Ursula Rucker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ursula Rucker
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Rucker, Donaufestival, 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ursula Desire Rucker |
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Origin | Philadelphia, United States |
| Genres | Spoken word |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Ursula Desire Rucker is an American artist who performs spoken word poetry. She is known for her unique style and for grabbing her audience's attention.
About Ursula Rucker
Ursula Rucker was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied journalism at Temple University. Ursula is of African-American and Italian background.
She wrote poetry since she was a teenager. However, she didn't share her poems until 1994. That year, she performed her work for the first time at Zanzibar Blue in Philadelphia. This performance is seen as her official start.
In the same year, Ursula was asked to work with many music artists and producers. These included Wax Tailor, King Britt, 4hero, Incognito, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Josh Wink, Alix Perez, and especially The Roots.
Ursula became known for her special way of performing poetry. People described her stage presence as "strong" and "full of emotion." King Britt helped her get noticed. He invited her to record her first spoken-word song, "Supernatural," in 1994. It became a popular club hit. People who loved dance music and DJs quickly liked her voice and rhythm. They called her style "mystical." Even though the original and remixes of "Supernatural" were played in clubs across the United States, the a cappella (voice-only) version was most popular around the world.
Ursula's Music Career
Ursula Rucker puts a lot of feeling into her work and words. Because of this, some critics compare her to famous writers like Sonia Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni. They say her work is "powerful."
Interestingly, when writer Ntozake Shange couldn't contribute to The Roots' second album, Do You Want More?!!!??!, they asked Ursula to do it instead. Her contribution, "The Unlocking," led to more invitations. She was asked to close The Roots' next albums, Illadelph Halflife and the very successful Things Fall Apart.
Many reviews praise Ursula Rucker's work with The Roots, 4hero, and other groups. Her work has been featured in magazines like URB, VIBE, XXL, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Straight No Chaser.
Ursula has performed her poetry at many different places. These include music venues, universities, and festivals. She performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival and the 1999 Winter Music Conference. She also performed at Drexel University and the 2005 Amnesty International Australia Freedom Festival. This festival aimed to raise awareness for Amnesty's "Stop Violence against Women" campaign.
Ursula has toured with Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Sylk 130, and 4Hero. She has performed in the United States and in Europe. She also contributed a song called "Soon for Unbound" to a benefit album. This album helped support Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Reviewing her album Supa Sista, Andy Puleston wrote that Ursula's voice is "silken." He said that, like Michael Franti, she shows that a quiet word can be more powerful than shouting into a microphone. Paul Sullivan reviewed her album Silver or Lead. He said Ursula's "velvety voice" can both soften and add a dark side to the tough topics she talks about.
Ursula's Albums and Songs
- "Supernatural" (Single) (1994)
- Supa Sista (2001)
- Silver or Lead (2003)
- Ma' at Mama (2006)
- Ruckus Soundsysdom (2008)
- She Said (2011)
Songs with 4hero
- "Loveless" on Two Pages (1998)
- "Time" on Creating Patterns (2001)
- "The Awakening" on Play with the Changes (2007)
Songs with Josh Wink
- "Sixth Sense" on Herehear (1998)
Songs with Jazzanova
- "Keep Falling" on In Between (2002)
Songs with Raw Artistic Soul
- "The Light" on You Got Rhythm Too (2007)
Songs with Wax Tailor
- "We be" and "The Games You Play" on Hope & Sorrow (2007)
Songs with The Roots
- "The Unlocking" on Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995)
- "The Adventures In Wonderland" on Illadelph Halflife (1996)
- "The Return to Innocence Lost" on Things Fall Apart (1999)
- "Phrentrow" and "WAOK (Ay) Rollcall" on Phrenology (2002)
Songs with Incognito
- "Gotta" on Transatlantic R.P.M. (2000)
Songs with Richard Earnshaw
- "Rise" on In Time (2010)
Songs with Mike Lindup
- "World Is Ready" on Changes 2 (2023)
Songs with Simon Doty
- "Soulflow" on Universal Language (2023)
Film Appearances
Ursula Rucker appears in the 2008 film The Black Candle. This movie was directed by M.K. Asante, Jr. and narrated by Maya Angelou.
A film called Ursula Rucker: Poet was shown for the first time at the 2008 Urbanworld Film Festival. Michael J. Dennis directed and edited this film. It was originally made for the Philadelphia Stories series by WYBE/Mind-TV.
