Hip hop artist Anthony Oks shows true colours in new EP
By: Simran Roopra
Winnipeg-based artist Anthony Sannie, also known as Anthony OKS, gives listeners a peak into his life in his newest EP, “In the Garden.”
For people and artists, there is a lot of pressure following a specific route that’s comfortable, said Sannie.
“I have trouble lying in my lyrics, as I’d rather say the way I’m feeling and, if someone hears it and asks me about it, I’m down to talk about it,” said Sannie. “I feel the best when I can share as much as possible.”
Sannie said he doesn’t like following the norms that people expect a hip hop artist to have. He said he calls himself an artist because he’s a published poet, rapper, singer, and DJ.
“I just feel like yeah, being an artist kind of leaves things well…open-ended,” he said.
Paul Young, a Red River College Polytechnic Digital Film and Media Production student, said music influences his school work. He said music is often essential to a scene’s experience. “In some circumstances, it becomes as famous as the films themselves.”
“I think it’s cool listening to someone from Winnipeg who has that type of flow,” said Young. “I like his new mix with Begonia as it opened my eyes to the new music culture in Winnipeg.”
Sannie submerged into the hip hop scene in 2009 with his two brothers, Andrew and Alex, his friend Lonnie Ce, and his cousin Mungala Londe.
Sannie said their group, Lytics, gained international success which prompted his solo work in 2018.
Now, Sannie is blooming in the music scene with over 3000 Instagram followers.
“… the world is just made for much more of an interesting place when everyone’s doing what they want to do, showing their art the way they see it,” said Sannie.
On Sept. 24, Sannie released “In the Garden.” Sannie said the album art features flowers on the cover symbolizing the blooming change in his life.
For those interested in the local music scene, Sannie said he is tuned into fellow artists J Wood and Ed Riley.
