Oh No

Stones Throw producer/MC Oh No hasn’t exactly been dealt a good hand. To make a name for himself he has to overcome a number of obstacles. His older brother Madlib, is arguably one of the most prolific and acclaimed underground producers around. He’s on the Stones Throw label, known for its pioneering and innovative releases. And last but not least, his birth name is Michael Jackson. So why would a hip-hop artist with all these things going against him choose to restrict himself further by sampling solely from the back catalogue of Montreal-born composer Galt McDermot? The logic may be a bit fuzzy, but the end product is, against all odds, quite compelling. On his sophomore album, Oh No recruits De La Soul’s Posdnous, Murs, plus a slew of other underground favourites and Stones Throw signees for a loose, refreshing and invigorating affair over his ear-grabbing production that dismisses and ultimately embraces the restrictive conditions under which it was created.