Diablog: Advice... Even When You Don't Ask For It

This is a myspace message I got from a producer from Carlow, Ireland. He thinks I have potential and that makes me happy....

28/2009 3:34 PM
To: ODDISEE:

Just came by ya page.
im definaty feelin your music you got alot of potential.
im feelin that first track you gotta tweak the vocals a lil bit though because theres alot goin on in that track some of the lyrics are gettin lost in the track if you get me!!
make tracks as simple as you can!
most the time simple tracks are the best you know!
you got a good vibe about you though!
and thats a credit to you because iv produced for alot of artists and theres alot more whack artists on the net than talented ones! so keep up the good work
you have any new projects comin up?
get at me!

Giant Step Interview with Myself & Trek Life

Exclusive Interview with Oddisee and Trek Life

By Seher Sikandar

Regular contributor Seher Sikandar interviewsOddisee and Trek Life to discuss their upcoming album, Everything Changed Nothing special for you Giant Steppers. Check it out after jump.

After briefly observing Jazzy Jeff at A Touch of Jazz (Jazzy’s production company), DC-based producer/rapper Oddisee quickly learned how the famed DJ produced artists from the ground up. Seeing how expensive it was to do this, he sought an approach for doing the same thing more economically.

Starting by creating a highly raved about hip-hop trio, Diamond District (a free promo of the LP, In The Ruff, is floating around the innanets somewhere and an iTunes version is to be released late October), he’s begun to embark on this path. “It’s the beginning of everything I want to do in the music industry: find an artist, produce them, market them, book their tours and get paid.”

Known in the independent hip-hop community as a dedicated artist who shrewdly manages his own career, Oddisee is optimistic that his artist-to-artist consulting will help his peers “experience longevity, income and acknowledgement.”

“It’s an amazing feeling to know my peers trust me as much as they do. It’s a constant reminder that I must be doing something right. It also assures me that I will work in music beyond my own works.”

But so what if Oddisee handles his own ish and does a fair job at it? Why would any artists want to team up with dude? Like, seriously. He says three things:

1) “I’m one of very few independent hip-hop artists making an actual real living from my music.”
2) “I want the best for whomever I work with and that’s truly rare.”
3) “I feel I have the ability to make artists better simply by magnifying what they already are - that in itself is difficult for most artists to do themselves.”

Even Trek Life, an established rapper from the LA area has taken note of the man’s talents. Having developed a close friendship over the years, the two just wrapped up their first official official album together, Everything Changed Nothing (Trek on the verses, Oddisee on the beats). I caught up with the young lads at Trek Life’s studio to chat up their project and this whole little concept O has going on. Peep.

Seher Sikandar is a Bay Area-based photographer and writer who covers music, art, and lifestyle events. Check out her work at rehescreative.com.

Some Freak, Andreya Triana & Ritornell - The Light / Video by Laura Nöbauer & Christine Schörkhuber

Some of my Red Bull Music Academy mates have been busy making dopeness!

They created this amazing work with the special support of Wildruf. The

record is still available at your favourite record-store and comes with
remixes by the likes of Dorian Concept, Patrick Pulsinger & Orakel.

Available at:
Boomkat:
http://tiny.cc/r7eAO

Zero Inch:
http://www.zero-inch.com/label/Wald_Entertainment

Juno:
http://www.juno.co.uk/products/The-Light-remixes/357140-01/

Amazon:
http://tiny.cc/nVSNm

I-Tunes:
http://tiny.cc/BWgz8

Juno Download:
http://www.junodownload.com/products/1416173-02.htm

A Collaborative Animation By Blu & David Ellis

Amelia from PutMeOnIt put me on to this amazing video. Blu

& David Ellis take over an abandoned space, paint over it and film

the process. The end result is a series of murals that come to life

when the camera filming the painter is sped up making it all seem

animated. Check it out!

Back In DC... For Now....

So I'm back home and hard at work. All day everyday I'm mixing tracks and getting Diamond District ready for promo. The album comes out october 27th and we're about to hit the road for a few gigs. If you're in the ATL come check us October 1-3 at the Atlanta A3C festival. We'll also be in NYC for the CMJ Brooklyn Bodega show case October 21-22.
I just got home from the "DMV South" show that featured Bun B, XO (of the Diamond District) and a slew of other DMV hip hop act. YU(of the Diamond District) and myself came out to show our team member some support and we also rocked "Streets Won't Let ME Chill" off our album "In The Ruff". Photos from back stage and random shots I took in DC since i've been home are below, peace!
XO of The Diamond District


yU of The Diamond District

DJ Buddy's Oddisee Mini Mix

The homie DJ Buddy put together this nice little mix of some of my work. Down Load DJ Buddy: Oddisee Mini Mix 34 and other dope mix-tapes at http://www.buddybuddybuddy.com

Listen

Faces of the favelas

Anybody who's been to my blog more than once knows that I have a thing for photography. I'm hanging out with my homie Abdullah and he just showed me this ill video about a Brazilian photographer who's work has been plastered through out the favela's of Brazil. check it out!

BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Audio slideshow: Faces of the favelas - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Peace Out Cali

Well, I came to LA for two weeks to get Trek Life's album done and that's what happened. 11 tracks later, a few In & Out Burgers, Hip Hop shows and BBQ's later, I'm on my way home. I'm finally going to mix all these albums I've been working on over the past few months and release them. Oh yeah, Diamond District & Trek Life will be rocking in ATL October 1-3, peace!

& It Still Never Rains In Southern California

What up folks! I'm still in LA working on Trek Life's next solo album titled "Everything Changed Nothing". We've been out to a few more events, did a radio show and got allot of work done since my last post.

Diz Gibran

Trek Life, Oddisee & Like of Pacific Division

Soundwaves KPFK Interview with John Kim, Oddisee, and Trek Life from Cecilia Jurado on Vimeo.

In LA working on Trek Life's album

What up world? These past 4 months have been crazy for me! From London to Dubai to NY and LA. I'm out here working on my brother Trek Life's next solo album "Everything Changed Nothing". When I'm not in the studio (Which Is Never) I'm doing my best to go out to all the Hip-Hop events LA has to offer. Check the flicks thus far, more to come. Peace!

Trek Life at Soul Assassins radio

Ill Bill, Mr. Choc, Trek Life & Oddisee at Soul Assassins Radio

Oddisee & Mayer Hawthorne

Bishop Lamont, Trek Life & Indef

Oddisee & OhNo