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!
Set You Free
Oddisee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To think real life is like those flicks.
We used to watch where the doc was working for the villain to insert shit into your fingertips.
The danger is, those flicks desensitized us to the ideas it could exist.
Well done Spielberg & Lucas a theory conspired.
I don’t know, in the pudding the proof is,
But who reads the labels of what they eat.
So the readers digest, just what they speak.
That the man is controlling the axes of e-vil,
& still all the masses believe, that a masked thief, makes all the madness & grief. We endure, so we indulge ourselves in the idea that wealths the cure, & further more, less ain’t more no more.
We assess success like herbivores, More green, more esteem & clout to liberate us from that twenty four hourly bout.
Better known as the day to day struggle, no escape from to make one you got to hustle, & that’s where the mistake comes, the tussle.
Between fiendn’ out for the dream or the puzzle.
That perplexed minds since the beginning of time, Why are we here, do we really have free will. Are we gods, god like or beast still.
Did the pharaohs even have it right, in two thousand years, you’d think that we would learn. Can’t take what you earn to the afterlife.
Place it in a urn, the body burns liberated from the ideology that to have we like, more than life itself. Man builds rockets to go to the moon but can’t lend hands to the needy in help.
It’s them type moves that forever ensure that war glooms.
Like a tomb where the battle was held to tell the tale how men turned heaven to hell. Oh well, oh well, you know me well.
A common story I came from the bottom to the well.
Not quite the top so exaggeration I’m trying to sell.
So since we’re building my problems I’m from the basement.
No, not my sound, my surroundings, astounding if you found how we dwell.
Streets are filled with complacent minimum wages.
But faking as if their making the maximum & it’s breaking their pockets cause uncle sam is just taxing them, & their pockets frail. Yet the streets are unpaved, still the road is rough. Not for motors but their motives, exposed to black kettle & pot-holes, that just be closing up.
So hold that though, Imagine having an accent that would band you for askin' for a job. You’d react & hold that torch, & burn down opportunities door, the politics of classism is infused with the poor.
That’s condusive for a movement or more, that’s a soon to be war.
Not sure we’re living in a paradise, more like a resort unaware of life,
We alright, we alright, we alright.
In the song Set You Free, Oddisee begins by commenting on the modern age that we live in, where technology has taken over our lives and we have become desensitized to the ideas presented in films about villains inserting microchips into people's fingertips. He credits directors Spielberg and Lucas for conspiring to promote this idea through their films. However, Oddisee points out that our society has become so focused on material success and the accumulation of wealth that we have lost sight of what is truly important in life. He questions whether we have free will or whether we are controlled by a select few who hold power and manipulates the masses. Oddisee believes that people within impoverished communities are often trapped in a cycle of poverty and lack of opportunity, and this is what truly holds them back.
The lyrics are a commentary on modern society and the ways in which we have become disconnected from what matters most. Oddisee calls attention to the ways in which we have allowed technology and material wealth to dominate our lives, while ignoring the struggles of those who are less fortunate. He suggests that the key to overcoming these struggles is to resist the drive for success and instead focus on forging meaningful connections with others.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was released in 2017 as part of Oddisee's album The Iceberg. The album received critical acclaim and was described by many as one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. Another interesting fact is that Oddisee is known for his socially conscious lyrics and his ability to tackle complex issues in his music. As a Muslim artist, he is also known for addressing issues related to religion and ethnicity in his work.
Line by Line Meaning
We’re living in the age of the microchip,
We currently live in a world dominated by technology and computers.
To think real life is like those flicks.
It is unrealistic to think that life is like what is portrayed in movies and media.
We used to watch where the doc was working for the villain to insert shit into your fingertips.
In movies, doctors were shown inserting tracking devices into people's fingertips for villains, leading to desensitization to such ideas.
The danger is, those flicks desensitized us to the ideas it could exist.
The danger is that movies have desensitized us to the reality of certain harmful ideas.
Well done Spielberg & Lucas a theory conspired.
Spielberg and Lucas have contributed to the spread of these harmful ideas through their films.
I don’t know, in the pudding the proof is,
Although there is no direct evidence, the effects of such films can be seen in our society.
But who reads the labels of what they eat.
People do not pay attention to the ingredients in the food they consume.
So the readers digest, just what they speak.
People only consume information that aligns with their own beliefs and opinions.
But who’s they, bigger than the monotheistic belief.
