Onry Ozzborn - DUO (2016)

For over a decade, Seattle based emcee Michael S. Martinez aka Onry Ozzborn of the group Grayskul (Rhymesayers Ent) has been known for a brooding style of hip-hop. Today, Onry preps his fifth--and boldest--album to date, called DUO on Fake Four Inc. With a guest on each track, Onry's features range from Homeboy Sandman and Aesop Rock to the indie musician Nathan Quiroga (of Iska Dhaaf)."I didn't plan it this way," explains Onry. "I got a couple features who I really wanted and then, as I laid out the tracks, it became a story. Other names popped into my head who would round out the album." In addition, Onry recruits a wide range of producers--SmokeM2D6, Void Pedal Latrell Jamesand Jack Rylands--which results in a hip-hop album imbued with electronic, folk, and punk. On the first track, "Nineteen" with Aesop Rock, Onry sets the tone by collaborating with an artist who's always pushed the boundaries musically. On "Flee the Colony," Onry and Nathan Quiroga take a very different turn towards the indie rock. "No time to Waste," featuring Living Legends crew member Eligh, is a motivational, up-tempo call to living life for today. "Both Eligh & I have made it through rough times," explains Onry. So he was the perfect emcee to collaborate with on this. Rounding out the album, there's "Firefly", featuring LA rapper Pigeon John which is walk into the lighter side of life. Onry got his start in 1997 in Seattle as part of the supergroup Oldominion, considered to be the definitive hip-hop collective of the Northwest. Starting in 2000, Onry formed the group Grayskul with JFK and released titles like Bloody Radio and Graymaker, among many others on Rhymesayers Ent. Later, as a solo artist Onry released noted projects such as: Alone The Grey Area, The Gigantics, and Hold On For Dear Life. Today, Onry has joined a perfect place for him, the Fake Four Inc family, where he started his own label Ted Records. Onry is also releasing a short thirteen film version of his project, called "Soundlapse," which will be available mid February, along with an accompanying Polaroid book.