Obie Iyoha "Karats"

Ell is an American record producer, radio host, engineer, and DJ who is most well known for his time spent playing in the United States and Europe for concerts and tours with the likes of Afroman, ASAP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T., Curren$y, Danny Brown, J. Cole, Joey Bada$$, Juicy J, KRS-One, Logic, Slum Village, Talib Kweli, Twista, Wale, amongst others.

Ell co-hosts the longest running (“88”) North American Hip-Hop radio show “Prop Shop” on WCBN-FM, and can be heard on stations including Big City 101.3-FM Boston, WMBR Cambridge, MA, and KSHI, NM. He has been a featured performer at events hosted by MTV, Vans, Red Bull, United States Democratic Party, United States Armed Forces, and festivals including Fallas (Spain), Imaginarium (Spain), Warped Tour (U.S.), alongside U.S. tours with Big Sean’s Finally Famous, Machine Gun Kelly/ EST19XX, and Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang.

When Ell is not behind the turntables, he can be found mixing FOH or monitors for tours such as 50 Cent‘s ‘The Final Lap Tour‘ with Busta Rhymes, or for artists including Cam’ron, Cordae, Do or Die, Dreamville, EarthGang, J.I.D., Jeremih, Twista, and others. Currently, he tours as a monitor engineer for Jeremih.

Ell is currently faculty at the Dark Horse Institute, Michigan Technological University, and the Neutral Zone where he teaches sound mixing, DJing, and audio engineering. He has presented Music Industry, DJing, Production, and Audio Techniques classes, workshops, and lectures at universities including Berklee College of Music, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Michigan.

With the launch of IAmEll.com, Ell offers mixing and mastering to support artist’s creativity while releasing commercial quality records for physical and digital distribution.

Credits:

TV, Film, and Media – BBC, Blue Planet, Cadence13, Crooked Media, ESPN, Guardian Life Insurance of America, HBO, Michigan Medicine, New England Patriots, Problem Areas, and more.

Studio – Cam Meekins, George Massenburg, Jamey Haddad, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Patrice Rushen, Sammy Adams, Young Money.

Live sound/ concert mixer – 50 Cent, Boogie T, Brand Nubian, Cam’ron, Chris Webby, Cordae, Do or Die, Dreamville, Dave Stone, EarthGang, Futuristic, Ganja White Night, Ghostly International, Guapdad 4000, J.I.D., Jeremih, Matthew Dear, Medasin, R.A. the Rugged Man, Rusko, Reason, Shigeto, Shawnna, Slum Village, Snails, Twista.

Hip-Hop

Obie Iyoha ‘Karats’

Obie Iyoha ‘Karats’

Mastered By: Ell

Obie Iyoha Karats

“Following a trip back home to his native Nigeria to “reconnect” with his roots after experiencing a dark time in his life, Obie Iyoha returns with his new song “Karats” — an upbeat, breezy earworm premiering today (Feb. 8), exclusively on Billboard.

Obie’s smooth, melodic flow connects with the afrobeat, groove-centric rhythm, featuring thumping drums and airy synths. The Michigan MC raps about trying to live his best life in spite of troubles that seem to follow him — like experiencing his cousin get deported and police brutality.

“‘Can a n—a live, get it how you live’ are the first words you hear, and that’s because this song is one of personal growth for myself, in becoming a mouthpiece for my boys back home in Edo State, Nigeria,” Obie tells Billboard via email. “I’ve recently had family deported for all sorts of reasons, back to harsher living conditions, just trying to survive.”

Obie says “Karats” is a dedication to his brother, and decided to lead with the single as the first taste of his upcoming album after hitting “a low point in 2016.”

“My older brother and I traveled back to Nigeria where I got to reconnect with myself,” he continues. “Karats” will be featured on Obie’s forthcoming album titled Pink Moon, due out later this year.

Listen to “Karats” below. ”

Source: www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8098767/obie-iyoha-karats-new-song