Omar Credle (born May 13, 1971), better known by his

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

, O.C., is an American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

and member of the group

D.I.T.C. The Diggin' in the Crates Crew, commonly known as D.I.T.C., is an American hip hop collective formed in 1992 in New York City. The collective's name derives from the act of seeking out records to sample for production. The collective is compo ...

He has been involved with several underground hip hop groups, namely Crooklyn Dodgers '95, Luv NY, and Perestroika.

History

Recording career

Credle was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, May 13, 1971,Bush, John
O.C. Biography
,

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

, retrieved 2011-06-19 and raised in the

Bushwick Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, to the northeast; Williamsburg to the northwest; East New York and the cemeteries of Highland Pa ...

section. O.C. cites legends like

Kool G. Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as ...

Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

Big Daddy Kane Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in ...

and

Slick Rick Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs " The Show" and " ...

as his main influences. In 1991, he made his recording debut on

Organized Konfusion Organizing or organized may refer to: * Organizing (management), a process of coordinating task goals and activities to resources * Community organizing, in which communities come together to act in their shared self-interest * Professional organi ...

's "Fudge Pudge". One year later he made an appearance on the remix of

MC Serch Michael Berrin (born May 6, 1967), best known by his stage name MC Serch, is an American rapper and music executive. He is a former member of 3rd Bass and Non Phixion. Early life and education Serch grew up in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York ...

's "Back to the Grill" (which also features a very young

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ...

) after meeting Serch on the inaugural Source tour. Following the tour, O.C. signed with Wild Pitch Records in 1994 where Serch was vice president. O.C. also met

Lord Finesse Lord Finesse (born Robert Hall Jr., February 19, 1970) is an American rapper and hip-hop record producer from The Bronx, New York best known as the leader of the D.I.T.C. crew. About.com ranked him number 29 on its list of the Top-50 Hip-Hop ...

and Buckwild on the first Source tour, marking his introduction to the D.I.T.C crew. After the tour he connected with Buckwild and started recording a demo that would become his debut album '' Word...Life''. By 1994, he finished the album '' Word...Life'', which included everything from his demo, along with "Time's Up," the song that would go on to be his most notable single. "Time's up" was initially a record for

Pharoahe Monch Troy Donald Jamerson (born October 31, 1972), better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. He is known for his complex lyrics, intricate delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhy ...

from

. Beyond a quick outro from

Prince Po Lawrence Baskerville (born August 12, 1969), better known by his stage name Prince Po, is an American rapper and record producer from Queens, New York City, New York. He is a founder of Nasty Habits Entertainment. Early life Prince Po was born ...

, Word...Life does not have any guest appearances. This was not by design, however, as

was supposed to be on the album but never showed up to the studio for the recording session. In 1997, O.C. signed to Pay Day Records, where he released his second album ''

Jewelz ''Jewelz'' is the second album by the rapper O.C. Unlike his debut, 1994's '' Word...Life'', ''Jewelz'' features a wider number of guest producers and rappers. Producer DJ Premier (who also oversaw and mixed other parts of the album) lends his ha ...

'', featuring collaborations with

DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966), known professionally as DJ Premier (also known as Preemo), is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop du ...

Da Beatminerz Da Beatminerz are a hip-hop production crew from Bushwick, Brooklyn, and are known for their dark, gritty sound that is very popular with the underground hip-hop scene. History The crew, originally composed of brothers Mr. Walt (born June 2, 196 ...

and Freddie Foxxx. The single "Far From Yours" peaked at #81 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it his highest-charting single to date. O.C. is also known for his feature on the '' Clockers'' soundtrack as part of the

Crooklyn Dodgers The Crooklyn Dodgers were a hip-hop supergroup based in Brooklyn, New York City, consisting of rotating members. They appeared in three separate incarnations in 1994, 1995, and 2007. The first two incarnations recorded for the soundtracks for Sp ...

