Soul South – The Souls Return XP #CyphLyfeReview

After almost 20 years of serious life & death experiences outside of the studio, the Trio known as SOUL SOUTH is back with their 1st full length release since 1997’s HOME GROWN HIP HOP. Not an LP, or an EP, but described by PLANTA POWER & P.Y.N.E. as a Special Edition XP (stands for Experience Points, like in an RPG), the SOULS RETURN XP project is definitely a huge leveling up from what we heard from the Dirty South before the turn of the Millenium. With long time sound provider L.A. BELTRAN behind the boards, and a little back up from some of #SoFlows top shooters, P.Y.N.E & PLANTA POWER take their listeners back to where it all started. The Source, The SOUL.

From the Spoken Word delivered by MOE THE MAGNIFICENT over a TEV95 instrumental, on STROKE OF GENIUS, the album opener, it is evident that these brothers are more focused on delivering a life changing message that grows in the listeners heart and mind, rather than just dropping another project that only promotes another group of self proclaimed “Best Rappers in the City”.  The 10 tracks on SOULS RETURN XP are more like seeds than songs. That sentence is full of entendres. “Seeds”, because long time music mates PLANTA POWER, P.Y.N.E (Formerly known as ALPINE), & Producer/Emcee L.A. BELTRAN spent months of breeding these offerings in the Soul South Studio, now known as The Oasis (which they built with their own hands), until they were ready to give birth to this complete body of life.  “Seeds” also because as MOE THE MAGNIFICENT so elequently explains, each verse is a living thing, similar to a tree which did not grow overnight, but took time to sprout up, establish roots, gain its shape and strength and finally provide shade, beauty and bare fruit. This only comes through the experiences that every Emcee on the album has lived.  True Life experiences like PLANTA POWER fka VEX, aka Steve Velez surviving a stroke 4 years ago, which set him on a path of Self Discovery and Self Healing through a Healthy, Concious Diet of food and information.  Since then PLANTA has lost over a 100 lbs, gained back motor functions which the doctors warned him he might never have control of again, and has grown into a leader in the Miami Hip Hop scene without ever claiming to be one. He simply leads by his example, discipline and Maturity. Whether its jumping in a Cipher at the 2nd Ave Gator Pit or any Local Hip Hop gathering, blessing the open mic at any Live Performance venue in the Tri County area, or just sharing his knowledge of healthier clean eating and excersise with his friends in person or online, PLANTA, a former Gang Member,  has made it his life mission to spread Positivity & a message of LIFE in the South Florida Community.  Don’t get it twisted though, The SOULS RETURN XP is not all kumbaya fire circle meditation music.

As they expertly express on THE CRAFT, PLANTA & ALPINE are lovers & long time students of the Emcee Craft. PLANTA POWER uses the “Overflow of Knowledge” he has collected to craft lyrical classics, and ALPINE lets his pen and voice flow for the Love of the art not for the money or the fame.

“We take on Circumstance in a BBoy Stance/ Go mad like Red Ants, Thats why we dont dance/ They Dance with the devil just to get the Advance/ Most get the dollars, but still dont advance/” – ALPINE

FUNKTASTIC is another decapitating display of lethal word weaponry, featuring Hialeah General and “La Plancha” Co-Founder, ORION BRASS BALLS. The tried and tested Word War Veteran shows off the skills that had a whole hood on their toes during the infamous Kendall Vs Hialeah series of the Covid Era, which many would say resulted in the bubbling South Florida Hip Hop scene we are enjoying today. All 3 spitters go back and forth with the heat “Like a Tennis Meet” in a shoot out similar to the closing scene of the 80s Miami Gangsta classic SCARFACE. Speaking of Miami Gangsta’s, there is none more G’d Up and “Made” in SOFLOW than the WXTCH WXLVEZ’ DON LOBO, MONEY MOGLI. who sets off the albums official 1st single, LEAFY GREENS.  A track that started off as a submission by L.A. BELTRAN for an online Beat Battle, the THEE SACRED SOULS laced isntrumental sets the perfect scene for MOGLI, PLANTA & ALPINE to each talk their personal truths, and express their unwavering love for the things they are passionate about.

