There’s a special kind of flavor required for an MC to shine at one of NPR’s “Tiny Desk” concerts, and Brooklyn, New York spitter, O.C. really spreads it on for his five-song set. The low-key backdrop provided by Soul’D U Out, a Jazz band headed by Maurice “Mobetta” Brown (Talib Kweli, Prodigy), is a departure from the familiar sample-heavy production we’re used to from D.I.T.C., but it works.

With insanely poignant inflection and the facial expressions to match, O.C. breaks new ground performing one of his newer tracks and expertly redefines his classics, all in one short set. Taking advantage of the improvisational backdrop that the “Tiny Desk” concerts inspire, he is completely at ease, letting both the band and the featured performers take the lead when called upon.

O.C.’s Jewelz At 20: It May Be The True Diamond In His Discography

The Brooklyn MC starts with the support of R&B singer, Tay Bell, for the fresh track “New Dawn” off his 2017 release, Same Moon, Same Sun.  Next, Lord Finesse steps up to the mic and proceeds to completely annihilate the D.I.T.C. cut, “Day One” over the minimalist backdrop.

O.C. revisited an interesting moment of Hip-Hop history with the retelling of “Return Of The Crooklyn Dodgers,” the single he tackled with Jeru The Damaja, Chubb Rock and DJ Premier in 1995. The Bushwick rapper closes his set with two tracks from his debut, Word…Life; the lively, “Time’s Up,” and somber tribute to his fallen friend, “Born 2 Live.”

O.C. & Apathy Join Forces As Perestroika. Here’s The Rugged First Look (Video)

Carrying on in his noteworthy and prolific career, O.C. recently released his latest project, A New Dawn in February. The project serves as the second installment of a trilogy kicked off by 2016’s Same Moon Same Sun.

The band also features guitarist Marcus Machado, who is a familiar face to Ambrosia For Heads readers.