For Ab-Soul , rapping is not only his musical gift but a tool to honor his past, present, and future, while depicting life’s highs and lows through metaphors, hyperbole, and personification. With each album release, the 38-year-old finds himself drawing inspiration from pockets of hope, lived experiences, pits of despair, and pursuits of solace, and that’s all apparent in his most recent release.

On his latest album, Soul Burger, he fuses his talents with the spirit of his close friend and collaborator, the late Armon “Doe Burger” Stringer, who was killed in December 2021. Through 15 tracks, Ab-Soul ensures his brother’s creative legacy lives on.

While sitting backstage before his performance at Red Bull’s BC One tournament in Denver, VIBE sat with him and explored the inspirations

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