oddisee Archives

Here’s the Story of How Mello Music Group Defiantly Built a Haven for Real Hip-Hop (Interview)

For the better part of the last decade, as independent label mainstays have been closing up their doors, going on hiatus, or reconfiguring their audience, Mello Music Group has secured a foundation. The Tucson, Arizona-based label has cultivated new voices, redeveloped lyrical legends, and built an industry model rooted in... Read more

March 10, 2015 Food for Thought

Oddisee, Apollo Brown & More Show Off Their Persona On New Compilation (Album Stream)

Today (March 10), indie record label Mello Music Group is releasing their annual compilation album, Persona. Celebrating eight years of being in business, Mello Music Group has prided themselves on their focus on artist development, and Persona is meant to show how the label has grown and developed over the... Read more

March 10, 2015 Audio

Red Pill Goes To Work While Oddisee Goes Diggin’ (Audio)

Red Pill is moving fast with a battery in his back. After a few years of payin' dues (or as he says on "Smile," 10,000 hours), the Lansing, Michigan MC and Ugly Heroes member may have found the perfect home at Mello Music Group. Fresh off of speaking up about... Read more

January 20, 2015 Audio

Phonte & Oddisee Channel Pain Into Beautiful Art, Reacting To The World Today (Audio)

In the wake of the 2014 murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and so many other Black men at the hands of law enforcement, there was a large outcry for artists to react, reflect, and somehow find the words we, the people, could not. Those expressions are indeed... Read more

January 13, 2015 Audio

Diamond D Remixes Diamond District & It’s A Gem (Audio)

Diamond D is an exceptional producer at those guitar-driven tracks, with dusty, accentuated grooves. He's given these type of joints to Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs, Ras Kass, and of course, The Fugees. In 2014, he hits off his shelf-mates in the record store, Diamond District, with a remix to... Read more

December 9, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Black Milk, Large Professor, Nottz & Diamond D Are Remixing A 2014 LP, But Which? (Audio)

True remixes are a rarity these days. Remember the days when The Beatnuts might remix PMD, Diamond D might remix Outkast, or Marley Marl remix DJ Pooh? It's a little different in 2014. However, when Black Milk spins his take on an Oddisee-produced track, it's worth noting, and absolutely worth... Read more

December 1, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Diamond District Mines New Gems In March On Washington, Evidenced Here (Video)

Diamond District is compromised of three vastly different artists in Oddisee, yU, and X.O. If only basing a union on their solo projects, this is an improbable trio. However, for two full-lengths, the Washington D.C. natives have mirrored the complexities of their city in extremely current, hard-hitting, forward-thinking music. March... Read more

November 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Boaz Links with Termanology, Oddisee & Vinny Radio on Like This Remix (Audio)

Boaz is official. His album Intuition will be released on Tuesday and it is packed with bangers. His latest single is a remix to "Like This." The East Coast version features Oddisee, Termanology and Vinny Radio. Check it out. Related: Boaz Releases the Video for His Red Hot Collabo with... Read more

October 18, 2014 Audio

March On Washington With Oddisee & Diamond District (Album Stream)

Mello Music Group has offered—as they always seem to—the latest album stream from the Tucson, Arizona-based label. This one comes highly anticipated, the sophomore group effort from Diamond District. The Washington, D.C. trio of Oddisee, yU, and X.O. March On Washington over 14 tracks based around lyrical darts and thumping... Read more

October 14, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Diamond District’s First Step is a Return to the Boom BAP (Video)

Diamond District, the collective of yU, Oddisee and Uptown XO, release their visuals for "First Step." The Oddisee-laced track is a return to the Boom Bap with some trunk-rumbling keys. Check out the video. Related: Diamond District Really Has Something In Their March On Washington (Audio)... Read more

October 2, 2014 Video

Diamond District Really Has Something In Their March On Washington (Audio)

After sharing their "First Step" towards sophomore album, March On Washington (October 14) a month ago, Oddisee, yU, and X.O are back for more. "Lost Cause" is a very experimental beat from Oddy, with some powerful lyrics on the hopelessness and recklessness in society, this song really leaves marks. With... Read more

September 23, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Diamond District’s First Step In A March To Another Album (Audio)

