I Love Ugly & Oddisee

ODDISEE (NYC) INTERVIEW

NOVEMBER 14, 2013 BY ILOVEUGLY

Photography: Rob Hart at Shadowlands 

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with our good friend/rapper/producer extraordinaire Oddisee while he was in Auckland for the Red Bull Prodigy Project.
Check out what he had to say below.
ILU: How long have you been making music?
O: I've been making music for about 10 years. I started off as an MC then got into production. Once I felt comfortable with both, I started to make albums.
ILU: What inspires you to do what you do and has this been constant over time?
O: Travelling is definitely the largest form of inspiration for me. Being able to drop in & out of different worlds, observe life & document it through music is what excites me the most.
ILU: This is your second visit to NZ this year; do you feel a connection to the country or music? Why?
O: More than this being my second time in NZ in a year, this is the second time in a year NZ as reached out to me. I've visited many cities & countries just once, there are a few places that I feel my music & outlook resonate with the most. I find myself favoring the cities that favor me as well. There's been plenty of instances where I'm in a place I don't like but have fans who want to see me. There's never been a case of a city that I love that doesn't love me back.
ILU: It's clear you have an interest in clothing and labels, is what you wear an important part of your style and expression?
O: Totally, as an artist I want to be a constant expression of my work. I'm attracted to brands that I feel represent the very fabric of my music through their use of fabric.
ILU: The official video for Own Appeal has just come out, what was the inspiration for this song & video?
O: I'm always trying to be as transparent as possible. I wanted to crest a visual that functions more like a documentary than a rap video. I travel often, perform a lot & make music on the road. "Own Appeal" displays just that. Somewhat like a day in the life type of thing.

Check out the video for Own Appeal below. Own Appeal appears on Oddisee’s recently released Tangible Dream Mixtape.

Oddisee is also about to set out on his European tour Oddisee and Good Friends. Check live dates here.