SOULBLOCK

Band: SOULBLOCK

Members: Marcellus Gotwalt

Web site: soulblock.com; myspace.com/soulblockmusic

How long have you been into music? Pretty much my whole life. I moved down (to Fort Meade, Md., with my sister). My best friend down there was the karaoke machine that she had. That's when I started recording and trying to actually do something with it. Right around 1999 to 2000.

How did your name come about? My middle name is Marcellus, and I'm the fifth one in my family. I started going with Marcellus actually when I was in college. When I started rapping, it pretty much came out "Cell Block" and "Cellus." I went to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and met an artist. He asked me my name and he thought I said (my name was) "Soul Black" and that's what they were calling me over there. I took "Cell Block" and "Soul Black" and put them together.

Describe your sound: When I look at music . . . my fist love was Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. I went through a phase when I was listening to country and rock. When I started doing my own music, it just kind of came out with a lot of different (genres) involved.

You've shared the stage with some bigger name acts, right? I would say the biggest thing that's happened to me so far would be in October when I opened up for Cypress Hill. It was the perfect night because everything went right.

Tell me about your next show? About a month ago, Rams Head Live called me . . . they were like "we want you on the Ice-T show." He was in Body Count, which is like a hard-core rock group. He is rap and rock mixed together. I've got a lot of respect for him.

What is a local place you like to play? I would definitely say Fat Daddy's. Usually two or three times a year, I'll go in there and jump on and do a couple tracks and now they are putting me on adds as the headliner. It's working out great. From being around this area . . . I try to keep contact with everyone I got.

What is your take on the music scene in York compared to Baltimore? Compared to Baltimore, it is a little bit of the same because people from outside Baltimore actually look at the music scene and say it's not happening. Here in York, for a while (hip-hop) wasn't much of a scene at all. I definitely think it's grown by leaps and bounds in the last year, year and a half. Music's music. I think it's really what you make of it no matter where you are. I would say York holds its own against Baltimore for sure. Baltimore's a lot bigger . . . but for what York's got, I definitely think York's doing all right.

What are your goals for the future? I want to keep doing what I'm doing, but just keep doing it better. I did my first album, which I probably spent about four years on. I realize that when it comes to my music, I would just not be happy with it. Looking at it, I did really well with the sales on it and I really think it was a great first album. Now I want to get going on this one. I get a couple tracks done on the new album. I want to concentrate more where everyone else is concentrating and that's online and on the Web.

Shoutouts: Just want to say what's up York and Spring Grove, my hometown. I just want to thank my family and friends. 105.7 FM The X that got me into the radio, 92Q in Baltimore and just everyone out there who is supporting me and coming out to my shows.

- ERIN McCRACKEN, FLIPSIDE STAFF