[WORLD PREMIERE] OSIYM – Blueprint

Well here it is, you may have seen varations of this in the lead-up campaign to the release this Friday but here, for the very first time, is the official front cover of Quinceañera: Marvelous Ish, the compilation album to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this here Different Kitchen blog.

I won’t reiterate the concept behind the album again (go HERE to read that) but I will say that this blog and the album were created for the same reason: to champion artists, especially those from my home town (Toronto) and country (Canada) like OSIYM, who are super dope and super talented but who get overlooked or underrated.

Now that being said, in the post-Drake, post-Weeknd world we live, the notion of Toronto and Canadian ‘urban’ music still being underestimated or ignored is happening less and less frequently and artists like the West End Toronto duo, OSIYM (it stands for ‘Out of Sight, In Your Mind’ in case you ain’t know) are increasingly starting to get their shine and due as you’ll learn from this short conversation I had with the fellas, Charlie Noir and Nova D’or recently:

DK: Y’all been buzzing on the underground for a minute. Tell us a little about how you started, where y’all from and your journey as a group up until now.

OSIYM: We use to work together. Met up and realized we both had some talent. We did a couple of records together and let the homies hear it, they all loved it so we decided to make it official. We’re both from west end of the city.

DK: Things seems to have really ramped up for y’all as of late with the 93.5 The MOVE Takeover, shows in the US at A3C and SOB’s in NYC and performances last month for both Manifesto and The Northern Power Summit here in the city. What’s clicked recently that allowed all these things to start happening?

OSIYM: Just being more consistent with releasing records. Content! Content! Content! That’s what this world is about now, not even just the rap game. The whole world. If you’re not continuously reminding people you’re the sh*t, they forget!

DK: Have you guys always been a duo? How do you compare yourselves to other duos out there like Rae Srem or fellow Tdot duo, 88 Glam or classic duos like Outkast, EPMD, Dogg Pound, UGK, Rae & Ghost, Meth & Red, Camp Lo etc.

OSIYM: We both were doing our solo thing before we linked up. We don’t compare ourselves to anybody because worrying what the next man is doing holds you back. We are fans and respect the artists you named though. We just stay focused on our own wave.

DK: We first started really f*cking with y’all from your “Flex” record. Can you talk about the making of that song and the impact it’s had?

OSIYM: We were having a smoke/drink session and Nova’s spot, just listening to new production and it just came naturally. That’s how we like to work. Nothing forced nothing rushed. And because we make records like that “Flex” really hit. Any time we perform that record we barely have to sing it. Crowd does it for us. That’s when you really know you have something.

DK: The track, “Blueprint” you gave us for the Quinceañera compilation is fantastic! It has a real nostalgic feel lyrically, about childhoods in Brampton etc. What’s the inspiration behind the song?

OSIYM: We just wanted to talk bring that house party vibe. That slam the furnace and leave blue jean dye on the white walls vibe. We’re actually not even from Brampton, but from west end to the east end we feel like everybody in the city has experienced a Brampton house party or something like it.

DK: Where do you think hip-hop, the music, the industry and the scene in Toronto, are at in 2018 and where you think blogs like Different Kitchen fit in the landscape?

OSIYM: There’s no business for music in Toronto! It’s starting to build up though, but definitely a work in progress still. The talent is undeniable though, our city making music the world loves. The blogs are important because they help make our voices heard. Shout out Different Kitchen for holding OSIYM down!

DK: We appreciate the love! That’s probably a good mic drop note to end on too but before we wrap, is there anything else you’d like to add or say?

OSIYM: Thanks for giving us the space on your platform to talk to the people! And for anybody reading this if you have dreams, chase them!

DK: True ting! Thanks again, fellas.

“Blueprint” will be out commercially on all the DSP’s on Oct. 12. Until then, you can listen to it exclusively here and on the Quinceañera: Marvelous Ish album dropping THIS Friday (Sept. 7)

Song credits:
Written by Joel Holder/ Christopher Cooke/ Nickolas Palet
Produced by Zepfire
Audio Mastering by Neil McDonald for Neil McDonald Audio
Art and Creative Design by Christine Lieu for CL Designs

Follow OSIYM Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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