Shout Outs From the Okayplayer Prolonged Household on Our 25 Yr Anniversary

Okayplayer is fortunate to carry such a particular place in music and tradition. As we hit the quarter-century mark, listed below are some heartfelt phrases and reminiscences from our prolonged household explaining what Okayplayer has meant to them through the years.

Kindred The Household Soul

I keep in mind when Angela Nissel was constructing the location in Ahmir’s bed room she could be coding trying just like the mad scientist. Okayplayer basically was social media earlier than social media for an enormous neighborhood of like-minded creatives that energized many people and clearly was the springboard to many different platforms. The Roots group and the crew that has stored the tradition transferring ahead for a really very long time deserve all of the flowers for the imaginative and prescient and contributions. Glad twenty fifth Anniversary to the unbelievable model and all of the individuals who have benefitted from its existence.

Statik Selektah

My favourite Okayplayer second was rocking The Roots Picnic again in 2013 with Joey Bada$, and that was proper after Black Thought had carried out his loopy verse for [my song] “Fowl’s Eye View.” I additionally keep in mind all the best way again, opening these Root’s CDs and seeing Okayplayer on there and pondering “what’s that?” So it’s at all times been a part of the tradition and the hip-hop I really like. Huge salute to y’all.

Oddisee

Okayplayer has at all times performed an necessary position in my profession. My fondest reminiscence was getting an album reviewed for the primary time. Seeing my file on Okayplayer was a milestone. I’m eternally grateful for the outlet it supplies.

T3 of Slum Village

One in all my most interesting reminiscences ever of Okayplayer was being on the OKP Tour, me and Baatin, rockin’ with The Roots, Useless Prez, the entire squad, sharing a bus. These have been basic occasions — there’ll by no means be one other. Shout out to Okayplayer.

Kareem “Biggs” Burke

I’ve at all times revered Okayplayer/The Roots and their natural, left-of-center method to music and tradition. It’s nice to see the motion nonetheless alive and properly after 25 years and nonetheless going sturdy. A lot like to Questlove, Black Thought and the complete crew.

C.S. Armstrong

I grew up in a single-parent family the place my mother launched me to all kinds of music. In these years, I found The Philadelphia Expertise. Which was a jazz group that Questlove was in. Then the Soulquarians as a complete influenced my sound to be as uncooked as I wish to be. They introduced the bass to soul music – giving the parents one thing to groove to whereas they assume a lil bit too. Thanks Okayplayer for the limitless inspiration.

Raheem DeVaughn

Okayplayer isn’t any strange web site. Okayplayer is a motion and an extension of The Roots. As The Roots is certainly one of my favourite rap teams, it has been an honor and privilege to witness the evolution of OKP as the location has bolstered the essence of hip-hop, soul music, jazz and different cultural artwork types. As I replicate on 25 years, I recall certainly one of my favourite moments was when the late Wealthy Nichols referred to as and that outreach allowed me to collaborate on two data with certainly one of my favorites lyricists, Black Thought, and certainly one of my favourite rap teams, The Roots. It was surreal to have the ability to collaborate as each a fan and peer. It’s my hope to make one other reminiscence as a performer on the enduring Roots Picnic. Continued elevation and development for Okayplayer.