Oddisee
Prolific hip-hop artist Oddisee first became known as an underground producer before gaining respect as a rapper. His literate, relatable lyrics tackle personal issues and political themes, and his productions encompass retro-soul, go-go, and gospel influences. His 2008 album, 101, was the first full-length released by Mello Music Group, and featured collaborations with Flying Lotus, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Phonte, and others. He continued releasing vocal and instrumental recordings at a rapid pace, with soul-influenced albums like 2015's The Good Fight, incorporating live instrumentation. 2017 live album Beneath the Surface was co-credited to backing band Good Compny, and Oddisee's first studio album in six years, To What End, appeared in 2023.
Born in Washington, D.C. to a Sudanese father and an African-American mother, Amir Mohamed grew up in Maryland, influenced by soul and rap as well as myriad musicians on both sides of his family. He was set to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia to pursue visual arts when a friend introduced him to hip-hop production. He was so enamored of it that he changed his plans and concentrated on making beats, ending up with the track "Musik Lounge" on DJ Jazzy Jeff's 2002 record, Magnificent.
Part of the Low Budget crew, which included fellow D.C.-area MCs and producers Kenn Starr, Cy Young, and Kev Brown, Oddisee released his solo debut, Foot in the Door (mixed by Jazzy Jeff), on Halftooth in 2006. He signed to Mello Music Group in 2008, debuting with 101 before releasing Mental Liberation and New Money (a collaboration with Trek Life) in 2009. He also formed the trio Diamond District along with labelmates XO and yU; their debut, In the Ruff, also appeared in 2009. He typically released one or two solo albums a year, including instrumental efforts such as Traveling Man and Odd Seasons, as well as lyrical showcases such as People Hear What They See.
Tangible Dream and the instrumental full-length The Beauty in All both appeared in 2013. In 2015, he issued The Good Fight, an effort driven by social commentary and retro-soul, and 2016 saw the release of The Odd Tape, an all-instrumental mixtape issued around the same time as his free download EP Alwasta. In early 2017, Oddisee released his 11th studio album, Iceberg, returning to a vocal-driven style. Later in the year, he issued Beneath the Surface, a live album featuring his band Good Compny. The EP Odd Cure, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, launched the artist's Outer Note Label in 2020. To What End, a reflective full-length featuring guests such as Bilal, Freeway, and Olivier St. Louis, appeared in 2023.
© Marisa Brown & Paul Simpson /TiVo
Similar artists
Discography
30 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
-
To What End
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 20 Jan 2023
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
And Yet Still
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 30 May 2024
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Odd Cure
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 17 Jul 2020
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Life in a Wind
Leon Phal, Oddisee, Wolfgang Valbrun
Jazz - Released by Masterworks on 10 Jul 2024
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Iceberg
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 24 Mar 2017
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
The Odd Tape
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 13 May 2016
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Rock Creek Park
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 6 Sep 2011
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Beneath The Surface (Live)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 10 Nov 2017
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
Still Infinite (Redux)
Sinopsis, Kooley High, Oddisee
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Wax Cartel on 12 Sep 2024
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
Mental Liberation
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 5 May 2009
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Tangible Dream
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 9 Dec 2013
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Good Fight
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 18 May 2015
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Alwasta
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 10 Jun 2016
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
People Hear What They See
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 25 Jun 2012
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Odd Sketches, Vol. 1
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 8 Mar 2024
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Beauty In All
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 7 Oct 2013
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Try Again
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 5 Jan 2023
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Odd Seasons
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 8 Jun 2011
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Ghetto to Meadow (feat. Freeway)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 9 Nov 2022
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Traveling Man
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Mello Music Group on 26 Jan 2010
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Hard to Tell
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Outer Note Label LLC on 9 Nov 2022
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo