Othaz Records Profile - Hip Hop Indie Record Labels

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By
Heather McDonald
Heather McDonald
Music Professional
  • University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Heather McDonald wrote about music careers for The Balance Careers. She has worked in the music industry for over two decades.
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Updated on 06/25/19
  • What: Independent hip hop label Othaz Records
  • Where: Greensboro, NC, USA
  • Founded by: Waleed Coyote

Early Years

Othaz Records was started on the campus of Western Carolina University during founder Waleed Coyote's senior year of college. Initially, the label was primarily promoted to his fellow students, and it continued to grow with Waleed as he moved from student life to a job at Greensboro, NC, based radio station 102 Jamz.

What's in a Name

The label name Othaz is inspired by the racial demographic question found on many applications. Usually, the last choice on many of these forms is "other" which Othaz's founder Waleed Coyote said in a recent interview is the box that he always checks. He said he dislikes the tendency in music for there to be an assumption about which kinds of people listen to which kinds of music and the name of the label is a suggestion that it won't be boxed into dealing with any one kind of music.

Othaz Records and The Middle East

Othaz Records is committed to giving North Carolina-based artists their chance at the spotlight and wants to introduce national listeners to NC talent. Mixing both Waleed's Lebanese roots and North Carolina's geographic location in the middle of the east coast of the US, the label has termed the Carolina sound and region as The Middle East and makes it a point to use their successes to draw attention back to all of the artists coming out of the area.

Othaz Records Artists and The Peace in the Middle East Project:

Artists on Othaz Records include:

  • Ricco Barrino
  • P-Wonda
  • 336 Boyz
  • OShabazz
  • Juliani

Othaz Records' Waleed is also involved in the Peace in the Middle East Project with MC Serch. This project brings Arab and Jewish MCs from all over the world together on tracks to raise money for orphanages in Jerusalem that care for children who have lost their parents to the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.

More About Othaz Records and Peace in the Middle East

You can learn more about Othaz artists here:

  • Noose YouTube Video
  • Sneakas in the Israeli News - this one is in Hebrew, but you can translate it for free into your language of choice on the web.
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