Juwan Elcock, better recognized as the brainchild of BLK ODYSSY, showcased his distinctive musical fusion of jazz, R&B, hip-hop, funk, and more at NPR's Tiny Desk recently. The performance had an avant-garde aesthetic as the Austin, Texas-raised artist (by way of New Jersey) donned a knitted outfit while incorporating prosthetic head and hand elements from his DIAMONDS & FREAKS album cover released last year. These surreal elements enhanced the otherworldly sensation of the 18-minute set. BLK ODYSSY described it as an incredible experience he had been waiting for since high school. 

“Doing NPR’s Tiny Desk has been a dream of mine for so long,” explained BLK ODYSSY to BET.com. “It’s crazy because it was one of those things that you spend almost your whole career or your whole life looking forward to and then it goes by in a flash. I have to say it was probably one of the more nervous performances that I’ve had in my entire life but I couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out internally.”

Most of the setlist revolved around DIAMONDS & FREAKS, which also saw a live version titled Live From LA released a few months later. A perfectly blended hedgehog of sonic aromas, the album saw BLK ODYSSY collaborating with esteemed musicians, including Cory Henry, Bootsy Collins, and The Alchemist. He mentioned that these individuals have been a significant source of inspiration for him.

“I finally feel like I can work with people that I’ve looked up to for years,” he explained. “It’s come to that situation finding out that these people have heard of BLK ODYSSY and are fans of what I’ve been doing. It’s confirmation for me that I have been studying the right people all along and putting in the work that I need to.” 

Outside of ending his NPR Tiny Desk set with fan favorite “FUNKENTOLOGY” from his 2021 project BLK Vintage, BLK ODYSSY premiered a new track beforehand that even seemed different for him. Releasing this week, “Want You” is a sped-up pop rock that showcases a new musical layer for BLK ODYSSY. The track was co-produced by Tyler Johnson, best known for working on Miley Cyrus’ Billboard-topping single “Flowers.” BLK ODYSSY said that the process of working with Johnson allowed him to appreciate pop music more and understand its nuances. 

“I really had an opportunity to just take a look at how that world of music structures songs and what it does psychologically to people,” he said. “So it was a really interesting journey for me to get into that production wise.”

According to BLK ODYSSY, his sound needed to evolve because of the “hidden gem” stigma. He wants to dispel that notion and push boundaries even further than he already has. There’s a real commitment to evolving and exploring diverse sonic landscapes as much as possible, with “Want You” being his latest example. 

“I would always see things that say me and the band were criminally slept on and things we never liked in regards to the verbiage around our art,” explained BLK ODYSSY. “I’m confident that my fans will consume it and enjoy it because at the end of the day, Black music and Black people are the foundation of all music and all of the popular genres. So to me, this is just living in a space and continuing to do what’s native to us by just moving in all different spaces of music.” 

BLK ODYSSY as an entity is both a stage name and name for the collective of musicians the frontman surrounds himself with when creating music. This includes guitarist Alejandro Rios, vocalist Lara, singer/songwriter Harry Edhoukwa, and a handful of other collaborators. The ecosystem of working out of his current home base in Austin, Texas, allows him to work on his music while working on projects with band members.

“When we’re not working on BLK ODYSSY records, we’re working on Harry Edhoukwa records,” he explained. When we’re not working on Harry’s records, we’re working on Lara’s.” 

Between those internal camp collaborations, BLK ODYSSY has also been helping produce projects for other artists. One is the upcoming untitled project from Jamla Records emcee Rhapsody. She was already featured on two tracks from the DIAMONDS & FREAKS album, and BLK ODYSSY considered her the first person who took a chance on him on the production end. 

“She just created so many opportunities for me just by her network,” said BLK ODYSSE. “I'm forever grateful for that system, and she's an incredible person, such a beautiful person. And working on the record with her and the amount of vulnerability in this new record and how she has opened up, she's never done before.” 

The other project is from Los Angeles rapper Duckwrth. Though he wouldn’t reveal much for the highly anticipated follow-up to 2022’s Chrome Bull, BLK ODYSSY mentioned that the records done with him were incredible and that “I think internally we were like, I think this is the record that’s really going to change the trajectory of his career as well.” 

“Keep Austin Weird'' is a slogan that resonates with BLK ODYSSY’s creative ethos. His music contributes to that motto while walking the delicate tightrope of staying true to a unique sound while appealing to a broader audience. For BLK ODYSSY, he enjoys pressing the line of creativity. 

“I just like to say that our music possesses a ton of personality and it feels like real life when you’re listening to it,” he said. “It feels cinematic and you can almost see it. So that’s where we embody that weirdness.” 

Listen to his new single, "WANT YOU," here.