Get Familiar: Oscar #Worldpeace
Photography by Cicely
Oscar #Worldpeace has a hell of a year ahead of him. Before he heads down these new paths, we took some time to catch up with him. Oscar's 9-track LP Sporadic hit the streets a little while back and since then he has released a handful of features alongside his own releases. For an independent artist, one thing you can't test him on is his work rate and with his latest release "STAY CLUED 22" he goes back to the essence of what made him want to start rapping in the first place. Under the gaze of London-based Cicely, they took to the streets to show off Patta's SS22 Tracksuits and create the editorial you see before you. So sit back, relax and get familiar with North London's very own Oscar #Worldpeace.
Hi Oscar, how has 2022 been for you so far?
Yeah, for me 2022 has been productive. I’m working on new music as much as I can and right now, just getting ready to go on tour. My record Sporadic came out a little while back and now finally getting to tour feels good. You can catch me in the flesh at some U.K venues in the coming weeks.
How are you navigating through this young dad's life?
I've always been a family man, so I'm happy I've got my own little family now, it's very motivating.
Sounds like you really enjoy this new adventure, and it shows in the music too. How did the concept for STAY CLUED ‘22 come together?
STAY CLUED '22 was just me going back to my essence - really getting in touch with where this whole thing began for me. I wanted to just spit again! No hook, just bars. Diving into how I've been feeling recently. I'm loving this new space I've been in recently.
You have been working with MiniKingz?
Yeah, we've finished the studio side of this project and now we are starting to shoot the videos over the next couple weeks. It's going to be crazy!
How did your show go at the Patta x Deviation event?
It was a great vibe man. Love to the Patta & Deviation family for having us! They are really helping us push this sound of music and do our thing.
You came up as a solo artist but had great success with your features, how did “Less than Tomorrow” with The D.O.T come about - there's a lot of nostalgia in that one?
Mike sent me the tune and asked me if I wanted to jump on it and of course I did, it's Skinner! I wrote 2 verses and sent them to him and he put half of one verse and half of the other and that's how we got the final verse.
Your music discusses these themes of race quite often, what does blackness mean to you and what message are you trying to push within your music?
Being black means being a leader. In my music, I just want to push love, even if it means making it awkward, behind that is love. Love for yourself, love for your neighbour, love for your well being. Just love.
What people might not know about you is you're quite the bowler, any other sports filling up your spare time?
Ha ha. Yeah, I love bowling. I love boxing too, I use to do it a lot more when I was younger. I love watching it and still love training. And of course football, I'm a big Tottenham Hotspur fan.
Growing up in North London, you had many pillars of the contemporary UK grime/hip-hop scene around you, any early memories from those days?
Yeah, I remember locking into Heat & Axe FM and hearing all the local heroes and wanting to be on there spitting with them. I remember my cousin doing Grime sets in my aunties’ kitchen and being inspired to write music myself.
I feel like in London, everybody used to want to be a footballer back in the day, what did you wanna be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a footballer, then I just realised I wasn't good and then I wanted to be a boxer. I stopped boxing because I had a shoulder injury and I never really recovered mentally from it.
Did music always have its place in your life?
Whilst doing football and boxing, I was always doing music, but it was more of a hobby until I realised I could actually do it properly and make a career out of it.
What records did you grow up with or remember from those formative years?
Home Sweet Home album by Kano was the first album I bought with my own money. And then I was listening to a lot of Faith Evans, Mary J Blige and UK Garage because of my Mum.
And you are about to finish what you started, the Sporadic Tour is finally coming to a close, where can we see you in these upcoming weeks?
Yes! Manchester 30th March & London 31st March, it's going to be a movie. I'm looking forward to performing all these new songs. Can’t explain how excited I am about it.
Oscar #Worldpeace is wearing the Patta Basic Summer Crewneck Sweater, Patta Basic Summer Cargo Jogging Pants, Patta Basic Nylon M2 Track Jacket & Patta Basic Nylon M2 Track Pants.
