French
DeutschOtherwize
Otherwize | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alex Harris |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California |
| Genres | Underground hip hop, battle rap |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| Website | www |
Alex Harris, known by his stage name Otherwize, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California affiliated with Project Blowed and Blak Forest. Otherwize is most notable for defeating Eminem in a battle rap tournament at the '97 Rap Olympics.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Battle Rap[edit]
MC Juice and Otherwize are the only two battle rappers to defeat Eminem in official tournaments.[8][6] Otherwize placed third at Scribble Jam '99, losing to the winner of the tournament, Eyedea.[9] His reign as battle champion at Club Elements in Los Angeles was covered in the documentary Where We're From: The Elements Documentary. In Where We're From, rapper Seefor Yourself stated, "Otherwize was that top dude in LA... One of the illest, if not the illest, battle MCs of all time."[10]
Film[edit]
Otherwize was featured in the documentaries Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme[11][12] and Where We're From: The Elements Documentary.[10][5]
Publications[edit]
Riddlore's book Born a Villain has an oral history of the '97 Rap Olympics which features quotes from an interview with Otherwize.[13] Otherwize's battle skills and time as a member of Hip Hop Kclan is discussed in Rifleman's book King Khule.[14]
Wendy Day discusses the '97 Rap Olympics in Dan Charnas's book The Big Payback and The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip Hop.[15][2]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
Solo[edit]
- Disturbing the Peace (2001) (with Longevity)
- C.U.N. Traffic (2003)
- Burnt Out Bizness (2003) (with DJ Obi)
- Point of View (2010) (with Jizzm High Definition)
- Half Monster Half Amazing (2015)
- Alex (2016)
- Run Black Man Run (2017)
- One Day Theory (2018) (with DJ JahBluez)
- In the Mix Collection (2022) (with DJ JahBluez)
- Next Day Theory (2023) (with DJ JahBluez)
- Skabz (2023)
Group Albums[edit]
- Hip Hop Kclan – Kclandestine Kclas'sicz (2000)
- Cobra LA – 18 Ways (2003)
- Blak Forest – Without Further Adieu... (2003)
Guest appearances[edit]
- Quincy Jones – Back on the Block (1989) (back-up singer for Tevin Campbell)
- Chillin Villain Empire – Declassified (1998)
- OD – Beneath the Surface (1998)
- Fat Jack – Cater to the DJ (1999)
- Various – Project Blowed 10th Anniversary (2005)
References[edit]
- ^ Mathers, Marshall “Eminem” (2009). The Way I Am. Plume.
- ^ a b Abrams, Jonathan (2022). The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip Hop. Crown.
- ^ Eustice, Kyle (September 7, 2021). "How Eminem's Loss at 1997 Rap Olympics Ultimately Led to Dr. Dre Deal". hiphopdx.com.
- ^ Fu, Eddie (March 23, 2020). "Eminem Recalls Being Evicted the Day Before the Rap Olympics Loss that Helped Him Get Signed". genius.com.
- ^ a b "Otherwize Remembers Beating Eminem In Rap Battle". eminem.news. September 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "Mike Tyson Interview: How Eminem Went From Homeless To Meeting Dr.Dre". July 21, 2020.
- ^ "Eminem: Verified Annotation on "8 Mile: B-Rabbit vs Papa Doc"". July 21, 2020.
- ^ Fruchter, Alexander (August 2, 2021). "The Legend of MC Juice". rockthebells.com.
- ^ "R.I.P. Rapper Eyedea of Eyedea & Abilities". October 17, 2010.
- ^ a b DJ Bonds & DJ Breeze (directors) (August 24, 2021). Where We're From: The Elements Documentary (Documentary). Los Angeles.
- ^ Kevin Fitzgerald (director) (2000). Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme (Documentary). Los Angeles.
- ^ "FREESTYLE: The Art Of Rhyme". dubcnn.com. April 27, 2005.
- ^ Owens, Hamadi “Riddlore” (2023). Born a Villain. Parker Pubs Press.
- ^ Rifleman, Ellay Khule (2023). King Khule. Parker Pubs Press.
- ^ Charnas, Dan (2011). The Big Payback. Penguin.