Hip hop is a genre that people to come to for the real. That music that you can connect to because it’s something that you can feel due to the authenticity by its artist, as well as the lyrical substance that really separates a good artist from a great one. When you are able to give the people everything in your pursuit a greatness it is truly the thing of legends and thats the feel that Odee O has. Fresh off the release of his new project “INCUMBENT” we wanted to know more about the artist as well as their process and he was gracious enough to take some time to answer some questions for us. Below is the interview.
Who is Odee O the artist?
Odee O is a Bronx, New York born, Haitian American, Howard Grad with a Business Undergraduate degree and a Masters in Cybersecurity, former Semi pro basketball player and Streetball player, and Hip Hop Enthusiast and Purist. I love Hip Hop and the Culture. I seek to create incredible & entertaining hip hop music that doesn’t promote the destruction of black people or black families.
I seek to provide a wise voice of reason to the modern hip hop landscape and debunk the current toxicity so prevalent in the music. I hope to appeal to the human race of music lovers while promoting alternative life & happiness & love & fun narratives creating a niche within the hip hop music business.
What are some of your influences and how did that get incorporated into the music?
My influences are Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Lords of the Underground, Bush Babies, Black Star, Mobb Deep, Biggie, Common, Lauren Hill, Kendrick, Fat Joe, Jay Z, Kanye, K. Dot, J Cole, Griselda, Drake JadaKiss, Heavy D, Chubb Rock, Tupac, just to name a few…lmao. I am not sure how I consciously incorporated them but I believe their essence of mixing a sonic revolution with some measure of intelligence is inherently apart of my DNA due to their influence on me growing up.
What was your creative process for your new album “INCUMBENT”?
Well I recorded, mixed and mastered the entire project in South Africa over 6 months that I was there. I went through countless beats via Beat Stars, and United Masters beats store. Just looking for the right vibez and beats and then challenged myself to make music and write lyrics that sounded like today but had new narratives and new subject matter and some common ones like love but I also addressed the idea of moving to Africa and my experience’s traveling has a single man with no kids and finding romance in Africa.
Most songs were pre written and added to beats I discovered later. Some songs like “BIG EAST TOURNEY” and CHAMPAGNE & SHOTS I wrote on the spot once I heard the beat, both I wrote in like 30 mins.
At what point in the process did you feel comfortable with the project to say it’s complete and ready for the world to hear?
Each song went through 3-5 versions to either get my vocals right but mostly to ensure the mix and master was top quality. I added “Voice In My Head” & “Preferences Freestyle” in the 11th hour cause the beats I felt rounded my project out just right. ” Voice in My Head” was easy to record where “Preferences Freestyle” the drums werent on the original beat so I had to send it back to the producer to get the drums right and because I was going for that ’96 NYC feel the bars had to be right so I wrote and rewrote the 3 verses currently on the finished version so for me the album was done once I could listen to every track and catch a vibe.
How did you pick “Champagne and Shots” as the first single?
When I shot the video everyone at the two clubs l shot the video at loved the track, everyone who heard it even after I recorded it and it wasnt mixed and mastered yet loved it. It seemed like the most relatable song, like the world is sipping Champagne and taking Shots which is actually a double entendre but I chose to stay on the more positive party festive version of the hook. I am always out at clubs so it was like the perfect pregame going to the club song and actually partying at the club song.
What does success for your new album look like to you?
Outer Space is the limit. I would like a grammy nomination and win for his album. I would love to see it go platinum.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an upcoming artist?
Stay genuine, be unapologetically yourself. Make music that you love and want to share.
What’s next for Odee O?
Hopefully, major album billboard success and International acclaim and success but mostly recognition for my contribution and effort in this project. I would love to shoot more videos for this album do remixes and collaborate with more artist established in the game. Performing and interviewing with more hip hop blogs and platforms and introducing the culture to my album and be the Uncle culture didnt know they had. I hope to refine rap to a degree and mature it.
Check out Odee O “INCUMBENT” below and follow him on socials. Stay Global my Friends!
