Society of Spoken Art

Society of Spoken Art
Type	Educational
Founded	2015
Founder	Lupe Fiasco
Website	societyofspokenart.org

The Society of Spoken Art (SOSA) is an educational guild directed towards lyricists and rappers, where its program includes the "fundamentals of linguistics, semiology, [and] poetry." Their motto, Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas, means "Solid, Useful, Beautiful;" principles that members are expected to abide by.

American rapper Lupe Fiasco created it as his venture from being a 2014 Henry Crown Fellow, and explained to Vibe, "People are super interested in storytelling and narratives, and that was one of the reasons we started SOSA, Society Of Spoken Art—to see where we could take rap beyond the entertainment space." He clarified in 2022 that it was not "a school or a program that teaches you how to rap," but rather, "a private guild exclusively for high level rappers who are looking to expand what it means to be a rapper through the academic study of language sciences, computation [and] cognitive science."

Members

• Alex Baria
• Ash Phoenixx
• B Woods
• C Bleu
• Chino XL
• Clive
• Cool of the Rebellion
• C.Shreve the Professor
• Daylty
• Deepscribe
• GREGNWMN
• IvoryTHREE
• Justin Sky
• Lady Zay
• Loaded Lux
• Lupe Fiasco
• Maaly Napoleon
• Mickey Factz
• Nick Montfort
• Nikki Jean
• Nayirah
• Onaj The Artist
• Osyris Antham
• Pat G
• Sly Watts
• SidiBaap MK
• Stuby Kas
• The Last Maven
• TRP

Background

In 2012, Mickey Factz appeared on the J.R. Bang Morning Show, where he revealed of him and Fiasco discussing about the creation of a guild for rap artists.

In 2015, Fiasco posted an application that reads as follows:

2015 Guild Application Requirements

Submit 1 complete song (MP3) + 1 Acapella recording (MP3) of your personal best work. (If it's a link to a streaming service or YouTube please send the specific link to the song you wish to be considered for your application. Only the work you specify will be considered)

An essay of no more than 300 words and no less than 200 words about what you think the importance of rap is and how it can progress.
A list of your top 3 influences and why. (does not have be all rappers)

Full name, stage name (if any), age, location & current employment and level of education.

Contact information.
Please email ALL of the required material and information to:
Lyricalguild@gmail.com

Deadline for 2015 submission is June 1st.

You will be contacted by staff if your application is accepted. Any incomplete applications will not be considered.
Please note before you send in your application that this is NOT an opportunity for you to get a recording contract, a song feature, or any kind of commercial recording deal. The guild's sole mission is to create fellowship among Rappers and MC's across the globe with the goal of progressing and cultivating the art form through workshops, coaching, intense study & practice, developmental programs and immersive curriculum. While collaboration is always promoted, and hopefully you will find some benefit in the guild, please do not treat this as solely a commercial come up to exploit and abuse relationships.
Thank You
The Society Of Spoken Art

In February 2018, the guild attended The Hip Hop Architecture Design Cypher at Autodesk's headquarters in San Francisco, California. Business Insider reached out for a phone interview with Fiasco after the event, where the rapper told them:

With SOSA, our main goal is to introduce or make rappers aware of those fields, of linguistics, of semiotics, and then all of these other things that we kind of get into, all these other rabbit holes. It comes into communication theory, literary criticism, etcetera, etcetera. And it's more to introduce it to them in a very high-end kind of way, meaning that the information is not dumbed down. […] Similar to, in staying with Autodesk and Michael Ford, exploring these new territories, but exploring it in a very meaningful, articulate way. Leaving open the wild creativity of rap, and other things that we do to create what we do, but putting that kind of intellectual or academic backbone there as well.

Fiasco attended the 2019 Para Site International Conference held from October 10-12 at Club Hall in Hong Kong, China, where he presented the educational institution on Day 1.

On March 24, 2020, he mentioned, "There are only 2 people that I have to do features with when they call upon me... @CharleeBleu & @nayirvh Beyond that that door is 99% closed..."

On February 24, 2021, Fiasco spoke about the guild as a CAST Visiting Artist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Gallery

Year	Title	Video
2019	"PS.Conference 2019 Lupe Fiasco: Society of Spoken Art"
Storytelling is at the core of our existence. A true lyricist must master the core principles of storytelling and language as a whole. Established by some of the leading rap artists of our generation, SOSA embodies this ideal. Our curriculum encompasses the fundamentals of linguistics, semiology, poetry, and has been curated with the help of scholars from institutions including Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania. Since rapping starts with reading, members will be expected to complete an extensive list of recommended reading materials in addition to our activities, discussion panels, and networking programs. Every aspect of SOSA is designed to inspire and cultivate creative skill sets, and to help members enrich their lives beyond music.
2021	"MIT CAST Visiting Artist Lupe Fiasco: SOSA (The Society of Spoken Art)"
Lupe Fiasco speaks about SOSA (The Society of Spoken Art), an educational guild that brings established and aspiring rappers together to hone their verbal prowess and master the fundamentals of linguistic and semiotic methodology. In its educational dimension, SOSA fosters connections between established rappers and some of the most well-respected minds in academia. A comprehensive curriculum provides lyricists with the guidance and resources they need to deepen their linguistic and rhetorical understandings of spoken art. In this conversation with his MIT collaborator Professor Nick Montfort, Fiasco covers the history, structure, academic and artistic programming, methodology, and goals of the organization.