The 'they' referred to is a larger entity beyond just a single belief system.
That the man is controlling the axes of e-vil,
There is a belief that those in power are the ones who control evil in society.
& still all the masses believe, that a masked thief, makes all the madness & grief.
Despite the reality of the situation, the majority still believe that a single person or group is responsible for chaos in society.
We endure, so we indulge ourselves in the idea that wealths the cure, & further more, less ain’t more no more.
People continue to suffer in the belief that achieving wealth is the answer to their problems, and that having less is not acceptable.
We assess success like herbivores, More green, more esteem & clout to liberate us from that twenty four hourly bout.
Success is often measured by material possessions, and people believe that accumulating more wealth will free them from their daily struggles.
Better known as the day to day struggle, no escape from to make one you got to hustle, & that’s where the mistake comes, the tussle.
Daily struggles are unavoidable and require hard work to overcome, but this pursuit of wealth can be a mistake and lead to a struggle between what people truly want and what they feel they need to do to succeed.
Between fiendn’ out for the dream or the puzzle.
The choice between pursuing one's dreams and solving the puzzle of society and life is a difficult one.
That perplexed minds since the beginning of time, Why are we here, do we really have free will. Are we gods, god like or beast still.
The question of why we exist and whether we have free will continues to baffle humanity, as we question whether we are divine or animalistic beings.
Did the pharaohs even have it right, in two thousand years, you’d think that we would learn.
Despite thousands of years of human history, we still do not have a clear answer or understanding of our place in the world.
Can’t take what you earn to the afterlife.
The pursuit of wealth and material possessions is ultimately meaningless, as they cannot be taken with us after we die.
Place it in a urn, the body burns liberated from the ideology that to have we like, more than life itself.
We should let go of the idea that having more material possessions is more important than our own personal growth and well-being.
Man builds rockets to go to the moon but can’t lend hands to the needy in help.
Humanity has the capability to achieve great things, such as space exploration, yet still struggles with providing assistance to those who need it most.
It’s them type moves that forever ensure that war glooms.
Prioritizing wealth and power over basic human needs leads to a societal climate that is conducive to war and conflict.
Like a tomb where the battle was held to tell the tale how men turned heaven to hell.
The result of this societal attitude is a place of destruction and chaos, where humans have turned what could potentially be paradise into a living hell.
Oh well, oh well, you know me well.
Despite this bleak reality, this is just the way that things are, and it is important to acknowledge and understand it.
A common story I came from the bottom to the well.
Success stories often involve people starting from humble beginnings and working hard to become successful.
Not quite the top so exaggeration I’m trying to sell.
Despite personal success and growth, there is still room for improvement and advancement.
So since we’re building my problems I’m from the basement.
Despite personal success, there are still struggles and challenges that need to be faced.
No, not my sound, my surroundings, astounding if you found how we dwell.
The environment in which one grows up can have a significant impact on their life and success.
Streets are filled with complacent minimum wages.
Many people are stuck in low-paying jobs and are not motivated to change their situation.
But faking as if their making the maximum & it’s breaking their pockets cause uncle sam is just taxing them, & their pockets frail.
Despite the appearance of success, many people's finances are being impacted by taxes and other factors, leading to financial instability.
Yet the streets are unpaved, still the road is rough.
Despite our technological advancements, there are still basic necessities that many people do not have access to.
Not for motors but their motives, exposed to black kettle & pot-holes, that just be closing up.
There are many obstacles and struggles that people face, such as poverty and corruption, that only seem to be getting worse.
So hold that though, Imagine having an accent that would band you for askin' for a job.
Social and economic factors such as language barriers can lead to discrimination and limit opportunities for some individuals.
You’d react & hold that torch, & burn down opportunities door, the politics of classism is infused with the poor.
The frustration and anger caused by systemic issues can lead individuals to take drastic action to try and change their circumstances, as they see no other options available to them.
That’s condusive for a movement or more, that’s a soon to be war.
These systemic issues and the anger they cause can lead to social movements or even violent conflicts.
Not sure we’re living in a paradise, more like a resort unaware of life,
Despite the material success that many people have, we are not living in a utopia, but rather a bubble that shields us from the true realities of life.
We alright, we alright, we alright.
Despite everything, we are still surviving and pushing forward, but we must remember that there is still work to be done to ensure a better future for all.
Contributed by Elliot F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.