Obi the Voicegod might read like an awkward name in print. But the second you hear him on the microphone, it makes perfect sense. Born Obieze Ebo, the Burlington-based rapper has been blessed with a one-in-a-million baritone, a human subwoofer with a harmonic timbre that cuts through any mix. After years of experimentation in studios and onstage, he has evolved from an interesting new voice into a powerful force in these parts. His latest album, African Born American Made, stands as his proper debut, miles beyond his earlier efforts. It's also one of the best local hip-hop albums of 2023, period.
The album title is pure autobiography. Ebo grew up in Nigeria and arrived in the United States at the age of 19. In a 2022 interview with WOMM-LP the Radiator's essential local music show "Rocket Shop Radio Hour," he described himself in those days as "still like a stubborn teen, always trying to get out of the house." He enrolled at Green Mountain College in Poultney just in time to watch that institution shut down in 2019 - maybe not the best introduction to Vermont, but an honest one.
Soon after that, Ebo attended Castleton State College, quickly becoming a vital part of that school's vibrant music scene. Sadly for us all, things got pretty crazy around then, and by March 2020, Obi the Voicegod found himself in the same situation as everyone else: on lockdown and reassessing his life.
In many ways, African Born American Made is the direct result of that period of soul-searching. As he readily admits, Obi was heavily influenced by Travis Scott before he came into his own as an artist. From his early SoundCloud demos to his college EP projects, such as 2021's Life of the Party, his growth curve has been quick and steep.
Far from displaying the lunatic intensity of Scott, Obi has settled into his own persona - and instrument. As anyone who has seen the artist live can attest, he delivers an impressive range with his baritone register, captivating the crowd with a confident ease.
Obi the Voicegod - African Born American Made. Courtesy
That kind of onstage charisma can be hard to capture, but African Born American Made manages to bottle the lightning for 12 consecutive tracks. The beats are vast and thumping, a hybrid of Afro-Caribbean influences and contemporary trap. Credit goes to producer Profetik, a skilled musician with a huge bag of tricks to keep the listener engaged. In particular, the beat switch in "Sweet Tea Bad Coffee (feat. Fareedwontlose)" is just incredible, on par with anything coming out of Atlanta right now.
For all of Obi's God-given talent, the album's key ingredient is the artist's budding mastery of the studio. Knowing how to wield multitracking and effects processing for maximum impact is an art form unto itself, and on songs such as "Ego" and "Ganja Trips," Obi casts a hypnotic spell. On "Out My Mind (Interlude)," he takes it even further, delivering a tripped-out vocal orchestra that is equal parts Parliament-Funkadelic and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
Like his contemporaries in the new wave of Burlington hip-hop artists, Obi crafts songs that have a rich, melodic depth that traditional boom bap seldom attains. What really sets him apart, though, is the gumbo of his influences, as someone who grew up on Afrobeat and Caribbean dancehall and only later became a student of rap music.
While purists might object to the pop sheen and trunk-rattling riddims here, remaking the genre in your own image is about as hip-hop as it gets. Besides, it would be a mistake to sleep on Obi's pen game: His verses are deceptively simple but full of surprises and clever twists.
Consider "Do's and Don'ts (feat. rivan)," a club anthem about maintaining high personal standards. Simply holding your own with a rapper as nimble and magnetic as rivan is an achievement, but every line of Obi's verses here is etched in stone, without a syllable out of place. By focusing on the kind of songs that only he would write, he has carved out an exciting new lane for himself.
There is nothing to fault here; even the cover art is immaculate. Obi the Voicegod has always shown tremendous promise, but African Born American Made marks the first time his execution has been equal to his ambition. And his ambitions are immense: This is a downright psychedelic album - "a movie," as the kids say.
No matter where life, or a burgeoning music career, takes this young man from here, he has cemented his place as one of the most original and compelling hip-hop artists Vermont has ever seen. Long may he reign.
African Born American Made by Obi the Voicegod is available on all major streaming platforms.
