He has been cited as one of the best rappers in the industry and a “criminally underrated producer” and Tāmaki Makaurau has the opportunity to witness him live at the one and only Neck of the Woods.
Amir Mohamed el Khalifa – better known by his stage name of Oddisee has often been heralded as a conscious performer, his illustrious career that spans well over twenty years seeing him start out as one third of Diamond District, as well as being involved with Low Budget Crew (aka Low Budget Productions), a collective based in Washington D.C. that saw Oddisee rub shoulders with artists such as Critically Acclaimed and Cy Young.
While releasing his own mixtapes going back as far as 2005, it was the release of his 2012 studio album People Hear What they See, that really took Oddisee and placed him in front of the people; tracks such as “That Real’, ‘Do It All’ (featuring XO and yU of Diamond District) and ‘Set You Free’ still setting the stage on fire when performed live.
While still considered Hip Hop, Oddisee has proven over his career that not only is he indeed one of the culture’s most accomplished acts on today’s international touring circuit, but that with personal growth and musical evolution, Oddisee has gifted his followers with something quite unique in the form of instrumentation which translates beautifully in the live setting.
Stating in interviews that he despises the fact that rap is often reduced to “beats and rhymes”, Oddisee is all about creating music, songs, that will be critiqued for being what they are, a piece of music. This way of thinking is what elevates his work and sees him revered as a conscious performer and a rare gem in the music industry. A humble man who is a musical warrior.
“I want this to be considered a serious art form; I think that Hip Hop is the greatest form of American poetry and modern literature that we have that is not respected as such. What we do with metaphors, similes, play on words and double entendres, it is just lyrical acrobatics on a whole other level”
Having not graced our shores since 2018 [see here for a review of that outstanding show Concert Review: Oddisee & Good Compny, Auckland NZ, 2018 (ambientlightblog.com) ] but having released not only the brilliant EP Odd Cure along with his latest studio album To What End, this intimate show is mandatory for any true fan of Hip Hop.
This is the link to the fantastic YouTube interview from back in 2015:
Profile by Sarah Kidd | NOTW + Ambient Light