Oblé Reed Wants You To Push Boundaries

Check out his newest single, “FOUR LEAF CLOVER.”

Photography by Finn Baker

Seattle’s hip-hop scene is buzzing with excitement following the release of Oblé Reed’s latest EP, RETROVISION. This project symbolizes Reed’s artistic evolution, blending introspective lyrics and cutting-edge soundscapes that solidify his place as one of the most exciting new voices in hip-hop. Leveraging the momentum of his debut project, LINDENAVE!, Reed keeps pushing into fresh creative dimensions and explores new realms with RETROVISION.

Influenced by artists like Smino and the storytelling prowess of the Chicago scene, including Saba and femdot., Reed has crafted an EP that offers a refreshing take infused with nostalgia. Through contemporary beats and deep, meaningful lyrics, each track reflects different aspects of his life, sharing personal narratives about navigating adulthood. This week, on a hot summer day, I met up with Reed in Midtown, Manhattan, to discuss his latest release, how his music style has evolved through personal growth, new influences, and his journey as an artist.

Leading up to RETROVISION, how have you expanded and evolved your sound through your past projects?

I think it was interesting because right after LINDENAVE!, we went into that whole process with no expectations. That was my first project, so how could I have expectations for something I've never done before? So no matter what happens with this, it's going to be the foundation for everything else that's to come. For it to be as successful as it was that early, I felt a lot of pressure afterward. I had to get out of my head a lot, and so I did a lot of growing as a person, which in return was represented in the music with writing and production. There was a lot more intentionality that went into crafting RETROVISION, whereas LINDENAVE! was a collection of songs that I made over three years that I figured out how to make cohesive.

What influences, both musically and non-musically, have shaped your sound and lyrical style on RETROVISION?

I listen to a lot of Smino and the Chicago scene, like femdot., Saba, and all of Pivot Gang. I think of the production and dynamics of a Smino song in the way that he uses his voice and how his production team makes instrumentals have different moments. That was something I was really focused on for this project. Then with the Chicago scene, it’s their ability to tell stories. I just wanted the project to be an elevated version of the music that I'm naturally drawn to make. I definitely explored a lot of different tonality and voices. The tracks are really diverse in terms of how they sound sonically, but I think the part that shines through is that it's always going to be my voice that's on the track. You can hear that, and I'm always telling something that's authentic to my life. Every song has a purpose.

Following that, walk me through your creative process when writing and producing a track. How do you usually start, and what are some key elements you focus on?

I start with the title of the song, and from that, I build out. I think, ‘What does that even mean?' What is the metaphor — the symbolism of this title?’ We'll either make a track in the studio, or a producer will send me something, and then I'll just go into my voice memos and mumble a whole bunch. Once I get the general idea, I start to put words to it and build a new demo. A lot of the time, I used to record at my house. For LINDENAVE! I built a studio and a tree house in my backyard when COVID-19 happened.

Photography by Finn Baker

That’s so sick. Your track "CIRCLE THEORY" talks about the importance of a supportive circle. Who are some of the key people in your life who have influenced your music and supported your journey?

I've always believed that you're a collection of the five closest people to you. You're a reflection of those people. I'm really close to my parents. My dad was the first person that showed me hip-hop music. My mom had me listening to jazz music when I was growing up. I have my close circle of three friends that always rock with me. My DJ, Ivory, we went to high school together. I transferred high schools my senior year. He was the first person to talk to me and not think I was the weird new kid, and I have the rest of my team. My manager Ryker doesn't sleep. She works endless hours and always pushes things forward. I got my creative director, Nash, who does all my videos. The cool thing about my team is that all of us would be as successful as individuals. I keep a small circle, but everybody in my circle pushes me to be a better person.

Another theme you explore with your song "2O" you explore the pressures of young adulthood. How do you personally navigate those pressures, and what message do you hope your listeners take away from the track?

It's hard being young and trying to break into an industry that everybody has been doing for years. Personally, I do a lot of education on my own. I built that studio out of a tree house. I put in a lot of the work, but sometimes your age doesn't reflect that. You'll get into these rooms where you're definitely meant to be in there and you're prepared for it, but some people are going to discredit you based on something that you can't control. In terms of the message I want to get across: To stand firm in your beliefs and your confidence. Show that you know what you're doing and that you're meant to be where you are. At the same time, don't have such a big ego that you're not willing to listen to people who have more experience.

Yeah, I’m very big on that too. What track on RETROVISION would you say is the most personal to you, and why?

‘Split Ends.’ That one's probably the most personal to me. I used to have no hair. I used to just hit the barber and cut it off every time. During that time period, that was really hard. I was struggling with a lot of mental health issues. I had really low confidence, and when I decided not to cut my hair, it was also the same time when I decided to focus on self-care and bettering myself. I feel like, as a person, I've grown with my hair. Ryker suggested that I cut my hair once, and I made a whole song about it. I said I would never cut it, and it even got to the point where I had five inches of split ends and dead hair, but I still didn’t want to cut it until my barber told me to.

It’s amazing how you told that story through a song. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of pushing boundaries in hip-hop, and how do you personally overcome those challenges?

I think it's really saturated, and I think hip-hop is a little bit lost. I haven't been around for the majority of hip-hop's existence, but from where it started to where we are now, I feel there's a little bit of a disconnect. There are still people and artists who are tying back, but as somebody who tries to stay rooted to the storytelling and the artistry of it all in the age of the internet where people’s attention span is three seconds long, it's hard to fully craft a narrative. Artists have become more content creators than musicians, and I think that's something that is hard for somebody who cares a lot about the art — more than the clout and the numbers.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are trying to find their own voice and make an impact in the music industry?

Go outside. Get off the internet. The age of the internet warriors is done. We left that in Covid, but now we can go outside; there are people to meet and places to be. I spent a whole year not putting out any music and I was going by a different name. I didn't even tell people that I made music from first interacting with artists and people in the industry, I was just a fan and supporter first. By the time it was my turn and I came back around, I had this network of people that rocked me just because of who I was, not because of anything that I had to offer. Build horizontally, not just vertically. Reach down and not just up. In the next 10 years, our peers are going to be the ones running the labels, running all the media, and going to be the artists that are charting.