, which also featured rappers

Chubb Rock Richard Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock (born May 28, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York) is a New York-based rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out ...

and Jeru the Damaja on the now classic

produced "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers". This is however the only time the group has ever collaborated. ''Ray's Cafe'' was released on Red Apples 45, a small label co-founded by A.G. and West. O.C. joined D.I.T.C. for their 2016 release ''Sessions'' which was preceded by the lead single "Rock Shyt".

Discography

Albums

Compilations

'' The Underground King'' *Released: 2006 *Label: Next Mill Entertainment/Re-Up Recordings *Singles: - '' Hidden Gems'' *Released: April 3, 2007 *Certification: None *Label: Next Mill Entertainment *Singles: - ''In Guud Taste'' *Released: 2008 *Certification: None *Label: Next Mill Entertainment *Singles: - ''O-Zone Originals'' *Released: September 21, 2011 *Certification: None *Label: No Sleep Recordings *Singles: - ''Luv NY'' *Released: July 24, 2012 *Label: Ascetic Music *Singles: -

Appearances

*1991: "Fudge Pudge" (from

: ''

'') *1992: "Back To The Grill (Remix)" (from ''

'') *1993: "A Clear Day" (from Dj Clear) *1994: "Let's Organize" (from

, Q-Tip: '' Stress: The Extinction Agenda'') *1995: "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers" (from

: '' Clockers'') *1995: "You Won't Go Far" (from

: '' New Jersey Drive, Vol. 2'') *1995: "Brainstorm P.S.K" (from

KRS-One Lawrence "Kris" Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One (; an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha, is an American rapper from New York City. He rose to prominence as part of ...

: '' The Awakening'') *1995: "Men V. Many" (from

Mic Geronimo Michael Craig McDermon (born September 14, 1973, in Queens, New York), better known by his stage name Mic Geronimo, is an American rapper who was acquainted with Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. Gotti and his brother met Mic Geronimo at a Queens high ...

, Royal Flush: ''

The Natural ''The Natural'' is a 1952 novel about baseball by Bernard Malamud, and is his debut novel. The story follows Roy Hobbs, a baseball prodigy whose career is sidetracked after being shot by a woman whose motivation remains mysterious. The story mo ...

'') *1995: "Stop The Breaks" (from

The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

Killa Sin Jeryl Grant (born April 2, 1976) better known by his stage name Killa Sin is considered the best-known member of Killarmy and is regarded as one of the most skilled Wu-Tang Clan affiliates. Biography ''Killa Sin'' has appeared on gold and plati ...

Raekwon Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream succes ...

) *1996: "Give Me a Little More Time ( Buckwild Remix)" (from Gabrielle) *1996: "What I Represent" (from Buckwild: '' America Is Dying Slowly'') *1996: "Metal Thangz" (from Street Smartz,

) *1997: "Love Child" (from Buckwild: Buckwild: Diggin' in the Crates) *1997: "Rollin" (from

Saukrates Karl Amani Wailoo (born March 6, 1978), better known by his stage name Saukrates (; "Socrates"), is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of the hip-hop/ R&B group Big Black L ...

Masta Ace Duval Clear (born December 4, 1966), known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is an American rapper and record producer from New York City. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut " The Symphony". He is noted for his distinct voice ...

: ''

The Underground Tapes ''The Underground Tapes'' is the debut studio album by Canadian rapper Saukrates, which was released June 22, 1999 in the United States through independent labels Serious Entertainment and Capitol Hill Music. In late summer 1999, the album was r ...

'') *1997: "Your Life" (from ''

Soul in the Hole (soundtrack) ''Soul in the Hole'' is the soundtrack album to the 1997 film of the same name. It was released through Loud Records on July 29, 1997. It peaked at number 73 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Crit ...

'') *1997: "Droppin' Gramma" (from Main One) *1997: "Crew Love" (from

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

& Tone Hooker) *1997: "Spitgame" (from ''

'') *1997: "Return to It" (from EZD: A D&D Project In Association With DJ Premier Vol. 1) *1998: "Full Scale" (from Showbiz & A.G.) *1998: "Down 4 Whateva" (from

M.O.P M.O.P. (short for Mash Out Posse) is an American hip hop duo composed of East Coast rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame. The song " Ante Up", was released on their '' Warriorz'' album in 2000. The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Pre ...

