Oddisee is the stage name of Amir Mohamed, a Washington, D.C.-born rapper and producer of Sudanese and American heritage. He grows up in Washington, D.C. and also spends summers in Khartoum, where he learns Arabic and swims in the Nile. His background shapes his music, drawing on New York hip hop, Sudanese musical traditions, and the sounds of his family environment, including oud, go-go and gospel.

Early development

Oddisee begins making beats and rapping in the basement studio of his neighbour Garry Shider of Parliament Funkadelic. He turns seriously toward hip hop in 1999 and later works at A Touch of Jazz studios, where he absorbs the neo-soul sound associated with Philadelphia. He is influenced by singers, guitarists and poets on his Sudanese side of the family, and by gospel singers, bluegrass guitar players and older cousins on his American side.

Career

He first gains wider notice after producing and performing the track “Musik Lounge” for DJ Jazzy Jeff’s album Magnificent. He then works with artists including Gary Shider, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, J-Live, Asheru and Little Brother. His work is released on Halftooth Records and later Mello Music Group.

Albums and projects

In 2008, after signing with Mello Music Group, he releases a run of projects including 101, Mental Liberation, Everything Changed Nothing, Odd Seasons and Traveling Man. He also forms Diamond District with Uptown XO and yU; the group releases In the Ruff in 2009. His debut solo album, People Hear What They See, follows and is built around themes of Washington, D.C. politics, life experience, conflict, self-sabotage and progress, with intricate drums, layered instrumentation and soul-influenced harmonies.

Groups

Oddisee is associated with Low Budget, Diamond District and Good Compny, and his Low Budget crew includes Cy Young, Kevin Brown and Kenn Starr. He also works as a consultant for Mello Music Group and continues to split his time between Brooklyn, Washington, D.C. and London.

Style and reach

His output spans alternative hip hop, conscious hip hop and instrumental hip hop, with a sound that covers a wide part of the genre. His music also appears in sports coverage and in advertising for brands including Quiksilver and Burton Snowboards.