Traversing the borders of hip-hop, pop, and soul with an experimental flourish, Anthony OKS—aka Anthony Sannie—is prepping to unleash some of his own stellar jams this year. He can change moods and vibes on a dime, going from uplifting strings and heart-swelling, old-school soul samples straight into club-ready bangers that sparkle with disco synths and jangly guitar hooks. His new tunes are as reflective and powerful as they are electrifying, delivering stories about young and troubled basketball phenoms and trading bars with Edmonton’s poet laureate, Cadence Weapon, over deep southern grooves. He even journeys into far out, cosmic atmospheres, crafting reverb-soaked, brosoul soundscapes that are more than worth your time to get lost in. In fact, you might never want to come back.
Raised in Winnipeg’s south end by a Jamaican mother and a father from Sierra Leone, Sannie grew up surrounded by music, watching his older brother Alex craft beats in their basement. His is a deep, familial, can’t-live-without-it love for hip-hop, and it shows up in his chameleonic adaptability, spitting wild rhymes one minute and flexing his singing muscles the next, with the ease of someone who’s been doing it their whole life. Because he has. He’s made international waves as a member of much-celebrated group The Lytics along with Alex, his other brother Andrew, and their cousin Mungala. His spirited, adrenaline-injected flow and fiery stage presence have made him a highlight of their acclaimed live show and helped the group become one of Canadian hip-hop’s most exciting acts.
Within his music career, Anthony has performed the world over, collaborated with the Beastie Boys’ Mike D, and shared the stage with legendary artists like Nas and The Roots.
Anthony OKS is a dynamic voice in hip-hop—one that stands out at the vanguard of an exhilarating new generation of artists. Watch for him.
