This EP was released on March 23rd this year. I’ve never listened to Oddisee’s music before, but I know that Beezy430 is a big fan of him. I saw that he was signed to Mello Music Group, and I LOVE Mello Music Group, so I’m expecting this to be really dope. I don’t really have much else to say since this is my introduction to Oddisee. I’ve been meaning to check this guy out for a minute now, so I’m looking forward to this. Every song is self produced.

Track 1: Asked About You

Oh shitfuck… This beat is fantastic. The first verse was dope af. I guess he’s just rapping about how fucked up life is for everybody. Well, I think he’s talking about black people specifically because he talks about how “We came here on boat rides.” This hook is dope af. Wow. This is a REALLY good song. Not just lyrically, but sonically too. I’m surprised this guy isn’t more popular. I could see this song doing well with a mainstream audience. It’s not really a happy song tho. The only emotion you ever get from the radio is happiness unfortunately. This hook is seriously awesome. “I’ve been thinking about you / And all the things you’ve been through / Has anybody stopped to ask you / ‘Hey, how you doin’?‘” This song is honestly amazing. The second verse was dope af. He’s rapping about how throughout history, people with darker skin are always treated more poorly. “Giving faces to the hatred / Trying to figure out the bases of humanity’s disgraces.” This song is fucking incredible. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 2: No Reservations

This beat is dope. It’s really smooth. The first verse was cool. I’m not sure how I feel about this hook. The way the percussion repeats it kinda jarring. It’s really loud too. It makes it difficult to hear what Oddisee is saying. The second verse was dope af. “I ain’t make the laws, but I am trying to break them / And not get caught by the criminals that make them / Funny that the boss gets a pardon, and the Sargent get absolved when the evidence blatant.” The hook wasn’t that great to me, and the subject matter wasn’t super interesting. I don’t think the verses were bad at all, but I don’t know if I’d come back to this song that often. It’s definitely not bad, but I personally don’t really fuck with it like that. It’s not bad tho. It’s alright. 3/5

Track 3: Strength & Weakness

Yesss… This fucking production is awesome. The first verse was dope. His repetitive vocal tone was slightly annoying, but that’s just a nitpick. This hook is dope af. Every time he sings the hook it just sounds really good. It’s not like he’s an amazing vocalist like The Weeknd or something, but the way he does it just sounds perfect for Hip Hop. He could never have a career as a singer, but he doesn’t need to get features to sing the hooks because he sounds great doing it. It’s like when Kendrick sings. It sounds good, but you still wouldn’t want a full song of him only singing. The second verse was dope. This is a really great song. I feel like if you’re a fan of Dreamville you’d like this. It kinda makes me feel the same way I felt when I was listening to Cole World. I could see Cole goin’ in on this beat. This song is dope af. 5/5

Track 4: Wouldn’t Be Surprised

Oh my lord. The production on this EP is so good. The verse at the beginning was dope. The hook is awesome. This is a pretty short song, but I enjoyed it. The subject matter wasn’t super interesting, but I think Oddisee did a good job with it. Sonically, this is a really good song. I fuck with this one. This is dope. 4/5

Track 5: Lifting Shadows

This beat is dope. This track has a lot more energy than the majority of the other shit on this project. This first verse is dope af. In a nutshell, this song is about islamophobia. He raps about how politicians are more concerned with demonizing muslims than dealing with gun violence or helping people in low income neighborhoods. The hook isn’t bad. I’m not really that impressed by it tho. The second verse is less about this country’s attitude towards Islam, and more about it’s attitude towards immigrants. Lyrically this song is dope af. The hook was kinda underwhelming, but that’s not enough for me to penalize this track. The bars were all on point, and the production was really good too. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 6: Catching Vibes

Jesus, man. The production on this project is so good. This beat is dope af. The first verse was nice. This hook is smooth as hell. The second verse was dope. He killed that last verse tho. I haven’t really said much about this song, which is probably because I don’t have any complaints. It’s just a great song. The structure is very simple. The beat is dope af. Oddisee did a great job with each verse. I definitely fuck with this song. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 7: Slow Groove

This beat is pretty good. It’s definitely not as impressive as a lot of the other beats on this EP, but I still like it. This is one of the more introspective songs on the project. He mostly talks about his fake friends on the first verse. It was dope. The hook’s pretty good. The second verse was nice. Same goes for the final verse. I fuck with this song. I think this was a very good way to close the EP. This is dope to me. 4/5

Final Thoughts:

This EP is great. VERY great. I’m actually having a really hard time choosing a favorite song. It’s between track 1 & track 3… I guess I’m just gonna have to flip a coin… Actually, I think I know which one I like better… Anyway, this is a very dope project. The production was really fucking good. I don’t think Oddisee is an amazing lyricist, but his music is still really fucking good. It’s not like his lyrics are bad tho. I just wasn’t super impressed with every single thing he said. I don’t really have much else to say. It’s just a short collection of great music. I’m definitely a fan now. This shit is dope.

Favorite Song: Strength & Weakness

Least Favorite Song: No Reservations

Verdict:

88%

Tell me if I’m trippin’ in the comments below

If you enjoyed this article share it on Twitter & Facebook

Follow me on Twitter: @OGNickMarsh