Soul Cannon's Baltimore

We kick it with Baltimore's hip-hop rock group

By Michael Cook
Special to Metromix


Meet Soul Cannon: A blend of Baltimore locals and musical transplants who have, for the last three years, been punching the clock in a 24-7 job to make hip-hop great again. Whether singing about urban poverty or dance parties, Soul Cannon's lyrics rush in a tongue-tripping flow over a blend of jazz and rock grooves. The music seesaws from chill to heart-pumping but always holds the ear in submission.

Though guitarist Matt Frazão, keyboardist Jon Birkholz and drummer Nathan Ellman-Bell were born in other corners of the country, they've adopted the Baltimore music scene as their own, and have joined locals Ryan Dorsey (bass) and the band's emcee Eze in loving the city they now call home. The band agreed to show Metromix their Baltimore: Where they hang out, practice, play and drink. On the tour of Soul Cannon's favorite Station North (and nearby) locales, Metromix learned about petty theft, practice space and the truth about Baltimore's music scene.