obionthemic

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

I grew up on hip hop, since the mid 80s. Had plenty of crews I rocked with till around 1999. Then life took over and I took a rather long hiatus till 2018. With the ease of making tracks and collaborating with people across the globe, I have gotten back into making music and have a strong team at my back. I woke up 20 years later like Rip Van Winkle to discover the game has changed for the worse sorry to say.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

My newest release is a track featuring Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox, produced by Thanos Beats. The Tribal Mix of “Blood of Bantu!” This is the lead single off the new LP “The Obi Files Vol 2.”

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Parliament/Funkadelic, a lot of 60s-70s soul, early 80s and 90s hip hop, no doubt.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

I stick to doing boom bap, to me, the lyrics are what matters, not the melody as much as the message. I try to transcend to another level for my fans in hip hop, not looking to fit what ever is current or “in” as hip hop has been coopt by the mainstream.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Three LPs, Smif & Wessun ‘The Shining,’ Monsta Island Czars ‘Escape from Monsta Island,’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Off the Wall.’

Movies, would have to go with Carlitos Way, Casino and Rocky…

Books, I would have to go with a book about Desalinization, a book on desert island edibles and a book on How to Survive on a Desert Island…

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

I prefer the studio, shows for Underground artists are a death trap in my opinion. No ROI. I get my ROI promoting online. But I will rock a show with known artists, people who will draw a crowd anywhere on the globe.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

The last album I made was in 1999, after that I literally never wrote, recorded or cared about doing hip hop anymore. And strangely enough, when I converted all my old music from the 90s, I decided, I want to take another crack at hip hop. Despite being gone for so long.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

Biological Warfare is my personal favorite. I just love the beat and engineer production, lyrics, concept, its totally me 100%

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

Keep collabing and making music. I do this for a hobby at this point, so I just enjoy rocking dope beats and working with artists I respect. Been enjoying the love and feedback from the Underground.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

My question would be, what is wrong with hip hop today?

My answer would be, lack of originality, lack of creativity, an absence of listening to lyrics versus listening to booty shaking melodies. Not understanding the fans are turning real hip hop into the lost art for real.

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

Recommended listening:

Connect with Obi Khan:

https://soundcloud.com/michael-glenn-242923415

https://obikhan.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/whoisobi/

https://twitter.com/OBI_BOOM_BAP

https://www.instagram.com/mr2buku/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOWyuI5vQmEEj6xoiE-2TMA/featured?view_as=subscriber