SoulStice

APL electrical engineer Ashley Llorens leads a double life. His "day job" is managing passive sonar automation projects for the Navy. On his own time, Llorens has a second career as a musician. Known professionally as SoulStice, Llorens is a lyricist, producer, and internationally acclaimed hip-hop artist.

Growing up in Chicago, he got interested in science, performing simple experiments like stripping twist ties and sticking the wires in electrical sockets. That scientific curiosity led him to computers and eventually electrical engineering, his major at the University of Illinois (B.S., 2001; M.S., 2003, in electrical engineering).

But he also wrote poetry, which became hip-hop music lyrics and a parallel career path. He won a regional hip-hop competition, gaining a following on the Illinois campus and across the state. By the time he graduated, Llorens' first CD was being played around the world.

As for his dual careers, Llorens says "They're similar in a lot of ways. Both involve acoustics and signal processing." He's a systems/signal processing engineer in the National Security Technology Department (NSTD) supporting the Undersea Warfare Mission Area. At APL, his satisfaction comes from the critical nature of the work he does everyday, keeping Navy assets secure against undersea threats. Beyond that, he says, "I like the atmosphere in NSTD and at the Lab in general. You know that people value the work we do here and that we're working toward common goals. There's a definite team mentality in my group and section. My co-workers are talented, and expectations are high, which drives me to perform at a higher level."

Sometimes it surprises him to see how far his music career has come. He's a bona-fide international artist and has toured in both Japan and Europe. He notes that Japan is the best market for independent hip-hop. Llorens' music has been featured in most of the major hip-hop magazines and websites. His membership in the Recording Academy earned him voting rights and the chance to attend a Grammy Awards show in LA (which he says was "a blast!").

Even with all his success, he's happy to remain a one-man business because there are things he can do as an independent that he says probably wouldn't happen if he waited for a major label to pick him up. "It's a great feeling to make the music I want to make and achieve success without being affiliated with a major label. It's a lot of hard work, but I get to do things my own way."

But as part of the larger American music culture, Llorens recently joined forces with fellow musicians to lobby Congress for legislative changes to the way royalties are paid to performers. "The issue is that when songs are played on the radio, songwriters receive a performance royalty and the performers of the song do not," says Llorens. "There's really no good reason for this other than that the legislation is outdated. This system was originally put in place back in 1909 before vinyl records become ubiquitous, and there really was no such thing as a commercial sound recording." So he made the rounds on Capitol Hill with a group of over 100 artists and music producers for a new adventure as a "lobbyist for a day."

He's still doing technical work, but as a project manager now, he has the opportunity to interact directly with sponsors and focus his work on meeting their needs. "Project management has given me experience with people management as well as insights into the financial side of things and how our budget system works. I've also served on several committees. I've really enjoyed the increased responsibility and the opportunity to grow and expand to meet different challenges."

staffHow does he see his future playing out? Llorens says he's a lucky guy. "I haven't had to make a choice between engineering and music. I'm doing two things I absolutely love," he says. "I like the challenge of managing both careers, and I love using both sides of my brain everyday—it keeps me on my toes. I definitely feel driven to keep advancing my career at APL to make a more significant contribution. At the same time, I plan on making more music, making more fans, and touring more countries. I get to wake up everyday and work hard at two pursuits that I'm passionate about. If I'm lucky, I'll get to keep doing what I'm doing right now for years to come."

Music Update:

About a third of the way through the movie The Blind Side, about Baltimore Ravens lineman Michael Oher, moviegoers will hear one of Lloren’s newest hip-hop songs playing in the background. As part of SoulStice, Llorens has four CDs under his belt and performs his music internationally, but “That Thang” is his first song for a movie soundtrack. His agent was contacted by representatives from Warner Brothers Pictures, who wanted a song for a scene in which Oher returns to the rough neighborhood where he grew up.

Llorens and producer Mighty Wyte, with whom he’s worked before, collaborated long distance to put the song together in just 2 days—a relatively quick turnaround time for an original song, says Llorens. “He and I were both excited about the opportunity to contribute to the film, and we worked hard to make it happen.”

Llorens saw the movie on opening night, with his wife and some friends from APL. “It was quite an experience hearing the song on the big screen! It plays in the background behind the scene for over a minute—longer than I’d originally expected,” he says. “Seeing my name in the credits was almost as cool as hearing the song. I’m fortunate that my music career has been full of amazing experiences. This was another one of those moments, and I hope it’s not the last.” - Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab

Chicago native SoulStice is a bangin'-ass MC who has rhyme, rhythm and skill. With slammin' beats from DC's Oddisee, sm.arson and other crafty and soulful producers, North by Northwest deserves kudos for originality and depth. Religious references, word travel and mature perspective put SoulStice's lyrics far beyond bootie hooks (4 out of 5 rating). - URB Magazine

Michael Oher may be the focus of the new biopic "The Blind Side." But the Baltimore Raven isn't the film's only local connection.

