Omar Gooding is best known for his acting chops and comedic timing, but a lot of people did not know he’s also an MC.
Part of that is because his current rap journey didn’t really begin until life hit him with a two-piece combo in 2017. The passing of his father, Cuba Gooding Sr., and the birth of his son happened in the same year. The double milestone forced him to finally commit to Hip-Hop and release his first solo album that same year.
“I started checking off accomplishments in my head,” Gooding told AllHipHop. “What if your son is like, ‘Dad, you talk about rap. You never rap. Where’s your album?’ I put out my first solo album that same year… I felt a heaviness about my father, like [he said], ‘Okay, bro. This is you. Go ahead.’ Hip-Hop is my thing.”
The family connection has always weighed heavy on Gooding’s music and brother Cuba Gooding Jr. co-signs one particular song. “Legacy” became a turning point when his brother gave him the ultimate seal of approval. “My brother was like, ‘This is the best thing I ever heard in my life,’” he said.
The song is a nod to the family history of entertainment. Gooding Sr. was the lead singer of the classic R&B and soul group The Main Ingredient. The Main Ingredient had an incredible run in the 1970s, including the ubiquitous classic “Everybody Plays the Fool.” “Legacy” samples the original 1972 hit and mentions the Oscar-award winning Gooding, Jr.
Now, Gooding is shifting into the next phase with a new single called “For The Culture,” which he describes as his sharpest lyrical display yet. The track also gets an added boost from Los Angeles rapper Glasses Malone, who jumped on after hearing the record.
“When I wrote this I went, ‘Damn,’” Gooding admitted. “My circle of MCs responded, ‘Oh, so you rapping-rapping now.’” Glasses Malone jumped on after hearing the song.
The recorda comes after a gaggle of headlines linked to his Cam’ron diss series. But Gooding does not want to be known exclusively for his rivalry with the Harlem diplomat.
“I think it’ll be a good switch-up from just hearing me dissing Cam’ron,” he said. “This is really for the culture. I’ve been with rappers. They know I get down.”
The full conversation between AllHipHop’s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and Omar Gooding will be released soon. Stay tuned!