If you know PLANTA POWER personally, you know one thing he is passionate about above all is his relationship with his Daughter, who makes a guest appearance on the intermission track SOULS RETURN CONCEPTION. The smooth, horn layered bap produced by L.A. BELTRAN makes you hungry to hear some bars when all of sudden you hear a car door open and the juvial voice of G.V. as she hops in the ride with her pops.  She shares with him  “I keep thinking of the name SOULS RETURN for some reason,. I dont know why.”  To which PLANTA replies….”Cuz thats the name of the album we going to make baby”. She accepts this prophecy with child like wonder as she asks if they can go out for Icecream, which PLANTA is more than happy to ablige.  Thus the name and the concept of the album was planted. Not a blunt smoked filled, alcohol influenced studio brainstorming session, but just an inoccent wholesome meet up wth the person who fills him with the most joy. That is some great soil for this project to grow out of.

Its from this healthy, fertile soil that joints like CHOP IT UP sprout. A beautifully melodic bop full of useful gems of inner and outter healing, metaphysical, financial and spiritual wisdom. The BELTRAN production paints the perfect scenery for the “Religous Reject” once known as VEX and “Danny Boy Marino” to hurl a pair of “Super Duper Hail Mary” touch downs that make this track one of the Winners off the album. The relaxing vibe of CHOP IT UP makes way for a meditative oriental harp powered bop named SOUL CLAP, featuring JOHN APOCALYPSE’s 8CH2OWENS, 305 BEAT BOX, and a special appearance by the albums producer, L.A. BELTRAN himself, who not only kills the 2nd verse, but drops one of the most addictive hooks on the album. “JOHN A-POC & SOUL SOUTH, The Super Friends with Super Flows”, have a ball bouncing all over the BELTRAN laced head dribbler, and when Miami Mouth Music Machine 305 BEAT BOX slides into the last verse, the gold rimmed cadillac they are rolling around the city in transforms into a UFO that takes the track to a whole other Southern Galaxy. Definitely one of the standout tracks on the album, and I’m not just saying this because I am featured on it.

My favorite cut off the album actually has no guest features on it, the multi demension traveling MATRIX. Everything about this joint makes it an instant banger. The West Coast sounding G Funk Wa Wa inspired hook, the Guitar strum loop layered with sound effects that adorn 2 of the best verses I have ever heard ALPINE & PLANTA spit.  These brothers are on their Jeet Kun Do Master tip on this one, Yellow Track Suites with the Asics and all. This is followed by the Wild Wild West inspired BLAZZING SADDLES, where the S.S. BROS invite JOHN APOCALYPSE to join um for another Posse Cut. This time 8CH and Crew Leader C.GREG, put on their deputy badges to clean up the town saloon of any “Bad Hombres” who think they can outdraw these fearless four who “lead by example and stay true in the year of the breakthrough”.

8 out of the 10 joints on the album are produced by SOUL SOUTH co-founder L.A. BELTRAN and recorded at THE OASIS.  The other 2, The album intro and outro, are the works of guest producer TEV95, the visionary GOAT behind 95 LABS, who provides a smooth outro track to close the album on POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH. The violin string strokes, bass guitar strum and piano key taps which TEV chops up lay the foundation for a worthy farewell salute from NRG, MOE THE MAGNIFICENT & PLANTA as they share the knowledge of Key Coponents imbedded in our DNA. Just as the album began, MOE THE MAGNIFICENT walks us out of the 5th Dimension with an excerpt of the words of MIKE RASHID of SACRED SOCIETY. Not only is this song a full circle to the beginning of the album, both the 1st and last songs being produced by TEV95 & featuring MOE THE MAGNIFICENT and NRG, but the were both Recorded, Mix and Mastered by Dade County Hip Hop Pillar and OG, APEX 305 of THC Studios, the original studio where SOUL SOUTH recorded their 1st album in 1997.  Adding a whole new meaning to the SOULS RETURN album title.

