Optimiztiq

California native rapper, songwriter, and hip-hop producer Optimiztiq likes to defy perceptions. urging audiences to empower themselves through inward exploration. He’s a uniquely charismatic performer and inventive beat-maker known for both his authenticity and imagination. Drawing inspiration from artists like Eminem and Method Man as well as metaphysical thinkers like Alan Watts and Eckhart Tolle, his writing combines sharp wit, thought-provoking wordplay, and an irresistibly positive approach to life’s challenges. Over the past decade, he’s shared the stage with some of the world’s top hip-hop acts, including Snoop Dogg, Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony, T.I., Yelawolf, and Tech N9ne, and his performances have been praised by local press as well as the former VP of Death Row Records.

Born Alex McDonald, Optimiztiq started composing after his father’s death, using music to process grief and reconnect with the world around him. He dropped his debut It’s a Smallz World in 2007 and has released nine projects since, allowing his hyperactive mind to probe subjects like philosophy, psychology, spirituality, trauma, consciousness, and personal growth. In 2010 he earned an honors degree in sound engineering and audio mastering from Pinnacle College, and in 2013 founded his independent record label, Chakra Sound. That same year his fan base exploded with the release of Mouthin’ Off — a compelling, percussive EP made solely using his mouth as an instrument. From his 2014 concept album Flashback, which samples a range of classic hits, to his 2018 album It’s Personal, which reflects on subconscious childhood trauma, Optimiztiq has evolved his songwriting into both a therapeutic outlet and a vehicle for sharing knowledge and insight. His latest album The Placebo Effect, released in May 2022, features collaborations with former Strange Music artists J.L. and U.B.I. as well as truth-seeking YouTuber O.D.D. TV. An absorbing deep-dive into the everyday supernatural, the album’s lyrics explore topics like meditation, manifestation, and finding self-fulfillment through the lens of eastern philosophy.