Ellington

“’Bout to go all out on this one.”

These are the first eight words uttered on Sol’s 2010 EP, “Dear Friends, Vol. II,” and he follows up on his promise immediately after as the music settles into an infectious groove. “Dear friends do you, and I’ma do me.”

“Me” is Sol Moravia-Rosenberg, born and raised in Seattle and perhaps one of the UW’s brightest musical talents. Following in the footsteps of previous UW grads Blue Scholars, Sol’s particular brand of hip-hop music combines clever wordplay with a penchant for smooth beat production. His latest release came out more than a year ago, but a new album is on the way in the fall — one that has been given careful attention.

“I think the combination of being a student but then also evolving as an artist so rapidly has made the album a slower process than one would hope,” Sol said. “With an album, you really try to make something that stands the test of time, and I think that takes time.”

Despite the time-consuming process, Sol is confident that the forthcoming record is going to have an impact.

“It’s building on what I started with ‘Dear Friends, Vol. II,’ and I think with that project, I’ve really found my sound,” he said. “I’ve just been honing in on that and finding out exactly what kind of music I want to make.”

Sol’s sound is in some ways indebted to a Northwest hip-hop music scene that’s seen uninhibited growth over the past decade. Artists like Blue Scholars and Macklemore have given rise to a scene that he sees as constructive and beneficial to his growth and range as a musician.

“With the exception of Sir Mix-A-Lot, there hasn’t been a national sound that’s been established in the Northwest when it comes to hip-hop. Kind of similar to what happened with grunge where the bands really had the opportunity to define what the Seattle sound was going to be like,” he said. Like many musicians from Seattle, Sol praises the sense of community that’s fostered here more than other areas.

“I’ve come to appreciate the difference between a city like Seattle or a city like New York or L.A., where here it’s a small community,” he said. “But I think that’s a good thing because it gives you a chance to build upon that, and actually play a role. If I moved to New York or L.A. in pursuit of some music career there, not only would I be starting over, I’m in this foreign land. [Here], it’s a scene that you can get involved in, you can get your hands dirty really easily.”

Sol credits those involved with Seattle hip-hop in being instrumental to his growth as both a musician and a person.

“Geo from Blue Scholars has definitely taken me under his wing, and he’s a huge mentor of mine,” he said. “I watch Macklemore, he’s a really smart guy and has given me great wisdom, especially about life. I’ve seen him about a hundred times, and I watch so closely and learn a lot.”

Sol has learned a lot at school, as well: He’s an honors student, one who was recently awarded the 2011 Bonderman Travel Fellowship, which means he will get a chance to take himself and his music to places such as South America, Africa and the Caribbean.

As far as pursuing musical dreams, Sol has a few theories about how to achieve them.

“The only way to separate yourself is to master your craft — the cream rises to the top, I truly believe that — but also to stand out. You have to come at it from a different angle if you want people to take notice,” he said. “I don’t think you should ever stop evolving, but you definitely have to get to a point where you’ve figured out your own sound. I’m definitely not 100 percent there, but you gotta find your own sound and your own voice, and when that happens, it’s tangible. Then it’s a movement.”

And if it’s a movement were talking about, for Sol, the only trajectory from here seems to be up.

Reach reporter Cameron Ellis at weekender@dailyuw.com.