It’s fitting that Sundiata, aka Black Sun, moved from his roots in Harlem to the West Coast. His style and approach is a blend of the two coasts, his lyrics reflecting the East while musically he says he follows Western rhythms.

Actually it is hard to pigeon hole his music at all, though soul with an edge wouldn’t be too far off. Sundiata’s eclectic group of influences range from Nas and Outkast to the more soulful D’Angelo. But, he admits, all types of music including reggae and hard rap influence him. Near the top of the list: Motley Crue. To contrast the diversity of his music, his lyrics are straight and true. I want to paint a vivid picture of life, he says. I want to give you the ups to show you how I celebrate, and give you the downs to show you how I struggle. In his songs, he deals with serious issues but takes the hard edge off with an optimistic view on each situation.

Sundiata moved to San Diego in 2003, but he’s no stranger to the scene. He made frequent visits to LA to visit family before finally calling California home. With long-time collaborator Duke, Sundiata’s newest album feature Rites of Passage (Fall 2005) takes the best of all genres and combines it with their own flavourful groove.   All Me Stick and Move