Ursula Rucker

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.

Biography

Rucker was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was a graduate of Temple University’s journalism program."About Ursula Rucker"
Vh1. Retrieved 2006-07-29, 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.

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.'Rucker at ' �
Ursula Rucker article
aalbc.com. Retrieved 2006-07-29,

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''.

Career

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''.

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‘Ursula Rucker Interview’
Ursula Rucker at Amnesty International Australia Freedom Festival
Retrieved 29 July 2006. 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".bbc.co.uk –
She also collaborated with french producer WAX TAILOR on his second album ''Hope & Sorrow'' for the song "We Be"
Puleston reviews Supa Sista
Retrieved 29 July 2006. 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."bbc.co.uk �
Sullivan reviews Silver or Lead
Retrieved 29 July 2006.

Discography

* "Supernatural" (Single) (1994)
* ''Supa Sista'' (2001)
* ''Silver or Lead'' (2003)
* ''Ma' at Mama'' (2006)
* ''Ruckus Soundsysdom'' (2008)
* ''She Said'' (2011)

With 4hero

* "Loveless" on '' Two Pages'' (1998)
* "Time" on '' Creating Patterns'' (2001)
* "The Awakening" on '' Play with the Changes'' (2007)

With Josh Wink

* "Sixth Sense" on '' Herehear'' (1998)

With Jazzanova

* "Keep Falling" on '' In Between'' (2002)

With Raw Artistic Soul

* "The Light" on '' You Got Rhythm Too'' (2007)

With Wax Tailor

* "We be" and "The Games You Play" on '' Hope & Sorrow'' (2007)

With The Roots

* "The Unlocking" on ''Do You Want More?!!!??! '' (1995)
* "The Adventures In Wonderland" on ''Illadelph Halflife'' (1996)
* "The Return to Innocence Lost" on ''Things Fall Apart'' (1999)
* "Phrentrow" and "WAOK (Ay) Rollcall" on ''Phrenology'' (2002)

With Incognito

* "Gotta" on '' Transatlantic R.P.M.'' (2000)

With Richard Earnshaw

* "Rise" on ''In Time'' (2010)

With Mike Lindup

* "World Is Ready" on ''Changes 2'' (2023)

With Simon Doty

* "Soulflow" on ''Universal Language'' (2023)

Film appearances

She appears in the 2008 film '' The Black Candle'', directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and narrated by Maya Angelou.

''Ursula Rucker: Poet'' debuted at the 2008 Urbanworld Film Festival. Directed and edited by Michael J. Dennis,"Michael J. Dennis"
IMDb. it was originally commissioned as part of WYBE/Mind-TV's ''Philadelphia Stories'' series.

Notes

References

External links

*
Ursula Rucker
concert photos at The Fabrik, Hamburg

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rucker, Ursula
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
African-American women singer-songwriters
American women singer-songwriters
American electronic musicians
American people of Italian descent
Singers from Philadelphia
Slam poets
Temple University alumni
American women poets
Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania
American trip hop musicians
21st-century American women singers
21st-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century African-American women singers