Still overdosing on Soul

We came in search of soul....we had been Lil Wayned to death, Souja Boy told out and turned off....

We were searching for a return of "real" music, slow drag music, make you day dream in the middle of the day music, make you make that 3am phone call music and we weren't disappointed.

The kickoff Soul Overdose for the "Be You" music series transformed Tabaq Bistro on U Street into the ultimate "Juke Joint" of days past. The event marked the beginning of a partnership of Risikat (Kat) Okedeyi founder of LiL SoSo Productions (LSP) and Smirnoff Vodka for the "Be YOU" series. Kat explained that, "The concept behind the "Be You" series is to give a platform to artists often overlooked in the wake of disposable mainstream music. I wanted to get back to music pure and simple"

Picture drums thumping, fingers snapping, hips swaying to hypnotic beats and the spirit of Shug Avery resurrected in pint size powerhouse Yahzarah also know as Purple St. James.

Yahzarah wasn't a name I was familiar with before July's Soul Overdose but it's one I won't soon forget. She didn't just turn the place out, she turned it upside down, with her uncontainable energy after entering on a wave of harmony supplied by her equally divalious back up singers. Rocking an all purple accented, motherland inspired mini, the petite performer wowed the crowd by delivering her entire set from the bar the top of the bar much to the crowd's delight. (Equally impressive was the fact that the bartender continued serving drinks without skipping a beat!)

However, "The Purple One" proved to be a tasty appetizer to the yummy sexy soul of N'digo Rose who had the crowd in the palm of his hand the moment he slid behind the keyboard. Flashing a Colgate and sultry vocals, midnight came much too soon.

Kat informed the crowd that this was just a taste of what was to come! The "Be You" series is set to run through November with songstress N'dambi as the main event at Busboys and Poets 8/19/09. For more information of the Be You series visit: www.lilsoso.com