What makes music so powerful is its remarkable ability to give a voice to everyone. It does not discriminate against anybody, and anyone can create songs and melodies that speak their truth. Cognizant of this, highly gifted artist OGEE1523 uses his exceptional musical prowess to spread his message: “You are never too old to start living your best life!”
Ogee was part of the iconic group Talented Rascals and a member of The Funky Fresh Duo. He was hailed as a hip-hop pioneer who has aced all five critical elements of hip-hop culture: graffiti, break dancing, beatbox, DJing, and rapping.
Yet despite his unmistakable love for his craft, Ogee’s music took a back seat because he had to pursue a career as a public servant. After working for 27 years at the New York City Housing Authority, he retired in 2021. Finally, the artist pursued his passion for music 24/7.
Quickly getting to work, the dedicated musician wrote and recorded several tracks, and in March of 2022, he dropped his latest album, NEVER 2 LATE, which not only gained the praise and admiration of fans but also those of his peers in the hip-hop scene. It is a feel-good album that champions the artist’s goal of giving people positive vibes.
“I just wanted to put the fun back into hip-hop; I want people to feel good when listening to my music. Whatever you do, you should feel good while doing it. If you’re having a bad day and listen to my music, I want that bad day to turn into a good day. Music is therapy, and therapy helps you feel better, and that is what inspired me to make this Fun, Feel Good Album,” he shared.
Intending to continue this upward trajectory, Ogee plans on releasing music videos of the songs on his latest album. On top of that, he plans to launch more throughout the summer. In fact, he can constantly be seen in the studio recording songs.
Aside from his unique perspective and excellent work ethic, what makes the Ogee stand out is his superb songwriting skills. Unlike others who often turn to overused blueprints, the intuitive artist channels his innate creativity to make one-of-a-kind tracks.
He explained, “I just go with the flow and how I’m feeling at that moment, or sometimes I could be thinking about recording current lyrics. Still, once the beat gets created, it might not go with the lyrics I was thinking about, so I have to change the lyrics to fit that beat.”
However, not everyone seems happy about his success, and he, too, has some detractors who leave unpleasant comments, most of which make fun of his age. The rapper, however, does not let these negativities discourage him. Instead, he remains steadfast in his vision of creating captivating and inspiring songs.
“First, all the haters saying I’m too old to rap just motivate me to go hard and prove to them that I’m never too old to do what I love. Hearing how rap music is going, I feel that the music industry needs to start with more fun, dance music, and feel-good music. That is what inspires me to make good music,” he said.
Ogee is undoubtedly one of today’s most iconic musicians in the hip-hop scene. Moving forward, the singer-songwriter aims to continue producing music that advocates for inclusivity, diversity, and of course, fun.
Fans should keep an eye out for his exciting new projects. The rapper shared, “I’m working on new music now to release in summer 2022. I just recorded a song, “YOU & ME,” featuring two times Grammy award-nominated and three times Apollo Winner Mr. PETAWANE and Produced by DAYZEL TheMacine (D-Block). This summer, I’m going on a ten-city Tour with the HipHop Blvd Team.”
