Ursula Rucker | |
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 Rucker, Donaufestival, 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ursula Desire Rucker [1] |
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Origin | Philadelphia, United States |
| Genres | Spoken word |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Ursula Desire Rucker is an American spoken word recording artist. Rucker is known for a diverse repertoire, and for using techniques that catch her listeners' attention.
Rucker was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was a graduate of Temple University’s journalism program. [2] She is of African-American and Italian descent. Rucker had been writing poetry since adolescence but kept her writings to herself until she read poetry in 1994, at Philadelphia's Zanzibar Blue, which is credited as her debut. [2]
That same year, Rucker was invited to collaborate with numerous recording artists, and producers including Wax Tailor, King Britt, 4hero, Incognito, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Josh Wink, Alix Perez and most notably The Roots. [3]
Rucker garnered a reputation for unique poetry techniques and stage presence which were described as "strong, vulnerable, wounded and raging". King Britt gave Rucker recognition and invited her to create her first spoken-word recording, the 1994 club hit "Supernatural". Dance music fans and DJ's quickly appreciated Rucker's vocals and rhythm, which was described as "mystical". According to Britt, while the original and remixes of Supernatural were continually used in clubs widespread throughout the United States, internationally, the most popular mix of the song remains the a cappella . [3]
Rucker's emotion in her work and words, has led some critics to compare her to such celebrated writers as Sonia Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni, describing them as "powerful". Coincidentally, when Ntozake Shange was unable to supply The Roots with a spoken-word contribution for their second album Do You Want More?!!!??! , they called on Rucker to do it instead. The Unlocking led to subsequent invitations to close The Roots follow-up albums Illadelph Halflife and the certified gold record Things Fall Apart . [3]
In numerous reviews, many critics proclaim the value of Rucker's work with The Roots, 4hero and other groups. She has had reviews in URB, VIBE , XXL , The Philadelphia Inquirer , and Straight No Chaser . Rucker has also performed her work at an array of venues, universities and festivals. Among these venues include the Montreal Jazz Festival, the 1999 Winter Music Conference, a performance at Drexel University and the 2005 Amnesty International Australia Freedom Festival [4] which aimed to raise aware of Amnesty's global "Stop Violence against Women" campaign.
Rucker has toured with Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Sylk 130, and 4Hero in the United States and internationally in Europe. Rucker also has provided a single "Soon for Unbound", which was from a benefit album for convict Mumia Abu-Jamal. Andy Puleston wrote in his review of her album Supa Sista: "Ursula's vocals... is a silken delivery, that like Michael Franti, demonstrates that a quiet word in the ear can speak volumes above the microphone rant". [5] Paul Sullivan said in his review of her album Silver or Lead: "Ursula's velvety voice...manages to both mollify and add a sinister dimension to the harshness of her subject matter." [6]
| External videos | |
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 “Ursula Rucker – Poet”, (Full Movie) Reelblack |
She appears in the 2008 film The Black Candle , directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and narrated by Maya Angelou.
Ursula Rucker: Poet [8] debuted at the 2008 Urbanworld Film Festival. Directed and edited by Michael J. Dennis, [9] it was originally commissioned as part of WYBE/Mind-TV's Philadelphia Stories series.
Jamaaladeen Tacuma is an American jazz funk avant-garde bassist, composer and producer born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's Prime Time band.
The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, having served in the same role on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014.
4hero are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as 4 Hero or 4-Hero, the name is stylised as 4hero on their albums and website. 4hero are known for being pioneers of breakbeat hardcore, jungle/drum and bass, broken beat and nu jazz music.
Ivana Daniela Santilli is a Canadian R&B singer and multi-instrumentalist, who has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the 1990s R&B/pop trio Bass is Base.
