East Oakland’s Oke Junior Pours His Soul on “Golden Child” Video
Oke Junior’s got next up.
As a whole, California has consistently produced top-tier talent: Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick, E-40… the list commands its own article entirely. But what separates The Golden State from other hip-hop hotbeds, like Georgia and New York, is the distinct sonic pockets that have developed from city-to-city. While LA is known for originating the G-Funk wave, its northern neighbor, The Bay Area, has primarily generated a “wavy” sound that beats completely to its own drum, finding as much strength in its originality as it does its eccentricity.
And while The Bay Area’s greats, like Mac Dre and G-Eazy, all gravitate to similar sounds, they leverage their region’s inherently unconventional musical style and attitude to inspire pioneering their own path in the oversaturated industry. East Oakland newcomer, Oke Junior, fiercely adheres to this notion.
In today’s hip-hop landscape, the young upstart finds himself treading waters that are primarily dominated by melodies, adlibs, colored dreads, and other trends that typically preclude genuine lyricists. But just like the city he calls home, Oke Junior refuses to adapt his style to what’s popular; he’s well-versed in the idea of remaining true to one’s self in the name of prosperity.
Oke’s latest video for his track “Golden Child”, directed by YXCVLI & Joshua Platt, is an apt manifestation of this mentality. Embodying a DIY aesthetic, the “Golden Child” video grittily showcases Oke in presumably his childhood bedroom and neighborhood pouring his heart and soul into his musical passion–one predicated on rewind-worthy bars and soulful production that will make you as nostalgic as it does excited about this kid’s bright future.
Deemed one of hip-hop’s adolescents with the power to bring hip-hop’s lyrical past to the melodic present, Oke Junior is intrepidly riding his wave of infusing lyricism into today’s soundscape in effort to materialize his musical dreams without compromising his integrity.
Get familiar with Oke Junior by pressing play on his “Golden Child” video below:
