One third of the rap group Diamond District and former member of the Low Budget crew, Oddisee is the stage name of American rapper and producer Amir Mohamed el Khalifa, hailing from Washington, D.C., U.S.
Influenced by the soul and rap of his relative’s music collections growing up, Oddisee made his first mark on the music industry as an underground producer. Having intended to study visual arts at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, Khalifa soon altered his life plan and began crafting beats and melodies. The fruit of this initial effort can be seen on the track “Musik Lounge” which found its way on to DJ Jazzy Jeff’s 2002 record “Magnificent”. The producer went on to join the Low Budget crew alongside MCs and producers Kenn Starr, Cy Young, and Kev Brown. Reluctant to rest on his production laurels, Oddisee made his rapping debut on the album “Foot in the Door”, mixed by Jazzy Jeff in 2006.
The rapper and producer subsequently contributed to songs by SoulStice, Marco Polo, and J-Live before issuing his sophomore album “101” in 2008. The full-lengths “Mental Liberation”, “New Money”, and “In the Ruff” followed in 2009, during which time Oddisee began his series of Odd-season mixtapes beginning with “Odd Summer”. The rapper’s 2010 studio album “Travelling Man” marked his arrival at Mello Music Group, who also issued Oddisee’s 2012 album “People Hear What They See”. The album earned strong reviews from the critical press, who highlighted Oddisee’s introspective songwriting approach combined with orchestrated soul accompaniment. The album “The Beauty in All” and “Tangible Dream” arrived in 2013, followed by the 2014 album “March on Washington” as a part of Diamond District. With lyrics providing a sound social commentary of the current climate and infectious beats inviting movement, Oddisse released his 11th studio album “The Good Fight” in 2015.
KALEO
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