Charlotte may not be able to produce a rapper ready for the big time, but there's something in the water around here that kicks out good, soul artists consistently.

Haji Basim is a rising acoustic soul artist calling the Queen City home after performing a ton down in Atlanta, up in Seattle and all over the East Coast. His musical exploration as a student at Johnson C. Smith University was the driving force behind the blend of urban folk music he does now and you'll hear influences of folk, soul, hip hop, flamenco, bossa nova and neo soul in his songs.

The singer/songwriter grew up in a deeply religious home where secular music was a no-no but you could never tell with the sincerity in his music and lyrics. We got his latest song, "I Rocked A Letter" this week and had to share it with you.

Haji Basim - I Rocked A Letter <-- Click here to play.

This track rocks like a soulful lullaby, that fits perfectly with this good weather we've been having. Basim described the origins of the song as "meeting someone and feeling things about them from the very beginning, that words would seem unable and to soon to convey." I don't know about the women you all know, but I'm sure most of them would take this sort of thing over a plain, old 'I like you' any day.

For those that missed him last Friday at The Evening Muse and his listening party last Saturday, you can check out his new album, Urban Folk, Acoustic Garden, Vol. 1, here.