Souleye (hip hop artist)
| Souleye | |
|---|---|
Souleye in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mario Treadway |
| Also known as | Souleye |
| Born |
May 3, 1980 Sturbridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Independent |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | www |
Mario Treadway, better known by his stage name, Souleye, is an American rapper and hip hop artist. Based in Los Angeles, he has independently released nine albums, including his latest, Shapeshifting, which was released in October 2015. Among others, he has performed and recorded with Bassnectar, BLVD, and his wife, Alanis Morissette.
Treadway was born and raised in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Influenced by artists including Buckshot, Biggie Smalls, 2Pac, Living Legends, and Hieroglyphics, he began rapping, writing, and freestyling when he was 14. He graduated from Tantasqua Regional High School in 1999 and attended Western New England College on a basketball scholarship.
Treadway left college after a year. He spent the next several years on the road. In 2001 he began writing, performing and traveling with a loosely knit collective of conscious hip hop artists called the Transcendental Alliance; in 2003, he released an album titled Soul Sessions with underground hip hop artist Campaign.
In 2003, Treadway's best friend was diagnosed with cancer. After his death, Treadway retreated to Mount Greylock in Massachusetts. In the woods alone, he wrote the album Flexible Morality. In 2004, his brother committed suicide, and while cleaning out his apartment Treadway discovered that his brother had affixed a sticker which read "Music Matters" on the ceiling where he hung himself. Given the same sticker by his brother years previously, Treadway embraced "Music Matters" as his mission statement and released Universoul Alchemy that same year.
In 2006, he teamed with producer Samuel "Sleepyhead" Pohner in Asheville, North Carolina, and as Souleye & Sleepyhead, they released Intergalactic Vibes. The album won a new music contest sponsored by Relix, and as the contest winners, Souleye and Sleepyhead performed on the weeklong Jamcruise 4. While there, Souleye freestyled with Michael Franti, and was invited to play with Bassnectar. Following the Jamcruise, he performed extensively with Bassnectar. Souleye wrote and recorded the song "Amorphous Form" on Bassnectar's album Underground Communication. In 2007, Souleye joined the San Francisco-based electronic band BLVD, with whom he recorded the album Music for People. He toured with the band until 2009, and subsequently began performing once again as Souleye.
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