: '' First Family 4 Life'') *1998: "Respect Mine" (from

Pete Rock Peter O. Phillips (born June 21, 1970), better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ ...

: '' Soul Survivor'') *1998: "Action Guaranteed" (from

Ras Kass John R. Austin II (born September 26, 1973), better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the ...

: ''

Lyricist Lounge, Volume One ''Lyricist Lounge, Volume One'' is the second hip hop compilation album by American record label Rawkus Records. The double-disc was released on May 5, 1998 as the first installment of ''Lyricist Lounge'' album series, based on New York's '' Lyr ...

'') *1998: "Watch Ya Step" (from Xperado) *1999: "Weed Scented" (from AG,

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

) *1999: "Connection": (from Organized Rhymes Volume 2) *2000: "The Triboro" (from

Big L Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record executive. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Coleman became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ...

: '' The Big Picture'') *2002: "Beyond" (from DJ JS-1: Ground Original 1) *2004: "Chase Game" (from A.G.) *2007: "Marquee" (from

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in '' The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

: ''

Port Authority In Canada and the United States, a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority_for_a_special-purpose_district.html" ;"title="110. - 6910./ref> is a type of Nonprofit organization">nonprof ...

'') *2007: "Lake of Fire" (from

Lordz of Brooklyn Lordz of Brooklyn (short L.O.B.), also known as The Lordz is an American crossover hip hop/rock group composed of brothers and childhood friends of mostly Irish American and Italian American descent from the Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst neighborh ...

, and Everlast) *2008: "Action Guaranteed" (from

: Razzy Kazzy) *2009: "Ridiculous" (from DJ JS-1,

: Ground Original 2: No Sell Out) *2010: "Trouble Shooters" (from

DJ Muggs Lawrence Muggerud (born January 28, 1968), professionally known by his stage name DJ Muggs, is an American DJ, audio engineer and record producer. He is a member of Cypress Hill, a member of the trip hop band Cross My Heart Hope To Die and the l ...

Ill Bill William Braunstein (born July 14, 1972), known by his stage name Ill Bill, is an American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. Having gained fame in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his diver ...

: ''

Kill Devil Hills Kill Devil Hills is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,633 at the 2020 census, up from 6,683 in 2010. It is the most populous settlement in both Dare County and on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The ...

'') *2010: "There Will Be Blood" (from

Celph Titled Victor Mercer (born November 16, 1980), better known by his stage name Celph Titled, is an American rapper and record producer who is a member of the hip hop supergroup Army of the Pharaohs, as well as the Demigodz along with Connecticut rappe ...

and Buckwild: ''

Nineteen Ninety Now ''Nineteen Ninety Now'' is a collaborative album by Celph Titled and Buckwild. It was released on October 26, 2010. Reception ''Nineteen Ninety Now'' received critical acclaim from music critics. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club described ''Ninete ...

'') *2010: "Warsaw Outdoors" (from HiFi Banda: '' 23:55'') *2010: "Nostalgic" (from DJ Perro: ''Praedictus 2 From Filters'') *2011: "Life Word" (from DJ JS-1: Ground Original 3: No One Cares) *2012: "Prestige of a King" (from Mello Music Group: Self Sacrifice) *2012: "Don't Worry" (from Showbiz & A.G.) *2012: "Mic Bless'n Gun Press'n Impress'n" (from

Bumpy Knuckles James Campbell (born March 27, 1969), better known by his stage names Freddie Foxxx and Bumpy Knuckles, is an American rapper and music producer from Long Island, New York. Biography Foxxx got his start rapping in the early 1980s. In 1986, he ...

) *2013: "Hello Everybody (from Neek The Exotic, Satchel Page,

Sadat X Derek Murphy (born December 29, 1968), better known as Sadat X, is an American rapper, best known as a member of alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president Anwar Sad ...

