on that album. I felt like with the first album, people didn’t really get to know me and didn’t get to see what it is that I do. With this album, I just wanted to pick back up where I left off. I wanted to come back and capitalize on more of the hip-hop, more of the young age music. I’ll let the fans decide if there will be a III or a IV. I’ve lived in the ghetto, I grew up in the ghetto and I have a revelation that needs to be fulfilled. If it takes two or three more albums to fulfill that, so be it.”
Urban’s voice has been noted as “raspy, soulful, Southern-style.” It has the earmarks of gospel greats, so his gospel upbringing and gospel aspirations aren’t really a surprise. He said of plans to make a gospel album in the future: “That’s going to be in the making. Once I get through with telling my revelation, a gospel album will definitely be in the making.”
Currently, of course, Urban is not a gospel singer, per se, although his moniker alludes to his background.
“I actually got the name Urban Mystic from the CEO of my record label, Cecil Barker [of SoBe Entertainment]. The name [describes] me as a person: Urban represents my urban life, my urban style of living; and Mystic has a spiritual meaning behind it, my spiritual background – I was raised in the church and I currently still singing in the church. I felt this was me for real. I went along with the name Urban Mystic because I felt it was just the right thing at the right time,” he said.
Urban further explained that he was formerly known as Top Dollar, but the label exec felt that the name Urban Mystic had a more universal appeal.
“With the type of music that I’m doing, Top Dollar just didn’t stick and didn’t coincide with the music I was doing, as far as R&B and hip-hop. If I was doing just hip-hop, it would work.”
Urban’s music spans the spectrum of urban music with its gospel undertones, weaved between R&B melodies and hip-hop backbeats. The first single, “It’s You” does just that, pairing producer KayGee. The tune caught the attention of “The People’s Champ,” Paul Wall.
“‘It’s You’ is basically talking about a woman in you life that you’re doing all these things for,” Urban described. “That woman could be your wife, that woman could be your daughter; it could even be your mother. You’re just letting her know it’s you that you’ll go out on a limb for. As far as bringing in Paul Wall,” he continued, “One of my reps out of Texas is good friends with Paul Wall. He let Paul Wall listen to some of my tracks and when Paul Wall heard the ‘It’s You’ track he said, ‘This track could use some hip-hop.’ And I said, ‘Why don’t we get a verse from you on that.’ So Paul Wall came through and blessed the track for us.”
Another cut, “Let’s Make A Change,” expresses Urban’s conscious level and further exhibits his gospel-hip hop melding talents. The track talks about the contributions of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, but it also incorporates the lyrical stylings of Trick Daddy.
“I went and got one of the artists from the neighborhood I’m from – Trick Daddy. He blessed the track for me. This is a song we made for the world for someone to listen to or when you’re down and you need something to uplift your spirit. It’s talking about what our ancestors like Rosa Parks and Dr. King wanted to do back then, but we’re doing it in the modern-day style. We’re just trying to let everybody know, especially what’s going on in today’s society, that we can make a change.”
Urban Mystic is clearly working to make a change in urban music. The singer, who performs his rap-sing flair with an eight-piece band, says he is ready to “show fans all sides of me” and urges music fans to keep their ears open.
“Ghetto Revelations: II” is in stores now. For more on Urban Mystic, check out his website at www.urbanmysticmusic.com.
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