Native Chicago MC Soulstice is a critically acclaimed artist, who has built a nice underground and overseas buzz. But, with all the hard work, and some point an artist wonders what if? Well, he recently penned this blog, titled "What If Soulstice Went Pop?"

Check out what he had to say below:

What's the word?

I'm not really one for New Years resolutions, but 2010 feels like a different kind of year. There are a few things I owe it to myself to do. Eat better (less cafeteria food), lower my stress level, get back in shape, and actually start a real blog.

2010 is bringing about a creative shift for me as well. A good friend of mine recently asked me an honest question (and I'll paraphrase), "You haven't gotten famous yet, so...why are you still making music?" The answer, of course, is that I make music because I have fun doing it and it's part of who I am. I'll probably still be making songs long after I stop putting out albums. Anything that happens on top of getting to make the music I want to make is an extra. Fortunately, there have been lots of hard-earned extras ... worldwide recognition, press coverage, tours overseas, trips to the Grammys, and most recently my name in the credits of a blockbuster movie.

All that said, I'm getting the urge to switch things up this year. At this point in my career, I've released a lot of great music that I'm very proud of. Creatively, I want to try something new, maybe a more "pop" sound. Might just be a few songs, might be more ... we'll see. Are you ready for a SoulStice song with auto-tune? Get ready! As an artist, I think the worst thing you can do is exactly what people expect you to do. Ride with me on this one and we'll see where it goes. At the very least, it should give us something to talk about.

peace and (belated) Happy New Year --
SoulStice

If you haven't heard of Soulstice, who currently resides in Washington DC, make sure to check out his debut album, North by Northwest: Solid Ground, which he received high praise from critics for. Cop it at Amazon.com. You won't be disappointed.

His most recent project is Beyonce Borders, a collaborative effort with beatmaker SBe. The rapper calls it an "international concept album," featuring him alongside talented artists from around the world. You can get your copy over at his official website, WanderingSoul.com.