Since producing and performing the hit track "Musik Lounge" for DJ Jazzy Jeff's "Magnificent" LP, Amir "Oddisee" Mohamed has pushed his involvement in the music industry into fifth gear. Taking advantage of working at A Touch of Jazz studios, Oddisee has incorporated the neo soul vibe of Philly into his eclectic and well decorated resume. Coming from a diverse background, the half Sudanese half African American was blessed with musical talent from both sides of his family. Oddisee was influenced by the accomplished singers, guitarists, and poets on his Sudanese side, and on his American side, by the gospel singers, blue grass guitar players, and older cousins who gave him his first taste of hip-hop. Ironically, it was his Sudanese father that gave Oddisee the vinyl that fueled his passion for producing hip-hop music.
Since turning his focus towards hip-hop in 1999, Oddisee has worked with the likes of Gary Shider of Parliament and Funkadelic, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Talib Kweli, J-Live, Asheru, Little Brother, and many other respected recording artists. Now signed with Halftooth Records, Oddisee will soon be invading air waves and record stores near you with a unique sound that's impossible to ignore. With his incredibly distinctive and mesmerizing style, Oddisee covers just about every sect of hip-hop music, creating a sound that is appealing to all music lovers. Born in Washington D.C. and raised in Maryland, Oddisee and his "Low Budget Crew," including such hip hop artists and producers as Cy Young, Kevin Brown, Kenn Starr, have already managed to leave their mark within the hip-hop community of the D.C. metropolitan area.
In 2008 Oddisee signed with Mello Music Group and released a string of critically acclaimed projects that he either produced or rhymed on: 101, Mental Liberation, Everything Changed Nothing, Odd Seasons, and Traveling Man. He also created the break out DMV group Diamond District, which released In the Ruff in 2009, along with Uptown XO and yU. Oddisee has recently seen his music featured on ESPN during the NBA Finals, and in commercials for companies such as Quiksilver and Burton Snowboards, among others. Oddisee’s debut solo album People Hear What They See, was released on June 5, 2012 via Mello Music Group, and is a culmination of the duality of his life experiences, from DC internal politics to third world struggles, the line between love and selfishness, and the personal conflict between self-sabotage and progress, set to a backdrop of intricate drums, lush instrumentation, and soul-stirring harmonies.
Today, Oddisee splits his time between his Brooklyn, New York apartment, his DC stomping grounds, and his London base, while continuing to tour, develop new artists, consult for MMG, and create new music. Oddisee is ready to introduce his remarkable sounds to the world and influence the entire music community. This producer/emcee extraordinaire is poised to be your favorite beat maker and lyricist in one. Watch out world!
Do It All
Oddisee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm sign, do it all
Hook:
Tryin do it all, with my.to the .I'm gone
I'm feeling lost was the.too small for rhythm, tryin do it all
a blank page and travel those stop soak about in the blue print and get grown on
'cause I'm tryin do it all
just like I need to stocking that you no more need to give it up
because I'm tryin do it all
without the force and I ain't got no choice
but to do better then whenever before because I'm tryin do it all
I'm tryin make the world no lead
stack G's yeah be no key
get paper, well my brother is like the majors but we so free
so we sign like we don't speak
I'm around like I'm tryin to say the earth within the time I'm spending on it
the way my career is going, I might get the spend it on it
you get it on it, my minute is longer than.saying
I might say your verse at the end of song want a bitch scream
.a small town with big dreams
for flying coast to buying coke I'm in between
I'm not a star somebody laugh
I'm rather subway like a car
I'm getting back
my life is hard not all the time
all you're so ready to die, aint' tryin to stop
I want a ground for poverty to a bottom line
in my bottle time could .on me without a sign
[Hook:]
I need change like a dollar before quarters
I want fame I can't lie to all my supporters
part us wasn't around like immigration out the border
and little aliens gave me my aliens one.
we ain't all the same plate, we came apart of
each other, we was moving as one 'cause one talka
change the world earth clapping with the.
that was is fun is even a.star
had a couple me as guess we ain't property enough ace
rubbers incriminate and like this ain't no open the.
for no one time waste, me and my primates act like prime bitch
look me in my face, have you ever seen time stand still
ask yourself questions like: why this man kill?
but f*ck it, it's even big daddy came us able
so I'ma spoon my kids like a full eve gave you
[Hook:]
Now keep the bottom as we movin' on out the.
I had a dream of how we do and we focus on what matters smoke
damn man I hope the.that the.we were all
and it would never let up never.over bar
...express it when I give it
I was with the biggest.who spit the shifted dollars
this the diamond.but the realest and riming
we just get wild when I apply now snipping the sorrow
bubble tomorrow and gave back to my.tomorrow
got a.so our steps little path to follow
yeah some rare cross that two steps from the edge
now scared feeling prepared that's for whenever that rain comes
never know for what poke the stripes forever open
speaking smoking what.is to cracking windows open
and get the zone and John and whoever wanted
we got that on the song that we own because we try to do it all
The song "Do It All" by Oddisee is a proclamation of the rapper's ambition and his dedicated efforts to achieve success in his chosen career. With a sense of urgency and a relentless drive, Oddisee describes the challenges he faces and his determination to overcome them. The chorus of the song, "Trying to do it all, with my head to the sky, feet on the ground, I'ma fly," is a repeated mantra that reinforces the artist's message of hard work and perseverance.
Throughout the song, Oddisee touches on themes of self-reliance, creativity, and a desire for recognition. He speaks about the struggles of being an independent musician and the pressure to succeed in a competitive industry. He also touches on the importance of community and the need to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down.
