Oddity
We live in this world called 'Hip-Hop.' KRS-One breaks it down real simple: "Hip is the knowledge, Hop is the movement." Unfortunately, much of Hip-Hop has devolved into a corporate-run money-making machine in which bubble gum music, as Public Enemy's Professor Griff would put it, is chewed up and spit out for the next round of disposable art (© Masta Ace). Leaving the major decisions up to the label heads, few artists are able to break the mold as emcees with a meaningful message. Seek no further but to look towards the underground to find music that really comes from the heart and soul. This week's highlighted emcee comes from SoCal (big up, big up!) and has headlined shows with such artists as Aceyalone, Murs, Beat Junkies, Awol One, Strong Arm Steady, Tha Alkaholiks, Sage Francis and many more. He goes by the name of 'Oddity.'
As you might have gathered from the army fatigued header photo, Oddity speaks on the raging perils of the day: war, corruption, greed. Drawing from Hip-Hop legends like Rakim, KRS-One and N.W.A., as well as outspoken political minds like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Gore Vidal, Oddity's background is one of support for the proletariat and a never-ending quest for truth in a world that is often characterized as one filled with lies.
Oddity's style and technique on the mic is both vicious and gruff, as he rips through tracks with his multi-syllabic rhyme pattern and delivery. In many ways, his cadence and pace is comparable to Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zack de la Rocha, gifted in switching up momentum throughout his various tracks. Likewise, Oddity's "mood swings from angry to funny, to cynical, to dark and then even darker, but maintains the integrity and intelligence that his style personifies." Go check out some of his tracks to hear and feel exactly what I'm talkin' about.
2008 is the year of "Illegal Truth", Oddity's full-length album which is a non-stop ride full of what you'd expect from a great underground record: hard rhymes and heavy beats. Personal favorites from the album include the grimy 'Two Days to Live' and the bouncy head-bopper 'Money $ Money' featuring Castor Pollux (one of the songs you can hear on Oddity's Myspace). The album definitely resembles such great 21st century poli-rap classics as Immortal Technique's 'Revolutionary Vol. 1' and 'Vol. 2', as well as Non-Phixion's 'The Future is Now.' You can preview the entire album at CD Baby.com, and of course, cop it at his official site if you enjoyed it as much as I did. Check out the notes as well:
Like Oddity says on his Myspace page: "Don't believe everything you see on TV and always research what you read." With that said, I suggest you all go out and "verify" this Myspace Mondays post. ;-D Peace y'all!
As you might have gathered from the army fatigued header photo, Oddity speaks on the raging perils of the day: war, corruption, greed. Drawing from Hip-Hop legends like Rakim, KRS-One and N.W.A., as well as outspoken political minds like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn and Gore Vidal, Oddity's background is one of support for the proletariat and a never-ending quest for truth in a world that is often characterized as one filled with lies.Oddity's style and technique on the mic is both vicious and gruff, as he rips through tracks with his multi-syllabic rhyme pattern and delivery. In many ways, his cadence and pace is comparable to Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zack de la Rocha, gifted in switching up momentum throughout his various tracks. Likewise, Oddity's "mood swings from angry to funny, to cynical, to dark and then even darker, but maintains the integrity and intelligence that his style personifies." Go check out some of his tracks to hear and feel exactly what I'm talkin' about.
2008 is the year of "Illegal Truth", Oddity's full-length album which is a non-stop ride full of what you'd expect from a great underground record: hard rhymes and heavy beats. Personal favorites from the album include the grimy 'Two Days to Live' and the bouncy head-bopper 'Money $ Money' featuring Castor Pollux (one of the songs you can hear on Oddity's Myspace). The album definitely resembles such great 21st century poli-rap classics as Immortal Technique's 'Revolutionary Vol. 1' and 'Vol. 2', as well as Non-Phixion's 'The Future is Now.' You can preview the entire album at CD Baby.com, and of course, cop it at his official site if you enjoyed it as much as I did. Check out the notes as well:
As an activist, promoter, and MC, Oddity has brought a new breath of hope to the hip hop game and to all musical genres. With a gripping voice along with a unique style and a mind ripping delivery he brings a new sound to a monotonous genre. Bringing social awareness with fresh relevant lyrics and banging tracks, his debut album “Illegal Truth” knocks with a vengeance as his lyrics breathe life to hard-to-swallow reality, the struggle, hip hop and government conspiracies. After years of playing shows, freestyling on corners to working and writing with various artists, this project will give Oddity his long overdue shine. Tracks such as the heavy hitting “By Chaos They Reign” explore the dark side of politics war and religion through fierce word-play and a fist pumping hook, “By Chaos they reign, By Chaos they reign, But they will never gain control of my brain”. On the hard knocking “Money Money Money” Oddity and Gutter Water feature Castor Pollux make a mockery of the obsession of materialism and ego that mainstream hip hop displays, fueled by a funky joint produced by Dysposable Heroes. The album’s mood swings from funny, to cynical, to dark and then even darker, but maintains the integrity and intelligence that Oddity’s MC style personifies. Getting ready for an upcoming tour along the West Coast, it is time for the world to discover the Illegal Truth.
Like Oddity says on his Myspace page: "Don't believe everything you see on TV and always research what you read." With that said, I suggest you all go out and "verify" this Myspace Mondays post. ;-D Peace y'all!
Oddity's Official Site
Oddity @ CD Baby
Oddity @ SoundClick
Oddity @ Myspace
Keep Hip-Hop Alive!
...see you next week for the fifth installment of 'Myspace Mondays'...
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