Introducing Montoya, or Mo Oshot to his friends, family and hip hop counterparts. Representing French hip hop at its finest and with a sound that resonates across all the elements, Mo Oshot is an artist that is not only versatile but truly unique in his style, delivery and message.

” My sound is versatile because my influences are eclectic, really diverse”, say Mo, when asked to best describe his sound. The Haitian / Martinique born, French raised rapper considers himself a citizen of the world and heralds the gritty sounds of Philadelphia, USA, as his training ground in learning the fundamentals of hip hop. Starting in the game at a young age, Mo reflects on his  early days when the movement of hip hop had not hit Europe as hard as the US and says, ” I started rapping when I was 14 years old, got signed with my crew at 17. I was born into music and it has always been such a blessing to me. My cousin was a drummer and my older brother was also a rapper so I was always surrounded by harmony!”

Meeting Mo through a friend in Paris during a family trip with my husband and son back in May 2011, I was immediately intrigued by his story and drawn to his sound and message for his music. His reserve is that of quiet confidence, his appearance hip hop swag with a Parisian edge and his delivery – straight Fire! How this talented artist hasn’t blown up on a global scale floors me but then I am always a purist when it comes to raw talent no matter what the circumstances. His music and style is renowned across Europe and he plays to packed clubs and festivals across the continent, as he says “ To me French hip hop is not really that different than any other style. Hip Hop culture has spread as a whole across the world with the four elements remaining the same in any languages. I just give it the way I got it in my rhymes and if I had to pick a difference it would be in my beats , I love mellow, deep and soulful sounds with edge”!

Visit YouTube and you will find a plethora of music videos featuring Mo, his incredible flow and the vision he effortlessly displays that sets him apart from his European counterparts. Stand out tracks and music videos include the dark ‘Pain is so Beautiful ‘ ( see video link attached) ,the gritty ‘Be Like Me’ ( see video link attached) and the holistic Memories feat Keh Meh ( see video link attached)! There are more and I seriously urge everyone that is intrigued by this artist to check his music and clips out on YouTube under Mo Oshot – you will not be disappointed!

 

Be Like Me Video:

 

Determined to take on the world, Mo is very keen to familiarise himself with the urban music industry here in Australia and hopefully do some collaborations with our hip hop artists, and says, “ I have never heard about Australian hip hop, all I know musically that comes from Australia is Kylie and Danni Minogue “, he says with a smile. “Now that I know there is a community down there I would love to work with some artists and make something great happen”, he states!

Mo is no stranger to hard work and it shows in his wide array of singles, mix tapes, music videos and of course fan base he has garnered for himself across Europe and the US. Throwing himself into different projects allows Mo to be diverse and open to new music explorations. Always busy, Mo is excited about where his music is headed and sees his journey as one that just keeps getting bigger and better , as he says, “ I am currently working on a project with a French R&B singer and we are creating an EP together, something smooth and reflecting on love. Just because I am a rapper doesn’t mean I am always going to be rapping about violence and guns blasting etc. I also have a mix tape out called The RNB Don Vol 2 and then a mix tape I have done with my boys in Philadelphia which is called On My Way to Philly Vol 2, so I have my music, my fans and thanks to social networking my name will hopefully continue to grow”!

 

Pain is so Beautiful Video:

 

Looking back on his journey thus far Mo is reflective of the mistakes made due to youth and inexperience and approaches his career and artistry in a much more holistic light as he says, “I had a lot of exposure when my rap career first took many years ago, I was on TV and in magazines all over Europe, me and my crew were signed to a label and things moved really fast. But as life does, things didn’t work out like I had planned and it all started to change. I went underground and just started riding on my own, protecting my own and working myself back up. I am really happy with the work I have done, if I wasn’t I wouldn’t be able to talk to you. Success and staying true to the streets is in my heart and even with all the exposure that comes in and out of my life, I am still true to the underground and true to myself – without that all of this is means nothing”!

Mo Oshot is unique with a sound and style that transcends genre boundary. He is more than just a rapper from Paris trying to prove a point. He is a respected, talented and diverse artist that has a place on the worldwide stage and is ready to show the global hip hop community just who he is!

Memories Video : [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/embed/U11La87EW_Q

 

Always Hip Hop,

Ms Hennessey