Today’s carefully curated Song of the Day is “Belong to the World,” by Oddisee. This track was painstakingly chosen by analyzing crucial factors such as “drivability,” “bumpability,” and “ability to tan well while listening.” It was off the charts in all three categories, making it the obvious choice for SOTD. While the beat is subtle, the drums have an elegant simplicity, and they help support my argument that Oddisee is one of the best hip-hop producers when it comes to keeping the sound of golden-age hip-hop alive. There’s also a nice choir sample at the beginning, which is refreshing because it doesn’t have the obvious, Kanye-West-influenced sped-up gospel choir sound. However, this song really earned its acclaim due to its lyrics. Sonically impressive rhymes such as “I’m making moves like the ice caps// staying hot with a tight track,” and “Get it where I fit in trying slip in one space is me// Then to see am I unique or just another fish// To grow feet and walk a beach like most them,” show that Oddisee is still very much a major player in the independent rap scene. The record this song is from, “The Good Fight,” came out three days ago, but it has already created a sufficient amount of buzz among rap critics. Oddisee’s sound has taken a little while to mature, and his body of work is pretty dense. However, this album displays a more refined sound than listeners may be used to, with the beats sounding more consistent and the lyrics being more focused on personal life experiences. All in all, I would give this track 7 foldable backyard lawn chairs out of 10 foldable backyard lawn chairs.

Keep listening,

Erez