Mansa Obi

(While Jazzfest starts tomorrow, and RtBE thinks it is the best festival in the country, New Orleans is more than tuba's and second lines. As the fest arrives we wanted to take some time to review smaller various bandcamp finds from the city, as the town just pulsates music culture and art.)

The producer rapper from New Orleans Mansa Obi's second release Mansa is a mix of digital beats that ebb and flow around Obi's direct rhyming.

After a cosmic brief album opener the disk gets rolling around "Sin City '99" easing in with strings, a breathy sample over a hook up jam with the line "Good pussy run the world/and she has it" devolving into a full on bumping banger. Another fun number is "Crush Like Yea Pt 3.0" which has one of the best sonic palettes on the album using ripe keyboards and drums to float effortlessly.

"Clean Macking" uses rain sound effects mixing thin keyboard sounds and a grooving tempo which is all about getting the money with some auto tuned singing. The term contradiction is used a few times on the album and that comes through on the longest song here. "$2500" uses claps and blast beats excessively but instead of a full on dance track they are paired with a laid back r&b smooth groove; this odd mismatch of beats is unsettling yet engaging.

Mansa is basically an EP elongated with poetic mini interludes ("Soul Cannibal" Vanity Mirror") the album runs quickly but still manages to cram lots of hip styles into the eardrums as Obi seems more confident in his production as opposed to his singing/rhyming; there are breaks of mysticism and lyrical passages, but none that stick around long. Things can also feel like demo tracks at times with a song like "Hallelujah" is somewhere between interlude and finished product. Either which way Mansa Obi is one to watch and listen for as he grows. - Rock the Body Electric

ARTIST - Mansa Obi
NEW ALBUM - "What Matters"
https://open.spotify.com/album/7d0yF30rAzqgLza1GGxmSp
@MansaObi

USA Blog Network's "ARTIST OF THE MONTH"

On August 16th, back in 2016, a Louisiana singer-songwriter had a brush with death. New Orleans’ own, Mansa Obi’s, story almost ended with a horrific fall from a thirty-five foot height. Yet, as the saying goes, the only thing that can circumvent death is new life; and our creative crooner embellished every ounce of that notion with his latest work of unignorable vitality. Titled “What Matters”, Obi’s latest drop is a four-track reunion with the life he almost lost; and genesis of a new chapter in his artistic parable. In every way, “What Matters” is Obi’s heart in audio form. Just as his own refused to quit pumping on the eve of that fateful day, the project pulsates with a consistent tempo of “New Orleans Bounce”. - TheDopeness

We love art and supporting up and coming artist who stand for something. Mansa Obi, an artist from New Orleans, LA, is one such artist and he's also one of our partners. We've always thought he was talented, but he's completely outdone himself with new releases such as 007, a Marcus Garvey Picture, and, our favorite, MOOR.

With 007, we get a bombastic and new age beat that's hard to fit into one genre. It makes sense, because Obi's new album (release date unknown) will include tracks that have been entirely produced by his own team. It mixes various musical sounds/styles and a little bit of Mansa Obi's own personal flair.The lyrical flow is bar none, very refreshing and original. But it's the lyrical content that takes this track to the next level. The entire song is rife with deeper meanings and makes connections with our rich Black history (you can read more about that on the song's Soundcloud page).

And now about our favorite track, MOOR. Words cannot describe the feeling you get when you hear this song for the first time. It's more of an anthem, or a least a mantra that most of us have been chanting to ourselves. Nothing can sum up the black experience totally, but this song makes a very decent and convincing attempt. Complex lyrics and thoughts ride out over a haunting, Afrocentric beat (one that was, once again, produced by Obi's in-house team). There's nothing not to like about this record.

If you haven't already, head over to Mansa Obi's soundcloud page and feel free to listen and download anything you like.

P.S. We enjoy discovering new artist who give the world positive, thought-provoking art. If you are or know of any artists in any field of art (visual/graphic, music, dance, ANYTHING!) shoot us an message at submissions@calibakers.com. Or just leave a comment below. We'll do our best to bring more attention to what others are doing to make the world a more enlightened place. - CaliBakers

Artist: Mansa Obi, “Sin City ‘99”

Album: Mansa



New Orleans is home to this intriguing artist

Sounds like: electro-pop beats

Link/Listen/Watch: - A Journal of Musical Things

New Orleans native Mansa Obi is back with more music on his “What Matters” EP.

As a rapper-singer combo, Mansa Obi, finds himself crooning on all four songs on this project.

Obi’s smooth vocals move over live instrumentation and drums reminiscent of an early 90s Hitmen-style R&B vibe.

The EP is an intriguing listen as most of the songs feature the same lyrics performed in different ways and vocal inflections.



On “Cinderella,” Obi sings “Cinderella, she was late to the party,” in relation to a love interest, bringing the age-old Cinderella story to relevance in a current climate.

The song features piano as well as woodwind instrumentation, and at one point Obi breaks out into a singing interpolation of Cash Money’s “Project Chick.”

“Lust” is dance floor music with a groovy, head bopping mix of vocals, instruments and drums.

This EP was released shortly after the release of the previous album “Mansa”which is well-worth the listen and shows off more of Obi’s rapping abilities.

Check out the “What Matters” EP below. - Classic Sense

Mansa Obi - "Lust" [Review]
AUGUST 19, 2018 IN MUSIC, R&B
Rating: 4 out of 5
“I’m a stickler for great vocals and Mansa Obi delivered with his single “Lust”. The instrumental is very reminiscent of Kanye West 808 and Heartbreaks production style and the vocals on top of that remind me of an autotuned Frank Ocean. 4/5”
— Yung Miss (LA On Lock Blogger) - LA on Lock

It won’t be fair not to show love to the cats that work behind the boards. Cats whose soundscapes help push hip-hop to loft heights. So in the same vein, this weekly list sheds light on budding and even established producers who continue to push the envelope for the culture. So sit back relax and get familiar with these producers.
Remember, don’t forget to support them by sharing their works.

MANSA OBI – YRNRW.


Multi-talented producer/artist Mansa Obi delivers a left-field release he calls “YRNRW”. He blends a smooth soundscape with chopped vocals from several sources to make one cool, soothing beat.

After surviving a Thirty-Five foot fall with his close friend August 16th, 2016. Four surgeries and a year of rehab later; Mansa Obi has emerged from the ashes to finish his life’s work. Known for his creation of Authentic Bounce (not to be confused with “Classic” Bounce) seductive melodies, blunt–commentary and creation of the bass-less genre. Mansa hopes to continue to push the cultures forward sonically with his album self-titled “Mansa”. - The Word is Bond