Oddisee's lyrics are filled with clever wordplay and metaphors. The line "I need change like a dollar before quarters" illustrates his desire for progress and growth, while the phrase "my minute is longer than 60 seconds" serves as a reminder that time is a gift to be used wisely. The line "I'm rather subway like a car, I'm getting back" is a nod to his roots as a Washington D.C. native and his commitment to staying grounded.
Overall, "Do It All" is an inspiring and motivational song that encourages listeners to pursue their dreams with passion and determination. It serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication required to achieve success in any field.
Line by Line Meaning
No good, no good
Things are not going well
I'm sign, do it all
I'm determined to do everything
Tryin do it all, with my.to the .I'm gone
I'm trying to do everything, even when it seems impossible
I'm feeling lost was the.too small for rhythm, tryin do it all
I feel overwhelmed, like there's too much to do in too little time
a blank page and travel those stop soak about in the blue print and get grown on
I'm starting with a fresh slate and examining every detail to create a solid plan for success
'cause I'm tryin do it all
Because I'm determined to accomplish everything
just like I need to stocking that you no more need to give it up
I'm like a determined individual who no longer needs support to succeed
or we're gonna take my force
I'll do everything in my power to make it happen
without the force and I ain't got no choice
I have to do it myself because no one else can make it happen for me
but to do better then whenever before because I'm tryin do it all
I have to surpass my previous achievements because I'm determined to achieve everything
I'm tryin make the world no lead
I want to make a difference in the world
stack G’s yeah be no key
I want to accumulate a lot of wealth without being tied down by it
get paper, well my brother is like the majors but we so free
I want to make money without selling out my artistic integrity
so we sign like we don't speak
We communicate without words like we're in sync
I'm around like I'm tryin to say the earth within the time I'm spending on it
I'm constantly aware of how I'm using my time on this planet
the way my career is going, I might get the spend it on it
My career is taking off, and I might spend my whole life working towards it
you get it on it, my minute is longer than.saying
Once you understand it, you'll realize how much time and effort I'm putting into my work
I might say your verse at the end of song want a bitch scream
I might feature you on my track and make the crowd go wild when you perform
.a small town with big dreams
I come from a humble background but I have ambitious goals
for flying coast to buying coke I'm in between
I'm caught between wanting to travel and wanting to remain true to my values
I'm not a star somebody laugh
I'm not a celebrity, some people might find that amusing
I'm rather subway like a car
I'm more like a common mode of transportation rather than a flashy car
I'm getting back
I'm making a comeback
my life is hard not all the time
My life is difficult, but it's not always bad
all you're so ready to die, aint' tryin to stop
Some people are willing to sacrifice everything to succeed, and I'm no exception
I want a ground for poverty to a bottom line
I want to go from being impoverished to being financially successful
in my bottle time could .on me without a sign
I feel like time is running out and I might not succeed in time
I need change like a dollar before quarters
I need to make changes in my life, even small ones
I want fame I can't lie to all my supporters
I want to achieve fame, and I can't hide that from my fans
part us wasn't around like immigration out the border
Some members of our group were absent, like immigrants crossing a border
and little aliens gave me my aliens one.
Even though members were missing, little things inspired me to continue creating
we ain't all the same plate, we came apart of
We come from different backgrounds, but we're all part of the same group
each other, we was moving as one 'cause one talka
We were all in sync, and we all had a say in our group's decisions
change the world earth clapping with the.
We want to change the world, and the world will applaud our efforts
that was is fun is even a.star
The journey towards our goal is just as enjoyable as achieving it
had a couple me as guess we ain't property enough ace
We felt like we weren't being taken seriously, despite our talent
rubbers incriminate and like this ain't no open the.
We're not hiding our talent, we're putting it out there for everyone to see
for no one time waste, me and my primates act like prime bitch
We don't waste time, and we work as a cohesive group
look me in my face, have you ever seen time stand still
I'm so focused and determined that time seems to slow down
ask yourself questions like: why this man kill?
Reflect on the struggles and hardships that I've had to overcome
but f*ck it, it's even big daddy came us able
Despite the difficulties, I'm confident that I can make it because I believe in myself
so I'ma spoon my kids like a full eve gave you
I'm going to provide for my family and future generations, like my ancestors provided for me
Now keep the bottom as we movin' on out the.
We started from the bottom, but we're moving up
I had a dream of how we do and we focus on what matters smoke
I had a vision of how we could succeed, and we're focused on what's important
damn man I hope the.that the.we were all
I hope we can all achieve our goals and be successful
and it would never let up never.over bar
And we will never give up until we achieve our goals
...express it when I give it
My creativity and talent shine through in my work
I was with the biggest.who spit the shifted dollars
I was with the most successful artists who were making a lot of money
this the diamond.but the realest and riming
My talent shines like a diamond, but I'm still authentic and true to myself
we just get wild when I apply now snipping the sorrow
We let loose and have fun when we're creating, instead of focusing on our problems
bubble tomorrow and gave back to my.tomorrow
We're focused on the future, and we want to give back to the next generation
got a.so our steps little path to follow
We have a clear path towards success, and we're taking small steps to get there
yeah some rare cross that two steps from the edge
We're taking risks and pushing ourselves to the limit
now scared feeling prepared that's for whenever that rain comes
We're prepared for anything, no matter how difficult it may be
never know for what poke the stripes forever open
We're pushing ourselves to the limit and never backing down
speaking smoking what.is to cracking windows open
We're speaking our minds and opening up new opportunities
and get the zone and John and whoever wanted
We're focused and determined, and anyone who wants to join us is welcome
we got that on the song that we own because we try to do it all
We put all of our energy and passion into our music because we want to achieve everything
Contributed by Madelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.