Philly-born poet, Ursula Rucker knocked "em out of the box with her debut album, Supa Sista. Intricately weaving words with music on her sophomore effort, Silver or Lead, she cracks her whip on unsuspecting and complacent ears worldwide. Dropping knowledge on everything from womanhood to slavery, to love, sexism, politics and more, Ursula redefines spoken word with her trademark socio-political urgency and sweet "song-speak." Following in Supa Sista"s acclaimed footsteps, Silver or Lead boasts even more provocative music and word fusion. With song after poem after song - the two become one as Silver or Lead proves that poetry has never been this head bobbing. On the Jazzanova-produced "What A Woman Must Do," she offers a biting testament on the complexities of what it means to be "She" in this world. With "Release," Ursula flexes her lyrical muscle as she rides the up-tempo, Congo-driven smash by Masters At Work"s Little Louie Vega. "What he did is amazing. I have never ever done anything like that; it"s very musical. It"s Afro-Latin, like whoa!," Ursula explains. Tit for tat, Ms. Rucker delivers the intro to Vega"s new Latin album. Bumping soulfully through the speakers, the John Wicks produced "Lonely Can Be Sweet" and "Damned If I Do" both host a melodic, hypnotic Ursula. Drawing on influences from prestigious Black Arts Movement activist poet and icon Sonia Sanchez to Frida Kahlo, Zora Neale Hurston and even Prince, Ursula balances motherhood, activism and artistry with aplomb. With her rhythmic stories of struggle, she"s confident, but never preachy. She has transfixed audiences from Tokyo to Capetown alongside the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Mos Def, Macy Gray and even the late great Nina Simone.