Ursula Rucker

by MacKenzie WilsonUrsula Rucker isn't a funky diva -- she's her own diva. Having collaborated with some of music's most sophisticated -- the Silent Poets, King Britt, Josh Wink, the Roots -- Rucker has honed her seductive spoken wordplay inside Philly soul, hip-hop, and new jazz. She combines social awareness with womanhood, black culture, and love for something musically alluring. A graduate of Temple's journalism school, Rucker made her poetic debut in 1994 at Philly's celebrated Zanzibar Blue. From there, she proved her smart and sultry bravado without frills. The late '90s illustrated her abrasive poetic nature inside cuts like Josh Wink's "Sixth Sense" and 4hero's "Loveless." Supa Sista, Rucker's debut album showcasing a street-fighting spirit, was issued in September 2001 on !K7. Silver or Lead (2003) and Ma'at Mama (2006) followed.