Solo Albums:

Smoke & Mirrors (2005)

Starchild (2003)

Bon Apetite (2001)

Jewelz (1997)

Word..Life (1994)

D.I.T.C Albums:

D.I.T.C (2000)

MP3:

O.C Audio Pt.1
O.C Audio Pt.2

Podcast:

Hip Hop Icons Podcast Series

O.C., the self proclaimed slept on phenomenon, is a favorite of the Halftimeonline.com staff. His debut, Word..Life, is one of my favorite albums and ranks among many of the classic records in hip hop powered by the underground smash, Time’s Up. Although he’s put in mad years in the game, solo and as apart of the crew Diggin In The Crates, he has never garnered the acclaim of some of his fellow lyricists like Nas or Jay-Z. However, that hasn’t stopped him from moving forward releasing new records through Hiero Imperium. In what is probably one of the longest O.C. interviews, we caught up with O to talk about his intro to the game, creativity in hip hop, Big L and why he won’t rock on the same bill as KRS-ONE. Enjoy.

O.C. Pt. 2

HalftimeOnline: Do you feel that you’re one of the most slept on emcees ever?

O.C.: I used to say that, so yea I guess. I don’t even think about it any more man. It’s half work and half play for me now. I don’t even think about the criticisms. At the end of the day they shitted on Mozart and bad mouthed him 200 years after he died and called him an imbecile. I’m not comparing myself to him but maybe someday people will acknowledge but it don’t matter to me though cuz I know what I do.

HalftimeOnline: How did you first get down with D.I.T.C. and how did the crew originally form?

O.C.: I was actually on the first Source tour ever with Organized, Lord Finesse, Biz, Shante, Almighty RSO, this kid named Cooley La, these other kids named Little Bastards and the A-Team too. To make a long story short, I met Finesse on the tour and Buckwild was on the road for a few dates with Ness. That’s how we met. We got cool and then after the tour me and Buck started to record a demo. That’s when Buck really started doing beats. That’s where my initiation into the gang came and we took it from there.

HalftimeOnline: How did you meet up with Big L?

O.C.: That was through the crew but honestly I don’t know how me and L met. All I know is I did my first album and it just seemed like the crew just been around forever. I was meeting people gradually and it was like oh he’s down now? It was nothing that was officially said like you in the gang.

HalftimeOnline: This is a question I’ve always wanted to ask. On your first album you had the joint Ga Head with Yaself where you were talking about how your girl left you for another chick. Was there any truth to that or did you make all of that up?

O.C.: Nah that was something made up. I’ve known that to happen to people but it never happened to me. It was just something that made for a good story. Like KRS said a lot of people don’t use their imagination. Slick Rick is the best at it but I just did my interpretation of Slick Rick.

HalftimeOnline: Me and Marcus was talking the other day and our favorite track off the first album is the intro Creative Control. I read a lot of your interviews and everyone is always talking Times Up and over the years as I’ve continue to listen to the record…

O.C.: That there are better records than Times Up.

HalftimeOnline: Yea, but mainly that Time’s Up really doesn’t even fit. You had a lot of concept joints and stories and Time’s Up was just in the middle.

O.C.: Right, right. It was a to the left record. I’m glad ya’ll mentioned that. It’s like a guilty by association thing like O.C…. Time’s Up. People don’t even know the name of the album they just call it Time’s Up. I’m like you talking about the single or the album and they be like the album. Then I’m like you didn’t do your homework, peace.

Jbutters: Nah, it’s all about Creative Control. That’s like the best intro.

Marcus: I had never even heard a flow like that before. Who even flowed to a beat like that?

O.C.: The funny thing is ya’ll the first ones to even mention that. Nobody ever mentioned the intro.

Jbutters: Are you serious?

Marcus: What’s wrong with these niggas? That’s why I’m gonna do my segment. I’m gonna tell em why I’m mad when you get done yo.

O.C.: People who interview me ask me ‘Oh, so do you feel like you have creative control over this new album?’ I’m like I’ve always had creative control.

HalftimeOnline: Oh yea I saw that one. I was like yo that’s the first thing he said on his first album.

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Posted by Jbutters on Monday, May 15th, 2006 and is filed under HIP HOP ICON SERIES.