Alyssa Marie responds to Kendrick Lamar's verse on "Control". Produced by Kelly Portis.

"Mr. Lamar" - Alyssa Marie (Kendrick Lamar 'Control' Response)

After five years, this is my first official single from my upcoming album. On my 30th birthday, my girlfriend treated me to a cabin retreat in the mountains. It was a beautiful way to ring in a new decade of life, but it was also a moment for myself to slow down and take a breath. Be it school, work, sports, or whatever, I’ve always been someone who is constantly on the move and worse, I would find myself upset when I  wasn’t busy.

For once though, I finally had a chance to just...be. No worrying about the duties or responsibilities of life. Just a few days to exist how I wanted to exist.

 As we were surrounded by the fresh mountain air and a light layer of snow, we sipped refreshing cups of  coffee, ate delicious homemade food, read books, and created art alongside one another. It was the perfect sense of serenity that I needed.

And as I played some of the vinyl I had brought along with me., there was a moment that made me realize what I really wanted. An album.

But to run a mile, you need to take your first step.

We can talk about this another time, but five years ago, I had pretty much walked away from music. I had lost a close friend and my inability to cope at the time affected my passion to create. A couple years later though, I found myself falling back in love with it and have spent the years between just creating art and working behind the scenes with the music community. It’s been an absolute blessing, but throughout it, everyone I know has wanted me to finally release my music. I wanted that, too.

However, every time I attempted to release something I would find myself being too busy or too much of  a perfectionist. Everything had to be just right, and there needed to be a perfect time to release. And as any artist knows, the stars don’t always align that way.

So as I laid in the cabin the night before my big day, I made myself a promise. I will finally release a song this year, no matter what. And then an album.

On my 30th birthday, I crafted that song. And six months later, here we are.

Using the records I brought with me, I wanted  to capture those three days of relaxation.  Even more so, I wanted to capture the five years that I have been away. “A Getaway in the Mountains” is my way of reintroducing myself. I’ve spent five years trying to heal by creating art that I wanted to create and helping others do the same. In a way, these past few years have been my own self imposed getaway. A moment to regroup.

But now I’m back. Coming down from the mountains, I’m ready to share my art.

My name is Eric, some of you used to know me as Daze, but you may call me OSHEN. This is the first song of many that you will come to hear. And it will not be the last.

I've missed you all.

A Getaway in the Mountains

A Getaway In The Mountains

Download "Arrows" (feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) here: http://smarturl.it/FencesArrows

'Lesser Oceans' available in stores and online January 13, 2015. Pre-order on iTunes and receive instant downloads of "Arrows" (feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) and 3 more LP tracks now: http://smarturl.it/LesserOceans

Exclusive 'Lesser Oceans' vinyl and CD pre-order bundles available now here: http://smarturl.it/FencesStore

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Arrows (feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)

A quick step into the rose room in my mind.

Rose Room - MCS

Free Download here: http://www.growingupsong.com 
http://youtu.be/6mhtJduoCZ0

I wish that I could say that I was in a “better place” when I found out the news.  It would make for a far more polished and respectable story.  But I think back to that night: praying on the floor at 2am as Tricia went to the bathroom to take the pregnancy test I’d just purchased from Walgreens.  I was scared.  Scared to start working on new music.  Scared of trying again and failing.  Scared of the process of staring at myself through a page and seeing someone that I wasn’t proud of.  Someone that I didn’t like.  Someone that wasn’t ready to be a dad.

I’ve always had some make-believe image in my head of who I would be as a father.  I held on to clear expectations of where I wanted be in my career, my age, my level of self-care, and my maturity.  I basically assumed that I'd have it all together.  But in actuality the hypothetical “dad" version of me looked completely different than the man whose heart was beating out of his chest on the carpet, praying to a god or spirit I hadn’t talked to in months.  When Tricia walked out of the bathroom, I knew. And I knew I had to change.

5 months later we were recording in a remote cabin away from the density that is Seattle.  I was finally having fun in the studio for the first time in years.  Songs were getting made, finally. I was going back to the city once a week to attend a birthing class with Tricia.  When I got back to the cabin the next day, Ryan had made a new beat that would eventually become the song you’re listening to.  Half of it is advice about growing up.  The other half is trying to figure out how to grow up myself.

When you try to escape yourself, life has an interesting way of creating situations that force you to come back.  To look at who you are.  This is why “Growing up” felt like the right song to re-emerge with.  It’s where I’ve been the last year, through all the ups and downs.   We didn’t want to do a big campaign or anything over the top with this.  We just wanted to put out good music, directly to the people that have been here since the beginning.  Thank you for your patience. Hope you enjoy.

And if you’re wondering…

Our daughter, Sloane Ava Simone Haggerty was born 2 months ago on May 29th.  There is nothing like the joy and happiness that comes from bringing a baby into this universe.  She has filled my heart in ways that I never knew were possible.  She is the love of my life.  This song is for her. 

