Shoulda Woulda Coulda Artist #2: O.C.

If you haven't heard O.C. before that's understandable, but you're missing out on one of the best artists of today. A bold statement I know, but hear me out. O.C. had one hit in the early 90s for his single "Time's Up" and his best selling album only reached 16 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts, but O.C is a legend to those who are familiar with his music. His albums have been both idolized and slammed by critics and he has never achieved the stardom of many of his contemporaries. Yet aside from all of this O.C. is a survivor who is still putting out albums today.

O.C. got his start in the DITC Crew and on Organized Konfusion's first album (another essential Hip Hop album) and one year later on MC Search's "Back to the Grill," a track that also featured a very young Nas. After much critical success, he dropped a bomb of an album with "Word... Life" and although the album only reached 34 on the charts, it has become a Hip Hop standard to many. In my eyes, it is the best thing ever done in Rap music. It is a passionate and powerful recording that, unlike so many of his contemporaries, hasn't dated a day since its release.

O.C continues to release quality albums year after year. While he never received the immediate success of so many other rappers of that time, O.C. is a survivor that has been in the game for nearly 20 years and is still going strong. Trends come and go, but great music always rises to the top and towers over all the bullshit.

Check out a couple of O.C. tracks for yourself.





EDJ