One of the songs on the soundtrack to "The Blind Side" was written by SoulStice, a rapper and producer based in Columbia.

"It was a cool, different experience," said SoulStice, a 30-year-old whose real name is Ashley Llorens.

Warner Bros. wanted a song to accompany a scene in which Oher returns to the rough-and-tumble Memphis neighborhood where he grew up, SoulStice said. About a month and a half ago, SoulStice's music licensing agent was approached with the offer.

"They were like, 'We need this kind of feel, we need a beat that hits really hard, and we need something that's thuggish ruggish,' " he said.

SoulStice teamed up with Ohio-based producer Mighty Wyte to create the song, titled "That Thang." On it, SoulStice raps over swirling organs and heavy beats.

"He's a very talented producer," SoulStice said of Mighty Wyte. "I'm able to work very fast, and he's able to work very fast."

Together, SoulStice and Mighty Wyte finished the first version of "That Thang" in just two days. Movie studio reps listened to it, asked for a few tweaks, and approved the final version soon after.

Writing a song for a film was much simpler than writing a track for one of his own albums, SoulStice said.

"In a way, it's easier, because somebody else is providing the creative starting point," he said. "On a regular SoulStice joint, I'm not necessarily going to have a sense of direction."

"That Thang" is the first song SoulStice has written for a major movie. Brash and boastful, it's not the best example of SoulStice's music, which tends to be more introspective and socially conscious.

"I usually write to tell my life story and share my ideas," he said.

A Chicago native, SoulStice has released a handful of albums on the Wandering Soul label, which he founded about 10 years ago. On his latest album, "Beyond Borders," he collaborated with rappers and producers from Europe and Africa.

"We export a lot of U.S. culture - specifically hip-hop," SoulStice said. "I was trying to import some culture on this."

"Strange Kinda Love," a song about same-sex relationships and marriages on "Beyond Borders," won both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the UK Songwriting Contest.

"I really try to shape my releases around this idea that it needs to be interesting and different than everything else that's out," SoulStice said.

SoulStice splits his time between hip-hop and his day job, working in applied physics at the Johns Hopkins University. He performs live sporadically in the U.S. and overseas.

In the future, SoulStice hopes to land more songs in films. "The Blind Side" is a great place to start, he said. - The Baltimore Sun

It's a sad state of affairs in Hip-Hop music when an album shocks the listener because it's so good. You are forced to go back and listen several times because you are thinking in your mind "nah, it can't be this good". In a world of ringtone rappers, here today/gone tomorrow artists and enough misogyny and violence to make Hugh Hefner and Bin Laden blush, Maryland MC Soulstice' latest album "Dead Letter Perfect" is one of those albums that simply makes the listener feel good and has your head noddin' from front to back.

The album begins with a collision of that ol' boom bap Rap and some screeching soul punches mixed in for the cool as hell "Southside Ride". The next cut "High As You Wanna" has a definite "Kanye" vibe to it with its big sound and celebratory feel (think Kanye's "Celebration").

Producer Oddisee, who handles 5 tracks on the album, has his finest moment on "Book of Days". The song features Soulstice reflecting on his life and looking towards the future with vivid detail while Oddisee gives the song a straight Hip-Hop feel but with almost chant like vocals in the background making for a full, effective sound. The only real downside of the album is on the production tip at points. Oddisee, while an accomplished producer, drops the ball on "Like This" and the very incomplete sounding "Get It Right".

As an MC, Soulstice is a vivid storyteller in the same vain as AZ or Nas. In fact, he would have fit perfect on either of their debut albums. The two shining stars of "Dead Letter Perfect" are "Dreamer" and "The Time". The former is an insanely catchy, under 3-minute cut that sees Soulstice urging people to stick to their dreams and reflecting on his struggles to remain on course. Huge props go to producer SBe Audiologist (watch out for this guy) as he comes up with a beautiful soul sample that ads just enough angst to the song providing for a cut full of passion, pain and substance. The latter is a cut dedicated to Soulstice' wife. And while songs dedicated to rappers wives usually come off as incredibly corny, this one features a beat that will have you bangin' your head through the windshield while the lyrics will probably make you call your wife or girlfriend. And you can't overlook the supremely soulful hook from Stef.

"Dead Letter Perfect" is one of those rare Hip-Hop albums that is worth your time and money. It's an unapologetic glimpse at how to create real music that says something and makes the listener feel something inside their soul.

"A nightmare is a dream you don't understand yet..." - HHNLive.com

To say that Southside Chicago, native Ashley Llorens is a fascinating person is an understatement.
“I’m a guy with a million why’s,” said Llorens, a self-described introvert, and a lover of engineering, math, science, and the Discovery Channel.

Llorens serves as Project Investigator— essentially leading research projects— for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Maryland under a United States Department of Defense contract.

As the rapper SoulStice, he happens to be one of the hottest and most unique up-and-coming Hip Hop MCs in the music business today.