Diamond District's March On Washington is coming on October 14. With the Mello Music Group release from Oddisee, yU, and X.O. available for pre-order, the acclaimed District of Columbia trio dropped off some highly anticipated new music. "First Step" is a fitting first glimpse from the March. With an electrofied... Read more

August 26, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Oddisee Takes A Trippy Nighttime Ride Through The Back Of His Mind (Video)

Producer/MC Oddisee has succeeded in capturing vibes throughout his 15-year career. That's why he's been sought out by everybody from J. Cole to J-Live to Joey Bada$$ (that's a lot of J's). The member of Diamond District and the Low Budget Crew continues to refine his craft when it comes... Read more

March 10, 2014 Fresh, Video

Oddisee’s Got A Lot To Say On Album Bonus Cut Yeezus Was A Mortal Man (Audio)

In releasing his latest album, The Beauty In All, Oddisee let the music do the talking. One of the biggest stars out of the Low Budget Crew has a bonus-cut, "Yeezus Was A Mortal Man." Like Lupe Fiasco's controversially-titled single, this could appear to be about Kanye West or 2013... Read more

October 20, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Oddisee – Own Appeal

There are tracks that are just mean to be played cruising down the street with the windows dropped, this is definitely one of those tracks. Although he already has a full instrumental album on the way, Oddisee has released the first single off a different project titled "Own Appeal." The... Read more

September 25, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Oddisee – After Thoughts (Video)

Oddisee has been a joy to watch and listen to for over a decade. Since the Halftooth Records days, this DMV native has been versatile in making his own albums as a vocal artist, instrumental projects, and a ton of hitters for other artists along the way. His upcoming The... Read more

September 11, 2013 Fresh, Video

King Mez – New Vinyl

The Interstate 95 circuit comes alive in this King Mez and Oddisee collaboration. North Carolina and Washington D.C. rooted (respectively), with New York addresses. This is believed to stem from LLTK2 (Long Live The King 2). As for the contents of the song, more related to automobile interiors than 12"... Read more

September 3, 2013 Audio, Fresh

Oddisee – Lonely Planet

How should an artist follow up a year that included him winning “Best Hip-Hop/Rap” album by iTunes UK? By releasing a completely instrumental LP of course. Ok, maybe that isn’t the most traditional of routes to take for an artist following one of the biggest years of their career, but... Read more

August 20, 2013 Audio, Fresh, Throwback

TiRon & Ayomari – They Go

Here's a high BPM new song TiRon and Ayomari that was produced by Oddisee. Check out They Go. Related: Oddisee - Hustle Off They Go (prod. by Oddisee) by The Cafeteria Line... Read more

April 26, 2012 Audio

Oddisee – Hustle Off

Oddisee has a new concept album dropping in June about "influence, inspiration, perception and reality. Every song was written outside and he rapped about what he observed on various occasions. His new song Hustle Off will not be on the album but, according to Oddisee is a good example of... Read more

April 13, 2012 Audio

Here’s an MLK day playlist featuring music from Common, Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Nas and more (Playlist)

Happy MLK day. MUCH has changed since the 60's when Dr. King led a peaceful revolution for justice and equality, but the beautiful struggle continues. We are in complex times. The nation has a black president, a reality that likely would not have materialized had it not been for the... Read more

January 16, 2012 Audio, Food for Thought, Playlists

Oddisee – The Carter Barron

Here's a new track from Oddisee. There are no lyrics, just a super soulful production featuring live instruments. Live drums in hip-hop really make tracks come alive (check out the Elzhi ElMatic project for more proof). Check it out. The Carter Barron by Oddisee... Read more

August 17, 2011 Audio

Oddisee – 101 (Free Album)

Oddisee released 101, a strong debut album on Mello Music Group, in 2008. The production was tight, the rhymes were solid and it had features from J-Live, Jean Grae, Rapper Big Pooh and several from Phonte (spittin’). They've decided to release the album for free and you can listen to... Read more

August 6, 2011 Audio

Who says there’s no more conscious rap? Check out Apollo Brown’s The Times ft Oddisee.

It's a great track with meaningful lyrics. If you need some more thought provoking rap in your life, check out this playlist. The diversity in hip-hop the last few years has been phenomenal. Click here to download.... Read more

April 7, 2011 Audio