Ahmir K. Thompson, known professionally as Questlove, is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman for the hip hop band the Roots. The Roots have been serving as the in-house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon since 2014, after having fulfilled the same role on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Questlove is also one of the producers of the cast album of the Broadway musical Hamilton. He is the co-founder of the websites Okayplayer and OkayAfrica. He is also known for the podcast Questlove Supreme. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University.
Natalie "the Floacist" Stewart is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, spoken word artist, poet, and actress. Born in Germany and raised in London, she performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child, and rose to fame in the early 2000s as part of the R&B girl-duo Floetry. During a break, Stewart's first album, Floetic Soul (2010), was released which established her as a solo artist, with the singles "Forever" and "Let Me".
Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, better known as Black Thought, is an American rapper, singer, actor and the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group the Roots, which he co-founded with drummer Questlove. Regarded as "one of the most skilled, incisive, and prolific rappers of his time", he is widely lauded for his live performance skills, continuous multisyllabic rhyme schemes, complex lyricism, double entendres, and politically aware lyrics. With the Roots, he is a singer and rapper on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, frequently playing games with Fallon and his guests.
Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind, East West, and Elektra Entertainment Group. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles, "The Rain ", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah. The album was recorded in just two weeks.
Alida Kinnie Starr is a Canadian multidisciplinary recording artist.
Things Fall Apart is the fourth studio album by American hip hop band the Roots, released on February 23, 1999, by MCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Electric Lady Studios during 1997 to 1998, coinciding with recording for other projects of the Soulquarians collective, including D'Angelo's Voodoo (2000), Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun (2000), and Common's Like Water for Chocolate (2000). According to Spin magazine, the album became a landmark moment for the Roots and the collective, as it "swelled the Roots clique into a movement-style posse".
Nicole Blackman is a New York City–born performance artist, poet, author, and vocalist.
Illadelph Halflife is the third studio album by American hip hop band the Roots, released September 24, 1996, on DGC and Geffen Records. It features a tougher and broader sound than their previous album, Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995). The album also contains integration of programmed drums and guest contributions by R&B musicians such as Amel Larrieux and D'Angelo, as well as jazz musicians such as David Murray, Steve Coleman, Cassandra Wilson, Graham Haynes. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2006, the album was selected as one of Hip Hop Connection's 100 Best Rap Albums from 1995 to 2005. The multi-track tapes recorded to mix the album were destroyed in a fire at the Universal Studios back lot in 2008, however, the original 1996 master tape remains unaffected.
The discography of the Roots, an American hip hop band, consists of fourteen studio albums, plus three collaborative studio albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays, and two live albums. The Roots began performing in 1989 as the Square Roots with rapper Black Thought and drummer Questlove. Rapper Malik B., and bassist Leonard Hubbard joined the band in 1991. Over its history, Questlove and Black Thought have always remained with the Roots while their lineup of backing musicians has changed.
King Britt is an American educator, DJ and record producer from Philadelphia.
Odean Pope is an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Yellow Rage is a duo of Philadelphia-based Asian American female spoken word poets, made up of Michelle Myers, who holds a PhD from Temple University, and Catzie Vilayphonh, the Fashion Director for two.one.five magazine. Their poems are self-written and are often based on personal experiences, focussing on social and political issues relevant to the Asian American community and aiming to challenge common misconceptions of Asianness. The performances are often aggressive and include frequent swearing, but also include wit and humor.
Marc Laurick was an American bass player, songwriter, singer, and record producer.
Kelley Hunt is an American blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. Her 2004 album, New Shade of Blue, peaked at number 9 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart.
Wolfgang Puschnig is an Austrian jazz musician and composer.
Rucyl is a new media and sound artist, singer, musician, and producer. Her interests involve experimentation and process as performance, time-based analog effects systems, and using sound to represent concepts that are non-tactile. Her earlier experimental works incorporated vocal improvisation and computer generated algorithmic music in tandem with generated visual projections, using Max MSP and VJ software. Rucyl improvises during her live performances using MIDI controllers, loopers, diy software and hardware, and effects processors.
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