Recently, “That Thang”— a track composed by SoulStice and MC Whyte— was featured on the soundtrack of the hit feature film Blind Side, the true story of Michael Oher, who rose from homelessness to become Baltimore Ravens starting defensive left tackle.

“This particular song is an artistic achievement for me because I’m portraying a character with a lifestyle that’s not necessarily my own,” said SoulStice.

About two months before the film’s release, he received a call from his licensing agent who was contacted by Warner Brothers. They needed an original song for the scene where Oher returns to his old neighborhood.

“I saw the trailer in the theater before we got the deal,” said SoulStice. “I already wanted to see the film.”

The year 2003 was pivotal for the 30-something SoulStice. He received his master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), released his first album and moved from Chicago to Washington, D.C. to begin work at Johns Hopkins.

Though his accomplishments thus far may have been a natural progression, SoulStice was unsure whether he could handle both his engineering and music careers successfully.

His uncertainty became the impetus behind the name of his debut CD, North by Northwest (not named after the Alfred Hitchcock classic).

“North is the cardinal direction,” said SoulStice, “but life can veer you a bit. Eventually you will get there.”

The material of SoulStice reflects a personal journey, autobiographical sketches interspersed with sharing ideas. His record label, Wandering Soul Records is reflective of that journey.

His achievements both as an engineering project manager and international speaker about subjects like machine intelligence, and as a global independent music producer and artist answered his uncertainty.

“I thought there was no way I could do both. I decided to continue until it stops me. Then I realized, wow, I can do both. I can be happy and successful organizing my own tour, making my own records and making my own fans,” said SoulStice.

SoulStice began rapping at age seven, eventually composing his own lyrics. In 1997 he assembled a group of MCs under the name of Banarnar while a freshman at UIUC.

He and MC Haysoos— a Ph.D. who teaches African American Studies at the University of Maryland College Park— formed the socially conscious group Wade Waters. They released Dark Water in 2006.

It took time for the introverted SoulStice to learn his lyrical and stage prowess. His first time on stage was an MC battle— which he won— his hands shook.

Now his blend of Chicago funk and blues fused hip hop— “a soulfulness of indigenous music” — has led him to share the stage with the likes of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan.

North By Northwest as well as his sophomore CD, Deep Water released in 2007, earned him features in XXL Magazine, The Source, Urb, and other major urban publications and websites.

His international conceptual work released in 2009, Beyond Borders, features Belgium producer SBe, and global artists like G.L.C., Kev Brown, Oddissee and Supastition and the renowned Zap Mama.

“I wanted to gather seeds and put them on my project,” said SoulStice.

Staying true to the process, SoulStice advises other emerging artists to be diligent about their work if they want to attain success. “Your music should speak for itself before you have to speak for it.”

To learn more about SoulStice and his music, visit www.myspace.com/soulstice. - The Baltimore Times

Wade Waters had a lofty goal in mind when they decided to revitalize old school Hip-Hop with their debut album, "Dark Water." So lofty, in fact, that they called up some of rap's greatest raconteurs as their inspiration. "When we made the album, we looked at it like, "What if Nas and AZ made an album together?" says Jason "Haysoos" Nichols, who, with his partner, Ashley "SoulStice" Llorens, decided that if they were going to do this project together, they might as well channel the best in the business.

But if you think this sounds overwhelming, you should hear what they do at their day jobs. "I'm an electrical engineer for the military," SoulStice says. Haysoos' job isn't too shabby either - he teaches African-American studies at the University of Maryland. "Being a teacher, I find that I can actually incorporate rap into my lectures," he says.

Heady stuff, but if the notion of a rapping electrical engineer and teacher conjures up images of pocket protectors and braces, then you don't know Wade Waters. "We don't want to say we're not street, because you tend to alienate the audience when you say that," SoulStice says. "But when you think about it, the opposite of conscious is unconscious, and we're definitely not that either."

While Nas and AZ never did make an album together, Haysoos and SoulStice are doing their best to come as close as possible to that dream collaboration. - The Source Magazine

Based on it's title, "Dead Letter Perfect" (Wandering Soul), the sophomore solo album from Chi-City-bred D.C. resident SoulStice, strives for perfection. Despite such conceptual baggage, "Dead Letter's" heady author (the possessor of a master's degree in electrical computer engineering and a day job at the U.S. Department of Defense) generally avoids outsmarting himself throughout the LP's supersolid 15 tracks. Comfortable catching Rex with his references ("I'm just a bad m*** like Oedipus," from the raucous "Southside Ride"), SoulStice is at his brainiac best with his choice of producers. While boardsmen Oddisee, K-Salaam & Beatnick, and M-phazes all shine on their respective soulful number, New Jersey's Analogic produces the finest moment with the string-infused "High As You Wanna," a toast to righteous living and better days ahead that finds 'Stice stating, "We drinkin' red wine / Not the liquor / And we got each other's back if the plot gets thicker / But tonight you're my brother, fam / Not my n***." It's still a celebration, bitches! - XXL Magazine