) *2013: "Power" (from

Cormega Cory McKay (born December 3, 1970), better known by his stage name Cormega, is an American rapper who attained notice when he was shouted out by Nas on his song "One Love", from the critically acclaimed 1994 album ''Illmatic''. The album was re ...

) *2013: "Astonishing" (from

Large Professor William Paul Mitchell (born March 21, 1972), better known by the stage name of Large Professor (also Extra P. and Large Pro), is an American rapper and record producer. Based in New York City, he is known as a founding member of the underground ...

Inspectah Deck Jason Richard Hunter (born July 6, 1970), better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He is a member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface. He has acquired critical praise for his intricate lyr ...

: '' PA2: The Director's Cut'') *2013: "Catch Wreck" (from Kid Tsunami) *2014: "B-Boy Stance" (from DJ Force) *2014: "Smash" (from

Oh No Oh No may refer to: * An Interjection, exclamation used to indicate shock or dismay, primarily used in the English language Music * Oh No (musician) (born 1979), American rapper Albums * ''Oh No!'', 2004 album by Crackout (band), Crackout * Oh ...

) *2014: "Light Years" (from DJ Skizz,

Roc Marciano Rahkeim Calief Meyer (born February 11, 1978), better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an American rapper, songwriter, and producer. Career Roc Marciano started his career in 1999 when he joined Busta Rhymes' collective the Flipmode ...

, A.G.) *2014: "Deep Breath" (from DJ Doom & Blacastan) *2014: "On the Bklyn Side" (from Illa Ghee, Steele) *2014: "Turn the Tables" (from DJ JS-1) *2014: "First 2 Rise Pt. 2" (from Vstylez,

Royce da 5'9" Ryan Daniel Montgomery, known professionally as Royce da 5'9" (or simply Royce 5'9"), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Montgomery is currently one half of the rap duo Bad Meets Evil with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, a ...

) *2015: "Revolutionary Ride Music" (from DJ EFN,

Your Old Droog Dmitry Kutsenko, better known as Your Old Droog, is a Ukrainian-born American rapper and producer from Brooklyn, New York. He first gained public attention in June 2014 when online rumors were circulated that his self-published debut EP was act ...

Royce Da 5'9" Ryan Daniel Montgomery, known professionally as Royce da 5'9" (or simply Royce 5'9"), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Montgomery is currently one half of the rap duo Bad Meets Evil with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, a ...

Reks Corey Isiah Christie (born August 24, 1977), better known as Reks (styled in all caps as REKS), is an American rapper. Reks emerged from Lawrence, Massachusetts' underground rap scene. His debut underground album, ''Along Came The Chosen'' ...

) *2015: "In the Moment" (from Apollo Brown: ''Grandeur'') *2015: "What U Kno" (from In Ya Ear Recordings Presents: In Session Volume 1) *2016: "Don't Touch That Dial (from

Apathy Apathy is a lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern about something. It is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation, or passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of inter ...

, Ras Kass: ''Handshakes with Snakes'') *2016: "Run for Your Life" (from Apathy: ''Handshakes with Snakes'') *2016: "Hakim" (from

Vinnie Paz Vincenzo Luvineri (born October 5, 1977), better known as Vinnie Paz (formerly known as Ikon the Verbal Hologram), is a Sicilian American rapper and producer behind the Philadelphia underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. He is also the fr ...

, A.G.: ''The Cornerstone of the Corner Store''). *2016: "Genuine Article "(from TRUTH, From Ashes To Kingdom Come) *2016: "Right What I Write" ft. A.G. (from TRUTH, From Ashes To Kingdom Come) *2019: "Black Sharpie" (from Dirt Platoon: Get Ya Handz Dirty) *2022: "For Everyone" (fro
Rising Suns
'Rising Suns')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:O.C. 1971 births African-American male rappers East Coast hip hop musicians Living people Underground rappers Diggin' in the Crates Crew members 21st-century American rappers Crooklyn Dodgers members