By: Michael Bayliss
I am from the District of Columbia, the capital of the United States. My city is known for its historical reverence and the monuments that litter the downtown area. I love this city, but more importantly I love the music that comes out of it. We have our golden few just like anyone else's hometown, I could go on for hours about how Washingtonians either hate or love Wale (there's no in between). To me though there is but one D.C artist I wish more people knew about, and that man my friends is Amir Mohamed el Khalifa a.k.a Oddisee.
His newest album "The Good Fight" in simplest terms is a work of art. He does what not many D.C area based hip/hop artist can do, and that's find a definitive sound. There's a funky vibe to a majority of tracks like in "That's Love", and when there is not any solid base lines that could be their own songs there is a unmistakable jazz influence through sweet saxophone and trumpet choruses. It's also just not great production over great lyrics, but both. He provides smart lyrics and a New York-esque vibe to his beats but with the same realness any D.C artist could spit out.
My favorite song has to "Contradiction's Maze". As soon the chorus comes in sung by Maimouna Youssef to start the track I'm hooked and so should everyone else. The blaring trumpet lines and smooth drums just make you want to rock with the song the entire time. For gods sake there are tracks on this album that remind me of the same funkyness and in-your-face-with good music attitude as the movie Black Dynamite.
His newest album "The Good Fight" in simplest terms is a work of art. He does what not many D.C area based hip/hop artist can do, and that's find a definitive sound. There's a funky vibe to a majority of tracks like in "That's Love", and when there is not any solid base lines that could be their own songs there is a unmistakable jazz influence through sweet saxophone and trumpet choruses. It's also just not great production over great lyrics, but both. He provides smart lyrics and a New York-esque vibe to his beats but with the same realness any D.C artist could spit out.
My favorite song has to "Contradiction's Maze". As soon the chorus comes in sung by Maimouna Youssef to start the track I'm hooked and so should everyone else. The blaring trumpet lines and smooth drums just make you want to rock with the song the entire time. For gods sake there are tracks on this album that remind me of the same funkyness and in-your-face-with good music attitude as the movie Black Dynamite.
Oddisee may not new to the music industry or the hip/hop game but he deserves to be heard. Being apart of a smaller music label is probably another one of my favorite things about him. He has the flexibility that indie rappers get, to make good music they like and they know other will too, and boy do I love his music.
So please for the sake of good music everywhere listen to Oddisee you will not be disappointed.
So please for the sake of good music everywhere listen to Oddisee you will not be disappointed.