Now, I had heard of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) before, but I asked PLANTA POWER, what was the meaning behind POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH.  He dropped the knowledge on me that this is a Scientifically proven phenoma where sometimes the Brain physically grows as a result of a Traumatic experience. The exact opposite of PTSD, as studied and documented by Dr. Daniel Amen.  PLANTA shares with me that he seriously feels this is what happened to him after his Stroke and the Passing of his Mother during the years of Covid. He dedicates this album to his Mother SONIA VELEZ, who he recognizes as the Inspiration behind his journey to recovery, self healing, and his return to creating music.

“After my mom and close friend JASON BARRY JULIET passed away from Covid, I was left to face the realities of my unhealthy lifestyle and the fragility of life.  I had lost 2 of the people most precious to me, and I was on a collision course to cutting my own life short through self sabatoge.  I made a vow to invest my time in learning how to heal myself. This started with a period of dietary discipline where I started fasting and cutting out a lot of the stuff that I was poisening my body with, not only drugs, but the Food that is constantly pushed on us. Along with eating better and excersising, I kept feeding my mind & soul with the help of brothers like TROPIC 2.0 (Original SOUL SOUTH Emcee and DJ who took a back seat on this album to fulfill his duties as a Dad). On top of that, I made it a point not to waste the extra time I had been blessed with on this Earth, in honor of my mother who always believed in my talent, I returned to my love of rapping, inspired by the reawakened Hip Hop Scene in South Florida. I started going out to the 2nd Ave Cyphers, to the Album Release Parties by Shottie, Mogli, Orion and others, and to all the dope Hip Hop Shows around the city. With so much good music out and so much talent in our city to call on for assistance, it wasnt difficult making this project. It actually grow quite organically and super naturally.  I’m just amazed that after nearly 20 years, me and my brothers are back making music together with such a powerful message.  This album is dedicated to all of those we have lost that give us power and guidance to not quite and pursue something better. People like NORTHSTAR, and our child hood friend GREGORY CONDE who was one of the first THOUGHT LEADERS that influenced me to seek deeper knowledge than what society is feeding us on the surface.”

After listening to the SOULS RETURN XP several times, I know the eternal spirits of these brothers and sisters who have transitioned are honored and proud of the work that PLANTA and P.YN.E (Poor Young Ninjas Everywhere, as he know wishes to be known as) have put together. Together they have brought L.A. BELTRAN out of early retirement to produce one of the best produced projects dropped at the end of 2024, which has awakened many in the scene to his skills as a proficient beat maker and vibe provider.  According to BELTRAN, he thought he was done with making music, and after teaming back up with his long time crew for the SOULS RETURN, he hasn’t stopped getting approached for production. Making him the busiest he has been with music in over a decade. Thats what a good tree does.  It produces good fruit.  So much fruit that you cannot eat all alone with your family, you have to give some of it away or watch it rot in the back yard. But if you are generous with it, you will see your friends and neighbors blessed and nourished by the products of your experiences.

You can catch SOUL SOUTH performing as a group for the first time in over 18 years This Saturday 1/11/2025 at SATURDAY MIC LIVE at CATALYST HIP HOP.

Its a Free Event and All Ages so bring the Family and invite any Emcees you know since this is an event specially made by Emcees for Emcees.

8pm – 12 Midnight at CATALYST HIP HOP – 2093 W 76TH ST, HIALEAH FL  (Off the Palmetto and 122nd St behind Palmetto Hospital)

Follow SOUL SOUTH on Instagram and support the New Album SOULS RETURN on Bandcamp.  All Links Below.

PLANTA POWER Instagram – @plantapower22

L.A. BELTRAN Instragram – @labeltranmusic

Band Camp – SOUL SOUTH – SOULS RETURN XP

Founder of Vice City Cypher, WVCC Radio, PROFRESH Publicty. With over 20 Years in South Florida’s Hip Hop Scene 8ch2Owens has carved his name into the Miami Hip Hop history books, and now uses his talents to promote the best in South Florida Indie Hip Hop and Underground Hip Hop from around the globe.