Today (8/31/2018), Queens rapper Otis Clapp formally introduces the world to his alter ego, Quentin Ballantino, with the release of his new EP, Quentin. Entirely produced by Ricky Vaughn, Quentin serves as the follow-up to Clapp’s 2017 Helen Keller project. A mashup of revered movie director, Quentin Tarantino, and Clapp’s favorite beer, Ballantine, Quentin Ballantino represents a darker side of the rapper, with ruminations of mental health struggles, death, and more.
“I wrote the ‘Quentin’ EP was written from a darker place. I was battling depression through a lot of the process. I was constantly questioning my musical motivation, even on the heels of arguably my most successful release to date, ‘Helen Keller.”’Quentin’ is a journey through my mind as I try to make sense out of my ever changing universe.” – Otis Clapp
Purchase/stream Quentin here: https://goo.gl/QqnVZh
Previous:
- “Eulogy” video (premiered by GroundSounds)
- “Talk To Myself” Pt. 2 video (premiered by HipHopDX)
- “Flight School” video
- Freestyle on Statik Selektah‘s ShowOff Radio (SiriusXM’s Shade45)
More about Otis Clapp
Hailing from Queens, New York, Otis buried himself in music from a young age as a means of escaping an unstable and abusive home life. His passion for hip hop drove him from lunchroom cyphers to sharing stages with heavyweights such as Action Bronson, Diplo, J.Cole, Mac Miller, Ab Soul and more. While Otis always scribbled rhymes in the back of the classroom, it wasn’t until he heard Common and Sadat-X on “1999” that he realized he wanted a career in hip hop.
By 1999 Otis began writing, producing, mixing and mastering his own music. His diligence paid off in 2011, when Otis was afforded the opportunity to mix and executive produce three projects for YC The Cynic (now known as Kemba), including his 2013 GNK album. This led to a performance opportunity at the four year anniversary of “Comedy at the Knitting Factory,” hosted by Hannibal Buress. Here, Otis performed before Chris Rock’s surprise performance and comedian Amy Schumer later co-signed Otis’s song “Fiona.” In 2014, following his second straight appearance at CMJ week and a special guest performance at the NY Loves Dilla event, Otis performed alongside YC at the Heineken Green Room with Ghostface Killah, and performed at the 2015 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Named one of the top “underground” artists of 2011 and 2012, Otis is set to rekindle flames with his forthcoming Quentin EP.
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