DOWNLOAD: Diamond District – “Hologram”
For those chomping at the bit to get their hands on the official release of Diamond District’s debut album, In The Ruff, Christmas may have just come a week early. While the album’s official release date remains October 27th, District triumvirate Oddisee, X.O., and YU have come bearing gifts this week.
First, the single “Hologram” is dropping this week. One of the brand new songs on In the Ruff, “Hologram” has a raw, tough sound. Producer/Rapper Oddisee says “we wanted something a bit grimier… the official release is coming out in the fall, towards winter, so we wanted something to fit the attitude of the season that the album is going to be coming out in.” With a woozy beat, vintage soul sample chorus, and matter of fact lyrics, the track is perfect for headphones on a cold sidewalk.
Perhaps the only better way to listen to In The Ruff is on your turntable. Diamond District’s sound is pitch perfect for vinyl, with the warmth and hiss of a record only accentuating their relatively old school sound. Oddisee agrees- “we were mainly trying to concentrate on storytelling raps and the aesthetic of the ’90s. It’s a style we all appreciate and it’s something we were aiming for on In The Ruff.” The official release of In The Ruff is available now on vinyl. Diamond District’s In The Ruff will be available on CD and digital download on October 27 via Mello Music Group.
The Background:
The group Diamond District is comprised of emcee/producer Oddisee, and emcees X.O. and YU. Greatly influenced by their surroundings and love for 90’s east coast hip-hop, Diamond District is on a mission to bring back the sounds of old with a new twist and represent for the DMV. X.O. who was born & raised in the North West quarter of D.C. defines what it is to be a black male raised in the district. With lyrics that depict street life and harsh surroundings, X.O. has a way of philosophizing that raw, gutter reality of DC life that is rarely looked at or spoken about when we discuss our nation’s capitol. Oddisee defines the experience of growing up in black middle class Maryland. Bordering the poverty that his and many other families fled to escape, they found out over time that the troubles of the inner city came along with them. Oddisee’s soulful, haunting samples over bass-heavy beat breaks create the perfect instrumentals for Diamond District to match the street savvy, politically conscious lyrics that capture the dynamic of being from the DMV. Y.U., having been raised in the district, Maryland & Virginia, brings that extra variety to the group and shows that D.C. culture has a huge influence beyond its 10 mile radius. Being that YU has lived in all areas of the DMV, his lyrics and stories compliment the rest of the group and define what it means to be from the DMV. In The Ruff, which will be released October 27th via Mello Music Group, will be the group’s debut album and is poised to become the official soundtrack for the DMV region.
About Mello Music Group:
Like Lao Tzu in hip-hop, Mello Music Group provides music for the soul, from the heart of American culture, opening the realm of the intelligent hip-hop experience through melodic evocations, beats that corroborate the truth, and voices that roar above the rising void and impose order on the terrible & triumphant moments of everyday life. This is the compelling sound of Mello Music Group. Industry newcomer Michael Tolle founded MMG in 2007 and is acting Director of Operations. MMG will be releasing projects from Oddisee, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Kenn Starr, Finale, Trek Life, Dudley Perkins, Sareem Poems, and YU in 2010
Leave a Reply