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Onotesla (Ono-Tesla tapes) is a Rīga based program that was originally started by Michael Holland and Paddy Shine in the Manchester studios but has since developed a nomadic exploratory based structure highlighting experimental rhythmic based music made mostly by outsiders. 

Otis & Shugg

Otis & Shugg

Otis & Shugg has been played on NTS in shows including The Low Bias Show , featured first on 13 May 2019. Songs played include If You Want It and Earl That's Yo' Life.

Their names may not be familiar unless you were there at the start of the neo soul movement in the mid-90s, but you will be familiar with their Grammy Award wining producer Raphael Saadiq (recently recording himself again as an artist under the name Ray Ray).

Otis and Shugg are half brothers Otis Cooper and ‘Shugg’ David from Oakland, California. They grew up in the same neighbourhood as Saadiq who got to hear one of their demo tapes. At first Shugg did some road management for Tony Toni Tone and looked after their merchandise sales before the brothers were signed to Saadiq’s label

Pookie Records through Interscope.

The year was 1995 and they released their first single “Keep It On The Real” and a follow up “Journey” in 1996.

During the same time the Tonies were riding high in the charts, Otis & Shugg’s Saadiq produced “Journey”, was hailed a masterpiece on the UK soul scene where it set the stage for the album “We Can Do Whatever”.

Anticipation reached fever pitch when a cassette of the album, issued for promotion by Interscope, reached a number of DJs who began playing some of the key tracks “Thank You For My Baby”, “My First Mistake”, “My Choice”, and “If You Want It”, etc.

Problems arose when Interscope changed distribution and Pookie split with Interscope leaving the album unissued. In fact there have been many albums by different artists on different labels that have suffered a similar fate in recent years.

In the meantime the duo recorded a song “Give It To Me” (featuring rapper Too $hort) for the soundtrack to the film “The Rev. DoWrong Ain’t Right” and performed at the 1st Annual Hip Hop Awards at New York’s “Apollo”. Otis also released a solo album “O. Cooper” which is currently available on CD Baby. In fact Otis has worked extensively over the years as a keyboard player on the Bay Area music scene

Now once again lovers of cool soul and r&b, dressed with a little funk and hip hop are anticipating the release of “We Can Do Whatever”, and some can hardly believe it. Raphael Saadiq as a producer has a fan club all of his own, and has released solo projects and hits on his label by artists like Kellis in-between first working with Otis & Shugg and this eventual release.

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Otis & Shugg

Otis & Shugg has been played on NTS in shows including The Low Bias Show , featured first on 13 May 2019. Songs played include If You Want It and Earl That's Yo' Life.

Their names may not be familiar unless you were there at the start of the neo soul movement in the mid-90s, but you will be familiar with their Grammy Award wining producer Raphael Saadiq (recently recording himself again as an artist under the name Ray Ray).

Otis and Shugg are half brothers Otis Cooper and ‘Shugg’ David from Oakland, California. They grew up in the same neighbourhood as Saadiq who got to hear one of their demo tapes. At first Shugg did some road management for Tony Toni Tone and looked after their merchandise sales before the brothers were signed to Saadiq’s label

Pookie Records through Interscope.

The year was 1995 and they released their first single “Keep It On The Real” and a follow up “Journey” in 1996.

During the same time the Tonies were riding high in the charts, Otis & Shugg’s Saadiq produced “Journey”, was hailed a masterpiece on the UK soul scene where it set the stage for the album “We Can Do Whatever”.

Anticipation reached fever pitch when a cassette of the album, issued for promotion by Interscope, reached a number of DJs who began playing some of the key tracks “Thank You For My Baby”, “My First Mistake”, “My Choice”, and “If You Want It”, etc.

Problems arose when Interscope changed distribution and Pookie split with Interscope leaving the album unissued. In fact there have been many albums by different artists on different labels that have suffered a similar fate in recent years.

In the meantime the duo recorded a song “Give It To Me” (featuring rapper Too $hort) for the soundtrack to the film “The Rev. DoWrong Ain’t Right” and performed at the 1st Annual Hip Hop Awards at New York’s “Apollo”. Otis also released a solo album “O. Cooper” which is currently available on CD Baby. In fact Otis has worked extensively over the years as a keyboard player on the Bay Area music scene

Now once again lovers of cool soul and r&b, dressed with a little funk and hip hop are anticipating the release of “We Can Do Whatever”, and some can hardly believe it. Raphael Saadiq as a producer has a fan club all of his own, and has released solo projects and hits on his label by artists like Kellis in-between first working with Otis & Shugg and this eventual release.

Original source: Last.fm

Tracks featured on

Most played tracks

If You Want It
Otis & Shugg
Interscope Records1996
Earl That's Yo' Life
E-40 feat. Otis & Shugg, Too Short
Jive, Sick Wid' It Records1999