Osunlade
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Osunlade | |
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![]() An American-born musician and music producer | |
Background information | |
Born | St Louis, Missouri, United States | 13 March 1969
Origin | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
Genres | Rhythm and Blues World,[1] house music |
Occupation(s) | Musician Record producer |
Instrument(s) | piano, percussion, guitar, bass, vocalist |
Years active | 1989–present |
Labels | Yoruba Records |
Website | https://yorubarecords.bandcamp.com/ |
Osunlade (/ˌoʊsʊnˈlɑːdeɪ/; born March 13, 1969)[2] is an American-born musician and music producer.
Biography
Osunlade was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri.[3] He composed music for Sesame Street during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[4] Afterward, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked with artists such as Patti LaBelle and Freddie Jackson. After a stint there, he moved to New York, where he founded Yoruba Records because of "the continued need to create the music I wanted".[5] To date he has worked with such artists as Roy Ayers, Nkemdi, Salif Keita, Poranguí, and Cesária Évora. In 2006, he released an album titled Aquarian Moon, in 2007, he released an album titled Elements Beyond on the revived Strictly Rhythm Records, and, in 2009, he released the album Passage. He is a priest of the Yoruba religion of Ifá. Because of his beliefs, Osunlade's music has a deep spiritual root in Yoruba traditions that are also reflected in the name of his record label, album covers, and also the titles of some of the tracks he has remixed such as "Obatala y Oduduwa" and "Yemeya."
In July 2023, Osunlade posted a video on his Facebook page[6] regarding trans rights, expressing that "4000+ kids transitioning in the States alone is alarming". In August 2023, it was reported that Osunlade was removed from the line-up of All Together Now festival owing to his stance on trans rights.[7] He further went on saying he "was wrong then" about the COVID vaccines and now "there are 8 million people that are damaged or dead because of that". He further said there's a global "depopulation agenda". He received backlash in September 2023, when he was dropped[8][9] from the lineup of the long-running Harvest festival in Ontario, Canada.
Discography
Singles
- 1999 "Native Tongue"
- 2000 "Beats de los Muertos Vol. 1"
- 2000 "Power to Conquer/Aldeia de Ogum" (as Latina Café)
- 2001 "Cantos a Ochun et Oya"
- 2001 "Diamant"
- 2001 "Rader Du/Blackman" (with Wunmi)
- 2001 "The Deep"
- 2001 "Versatile Family Sampler"
- 2002 "Obatala Y Oduduwa"
- 2002 "Native Tongue Revisited" (with Jaffa)
- 2002 "Beloved"
- 2002 "Pride" (with Nadirah Shakoor)
- 2002 "New Day" (as Atelewo)
- 2003 "Chimes of Freedom" (as Atelewo)
- 2004 "The Year of the Monkey"
- 2004 "Pride (Remixes)" (with Nadirah Shakoor)
- 2004 "Same Thing" (with Maiya James)
- 2005 "The Fifth Dimension"
- 2005 "New Day/Macaco" (as Atelewo)
- 2006 "Flow/Sokinsikartep"
- 2006 "I Don't Know"
- 2006 "Everything in Its Right Place" (with Erro)
- 2007 "April"
- 2008 "Momma's Groove"
- 2008 "My Reflection" (with Divine Essence)
- 2012 "Envision" (released on Defected Records)
Appears on
- 2000 Ebbo - "The Way"
- 2001 Stephanie Cooke - "Here with My Best Friend"
- 2001 Masters at Work feat. Lynae - "Life Is but a Dream"
- 2003 Lonesome Echo Production - "Soul Galactic"
- 2003 Siji - "Feelslike"
- 2004 Sin Palabras - "Yemaya"
- 2004 Siji - "Sanctuary"
- 2005 KB - "El Musica"
- 2006 Isoul8 feat. Rasiyah - "Speak Your Word"
- 2007 Afefe Iku - "BodyDrummin"
Production for other artists
- 1991 Gerardo - "Rico Suave", "Fandango" (programming, composer, additional production)
- 1993 Me 2 U - "Alone Wit U", "Want U Back"
- 1993 YT Style - "You'll Never Find Another"
- 1994 BlackGirl - "90's Girl" (original version), "Nubian Prince"
- 1994 Freddie Jackson - "Was It Something"
- 1994 Eric Gable - "Process of Elimination"
- 1996 Eric Benét - "Femininity"
- 1997 Martha Wash - "Come"
- 1999 Marie St. James - "Closer I Get"
- 1999 Eric Benét - "Poetry Girl"
- 2000 Musiq Soulchild - "Mary Go Round"
- 2001 Eric Roberson - "Change for Me"
- 2002 DJ Jazzy Jeff feat. Erro - "Rock Wit U"
- 2003 Vivian Green - "Emotional Rollercoaster"
- 2003 Larry Gold - "Just a Dream"
- 2004 Wei Chi - "Dream"
- 2005 Nadirah Shakoor - "Just a Breath Away"
- 2005 Frank-I - "Let the Record Play"
- 2006 Nadirah Shakoor - "Love Song"
- 2006 Malena Pérez - "Praise the Day"
- 2006 Bah Samba - "Tired Little One"
- 2007 The Piscean Group - The Piscean Group
- 2007 Mellow Madness - "Now Your Calling"
Albums
- 2000 Yoruba Records: El Primer Año
- 2001 Paradigm
- 2006 Aquarian Moon
- 2007 Elements Beyond
- 2010 Rebirth
- 2011 Pyrography
- 2013 A Man With No Past Originating the Future
- 2014 Peacock
- 2020 Basic Sketches For Beginners
Mixed compilations
- 2002 Offering
- 2005 Re-Offering
- 2006 Soul Heaven (with DJ Spen)
- 2008 Passage
- 2009 Mix the Vibe: King Street Goes Yoruba
- 2012 Defected Presents Osunlade in the House
- 2014 Atonement
References
- ^ "Mixtape Mondays: Gilles Peterson, Full Crate & FS Green, Osunlade". mixtape. okayplayer.com. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- ^ Kellman, Andy (20 May 2008). "Osunlade > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
- ^ "Osunlade - Bio". Osunlade.net. Archived from the original on 30 December 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
- ^ "Interview". dancemusicmag.com.
- ^ "Label Focus: Yoruba Records". 29 July 2016.
- ^ "Register". Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via facebook.
- ^ "Yahoo! News". Retrieved 14 June 2024.
- ^ "Register". Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via facebook.
- ^ "Performers". harvestfestival.org. Retrieved 16 September 2023.