A mighty question, yes indeed. Know Soul is a conscious hip-hop word artist, poet, and author, using the power of his pen to write the life of his dreams. Traversing through time and space — spiritual and physical, life and death — he brings messages from the source into form.
Through inquiry, authenticity, vulnerability, and rhythm, his words invoke the same in listeners and readers seeking greater connection. Precise wordplay and layered meanings paint images, both detailed and obscure, upon a backdrop of music mixing hip-hop beats with organic instrumentation, creating a landscape inviting imagination to bring dreams into reality.
It is a journey to be discovered, uncovered, and rediscovered with each passage through, as its timeless nature allows new truths to be found again and again. Know Soul sees writing not just as a vessel for self-expression, but as a tool to influence the subconscious mind through desire and repetition — not only writing what is felt and seen, but rewriting and reciting what he chooses to call into being, altering the self-image to believe in the power of its greatness.
How He Came to Be — Know Soul’s Origin Story
Having a knack for memorization as a young child, he spent countless hours reciting the lyrics of his favorite songs — listening on repeat until every word lived completely in his heart. With a desire to release big energy, he first gravitated toward Rock and Heavy Metal: loud music, raw emotion, and a channel for frustration, confusion, and the intensity of youth.
At the same time, he held an absolute distaste for most mainstream Rap and the messages he heard in it, so he avoided much of the genre for most of his early life. As grateful as he was for Hard Rock, he eventually realized it was also feeding the sadness and anger inside him, amplifying the darker corners of his soul.
This was when he began writing poetry — over 25 years ago, at the age of 12.
Craving peace, he reconnected with the music of his parents: Classic Rock. Music rooted in peace and love, social impact, psychedelic exploration, and the technicolor world of tie-dye became the center of his musical universe. It was here that a more balanced sense of expression began taking shape.
Then one day — open, curious, and unsuspecting — he placed a CD from his older brother into the stereo. He didn’t know what it was at the time, but it would forever change the way he saw music, writing, and himself.
The album was The Many Faces of Oliver Hart, or… How Eye Won the Write Too Think by Eyedea (rest in power). Specifically, the song “Here For You” touched something sacred, something still magical to this day, and instantly became one of his all-time favorites.
This moment opened a portal into the world of Conscious Hip-Hop — music centered on creativity, introspection, spiritual expansion, and deeply personal lyricism. From there came new discoveries: The Grouch & Eligh, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Zion I, Gift of Gab, Sage Francis, Saul Williams, Alfred Howard, and countless other visionary artists and writers.
With a new understanding of poetry, philosophy, and hip-hop expression, conscious rap and spoken word became his creative foundation for the next twenty years.
Writing poetry for self-expression naturally grew into writing full songs and longer lyrical pieces. Over time, this evolution gave birth to the name Know Soul, around the age of 25 — a title that reflected both identity and purpose.
Fatherhood deepened that identity even further. After the birth of his first son in 2017, the transformation continued. In 2023, shortly after the birth of his second son, he self-released his debut album, Visions — a project marking the first true emergence of Know Soul into the world.
Now, in 2025, with the birth of his daughter, a new chapter is unfolding: a project titled Organic Intelligence, envisioned for completion and release in 2026–2027. Alongside this album, he is preparing to publish a book of poetry spanning his life’s work.
Together, these creations mark the beginning of music and writing not merely as passions, but as the central profession and destiny of Know Soul.
Step into the other side and come along for the ride — as this lifelong dream comes to form to keep our souls warm.
CONTACT
Matthew Giove knowsoulvisions@gmail.com