-Ben

Credits

Performed by Macklemore
Produced by Ryan Lewis
Featuring Ed Sheeran

Written by: B. Haggerty; R. Lewis; E. Sheeran; J. Karp; O. Arunga; J. Rawlings

Bass by Joshua "Budo" Karp
Piano by Joshua Rawlings and Joshua "Budo" Karp
Guitar by Ryan Lewis and Joshua "Budo" Karp
Trumpet by Owuor Arunga
Trombone by Greg Kramer
Vibraphone by Susan Pascal
Group Vocals by Deshe' Brooks, Tanisha Brooks, Sherri Charleston, Josephine Howell, Dana Jackson, Karma Johnson, Russell Leonce, Shaunyce Omar, Sally Reavis, Austin Rickel, Francisca Shaw, Maelu Strange and Liah Walker

Mixed by Jon Castelli
Mastered by Dale Becker
Engineered by Stephen Hogan
Assistant Engineered by Dave West (London Bridge Studios) and Scott Cedarholm (Avast Studios) 
Engineer for mix Ryan Nasci

Macklemore Publishing (BMI)
Ryan Lewis Publishing (BMI)
Gutterfunk (ASCAP)
Arunga Music (BMI)
Joshua Rawlings (ASCAP)

Ed Sheeran Limited and Sony/ATV Music Publishing (UK)
Ed Sheeran appears courtesy of Asylum Records UK Ltd

© 2015 Macklemore, LLC. All rights reserved.

FREE DOWNLOAD 

Growing Up (Sloane's Song) Feat. Ed Sheeran

https://soundcloud.com/thebeatlife

LOFI VIBE PRESENTS: THE TOKEN ONES

A compilation of 10 artists, 15 songs, and over 30 minutes of lofi hip hop, this entirely free for download mix is dedicated to the very green day that is 4/20. Filled with vibes that are perfect to study to, smoke out to, and relax to, this compilation will hit the soul.

All tracks listed in this album format are in chronological order of the full mixed compilation.

Lofi Vibe presents: The Token Ones

1) Oshen - Coffee//Herb//Vibe

A compilation of 10 artists, 15 songs, and over 30 minutes of lofi hip hop, this entirely free for download mix is dedicated to the very green day that is 4/20. Filled with vibes that are perfect to study to, smoke out to, and relax to, this compilation will hit the soul.

All tracks listed in this album format are in chronological order of the full mixed compilation.

Lofi Vibe presents: The Token Ones (FULL COMPILATION)

On the surface level, in honor of the late legend, I decided to create a track that set out on highlighting the rapper's positive and soulful energy that so many fell in love with. Utilizing verses from several of his songs such as "Status Symbol", "Road To Riches", and "Outro", I tried to weave together a track that was not just a remix, but something that could pass of as a legitimate song that Nipsey would release. I even tried to put together a hook that would make the song catchy, but instead realized something else. Throughout the hook sections, I added audio clips that highlighted the positive influence Nipsey had in his community, rather than focus on the negative aspect that was his death. I felt like this had more of an impact with defining what this track was about, more so than trying to make it catchy. Towards the end, I further added audio clips from those in the community that cherished the work and charisma of a man who was loved by many.

On a personal note, it has been three years since I have officially released a song. The death of a best friend took a heavy toll on me and somewhat forced me to take a hiatus from creating music due to depression. When I finally got back into it, I kept things to myself for the pure joy of making art and decided the best way to be involved was to help the community of hip hop from behind the scenes with blogs and labels. Over the past year or so, I have debated what I wanted to release and when to release it. A single, a remix, and album, etc. Then a few days ago, I heard the news of Nipsey's death. I had been somewhat following him since college, and admired the work and amount of effort he put into building his community into a better place. Prior to hearing the news, I had been thinking of remixing a Nipsey Hussle song or two earlier that week, and trying to figure out a sample that would fit. An hour before hearing the news, I found one. When news broke about his death, I was listening to that sample as I watched video after video of fans and new outlets paying tribute to the legend. At that moment, I knew what I wanted to do. While I wish making the track came to fruition for less morbid reasons, I opted for creating something that paid respect to a man who deservedly had earned his respect from the culture around him.

I also want to take moment to dedicate this track to the friend that I lost three years ago. We miss you brother and I know you would enjoy this track. It has taken awhile for me to feel comfortable again in releasing something of mine, but I feel as though this is the perfect track to share with everyone after being away for so long. Hopefully, you all feel this song just justice by the man.

Nipsey Hussle & OSHEN - Marathons: A Nipsey Hussle Tribute (Oshen Remix)

Beatsmith. Probably wearing a beanie. Probably drinking coffee. Honestly, probably both.

A Getaway In The Mountains

OSHEN

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