Rapsoul

Rapsoul carved out a distinctive niche as Germany’s foremost male vocal trio through their fusion of boy band aesthetics and hip-hop elements. Jan-Markus Färger and Steven Neumann, the two founding members, had known each other since childhood in Frankfurt, bonded by a shared passion for music. Once their tastes shifted toward urban sounds, Färger started crafting rap verses while Neumann produced beats. The pair formalized their partnership as the duo Dreckskind und Pechvogel—Färger adopting the stage name Dreckskind and Neumann appearing as Pechvogel—before issuing their first EP, LebensArt, in April 2004. Frequent live appearances soon expanded their network among regional artists, leading to an encounter with vocalist C.J. Taylor, whom they asked to join. Taylor’s arrival prompted the trio to adopt the name Rapsoul. Momentum built in 2005 after their remix of Glashaus’s single “Du” received extensive airplay on Planet Radio. That exposure quickly translated into a recording contract with Gun Records (Sony/BMG) and an opening slot on the Backstreet Boys’ trek across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Although their first single, “Verzweifelt,” stalled at number 23 on the German charts, the follow-up “Gott Schenk Ihr Flügel” climbed to number two, matching the strong debut of their album Unbeschreiblich. Capitalizing on the international visibility gained from the Backstreet Boys association and their chart success, Rapsoul launched their own headline tour in September 2006. Their 2007 album Achterbahn posted comparable early chart results, after which the Rapsoul Clubtour brought the group to prominent nightclubs throughout Germany.