Oddisee HHV Records 19 Items

From Art Student to Beatmaker

Over the last 20 years, the Brooklyn-based rapper and producer Oddisee has established his own niche in independent hip-hop. Influenced by Golden Age rap, traditional jazz, and early soul, the exceptional artist, who grew up in Maryland, paints vivid soundscapes incorporating his mostly pensive, often political lyrics. In 1985, Amir Mohamed el Khalifa was born. As a teenager, he admired conscious rappers like A Tribe Called Quest and Rakim – they didn’t discuss the same things as others and thus became his inspiration. He started crafting his own beats on a sampler, eventually leading him to abandon his art studies and delve into self-study production. The plan succeeded: Oddisee contributed the beat for the track Musik Lounge by DJ Jazzy Jeff in 2002, making a name for himself in Washington D.C. Following initial instrumental releases, he ventured to the mic for the first time in 2006 with his mixtape Foot in the Door, blending obscure synthesizers with electric guitar samples into boom-bap beats, supported by his crew, Low Budget. Releasing several projects each year, his sound became more diverse. In 2008, the indie label Mello Music Group noticed the prolific producer, signing him and further establishing his presence in the local scene with tapes like 101, Traveling Man, and Odd Seasons.

Albums as an Odyssey

Viewing his career as an odyssey, the rapper transforms his albums into conceptual works that take his fans on a journey. On Traveling Man, he names tracks after various cities worldwide, encapsulating their individual moods in beats. Moreover, the four EPs merged in Odd Seasons express each of the four seasons through sample collages. Alongside beat tapes, rhyming became just as crucial. Yet, he constantly weighs the life of a star: “A lot of hype, is it really worth it, the truth’s pending.” Adapting to the hype was never Oddisee’s plan – his authentic expression is too important to him. Consequently, while his fanbase might be smaller, it’s incredibly loyal. “I’m one hundred percent satisfied with where I am now and grateful,” he remarks, as he intends to counter the traditional success narrative and normalize the DIY path.

Rap Beyond Death

Apart from his releases with the Diamond District Crew, his 2012 album People Hear What They See made waves, particularly on Bandcamp and iTunes, gaining him new fans and international music press attention. Continuing the journey with the dusty soul sound of The Good Fight in 2015, he vulnerably shows himself, aiming to make his fans’ fears accessible to themselves: “Most things that seem personal or frightening at first are shared by many others. So, my listeners can find comfort in not being alone.” He consistently expresses political views, addressing racial inequality in the US system, Donald Trump, and xenophobia. Also, he evolves with each record, processing childhood experiences in The Iceberg in 2017 and the relationships in his life in 2020’s Odd Cure. In his own musical universe, Oddisee empathizes with everyday worries, viewing rap music as a conduit for these experiences: “Whatever happens in the world, no matter who we are or what we do, it’s reflected in rap music and endures forever, even after death.”