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Baby
Bash has earned the right to be saucy.
Though born and raised by the way of Vallejo, CA, home
to some of hip-hop’s dopest elite (E-40, Mac Dre, Too
Short), Bash has really made his presence felt in Houston’s
ever-growing Latino Rap scene and believe me, wherever Bash
goes he gets noticed. Some
may attribute his popularity to his handsome baby face good
looks and others, you know the ones that really know him and
have been down since day one will say, he’s just the truth.
Why? Because wherever he is at this present time in his
career he got there with hard work and a no-nonsense work
ethic that I think at times even surprises him.
He
didn’t have it easy either. He was raised by his grandmother
while his parents were both sent to prison.
During that time he turned his energy towards the arts
and began to sing, play the bass, and guitar and immersed
himself in a variety of music from hardcore rap to R&B,
reggae, and other eclectic sounds.
His first foray into the music world was under
the name of Baby Beesh when he hooked up with the Latin rap
group Potna Deuce in 94. The group released a couple of albums
before going their separate ways in 96.
That same year he also helped found another group,
Latino Velvet which reaped the release of two albums.
In 1998
after an offer to collaborate with South Park Mexican (SPM)
took him to Houston, he felt the city's vibe so much he
decided to relocate. Once there he released two solo albums Savage
Dreams (2001) and On
The Cool (2002) under the Baby Beesh moniker and
appeared on a variety of artist’s albums.
Despite his previous
works he was truly introduced to the world in the
summer of 2003 via his major label debut Tha Smokin’ Nephew which
made quite an impression on the music world and garnered him a
set a new fans of various ages and races.
I managed to catch up with Bash on the cusp of his
promotional tour for the new album Super
Saucy (Universal) which drops March 15, 2005 and
includes features from Akon, Nate Dogg, Avant, Pitbull, E-40,
and newcomer Natlie where he waxed crazy poetic about his
life, music, and…well, all things saucy.
LJC:
“Super Saucy.” What
does that mean and how do the songs on the album help define
the meaning?
BB:
(Laughs) Super Saucy. I’ve been using the word saucy for a
long time. Instead
of saying, “That’s hot,” I just use the words saucy or
fly. I just like
those words. Pretty
much that’s my style of music.
I wouldn’t consider myself Mr. East Coast/West Coast/
down South rapper or hip-hop artist, but I can consider my
music “saucy music” in general.
I don’t really have a label for my music, so I just
call it saucy and fly. I just added the super to it because it
sounded good. Super
Saucy.
LJC:
Do you have any
favorite tracks on the album, if so which ones?
BB:
I got a couple of favorite tracks.
I like “Bubbalicious,” I love “Baby I’m Back”
the first single. There’s
a song called, “No Way Jose” which is another one I did
with Akon that is kind of more reggae inspired and I’m a big
reggae fan, so that’s my favorite song on the album also.
LJC:
What is your ritual when you go to the studio, or start
writing, or getting in the zone, what do you do to prepare
yourself?
BB:
I light incense,
light a blunt, and usually vaporize a little bit.
The formula is my producer will bring me a CD full of
beats- like ten to twelve- and when I’m driving around in my
car I’ll just throw it in there and vibe out. Then, I’ll
come up with the concept and the hook of the song first
because I think that’s important, then come up with the
words and just spit what I want.
Finally, I’ll go to the studio and handle business
instead of going there to hang out, drink, get sloppy, and
party, I rather have the song ready so when I go to the studio
I can knock it out. I’m much more into the song, I’m not
into the ego trip of rapping, my trip is not to trip, and I
want to be special.
LJC:
How did you hook up with Akon to do “Baby I’m Back?” What was it like working with him?
BB:
Akon was brought to
me by my label Universal.
He’s on the same label as me and when I was getting
ready to do my album they told me about this guy named Akon
who had the beats, production, and singing skills, and I was
like okay. Universal
flew me out to New York to the studio and we instantly vibed
out. We did two
songs together that turned out great.
LJC:
What does it feel like to have millions of fans or more so the
feeling that you get when you are performing for them?
BB:
It felt pretty
strange at first. This whole lifestyle is pretty strange
because I consider myself a regular guy.
I like to watch T.V, eat cereal (Fruity Peebles, cereal
with crushed up bananas) and stay low-pro. That’s really my
personality. I like getting out and meeting people and it
feels good, but when I’m doing shows, that’s the ultimate
high. I could smoke as much weed as I want to, but I’ll
never get the feeling that I get when people are singing my
songs word for word in front of me…something that you made
up from the heart and spirit.
That’s the ultimate high for me when I’m on the
stage and the fans are singing with me.
LJC:
With this album what was the message that you wanted to
convey?
BB:
The message is just good music and happiness.
As you can tell my songs are good feeling songs.
It’s filled with energy to make you feel good about
yourself and life, so feel good music is my specialty.
I really don’t have any big messages.
I’m not really a preacher type guy, I just want
everybody to be happy and enjoy life and if my music helps you
feel good at that moment then good. I
just want everybody to be saucy, that’s my message to,”
Keep it saucy.”
LJC:
So many artists’ say that their music is taking it to
the next level, how does your music do that?
BB:
I think what sets me apart from other artists’ is
that my sound is a combination of Cali and Texas. I just took
influences from everything.
LJC:
How has the transition from Vellejo, CA to Houston affected
your music?
BB:
When I was in Vellejo I was strictly Bay Area sound, even my
lingo; that was all I knew. When I went to Houston they were
into the beat, dancing to crunk and bounce music. So what I
did was combine my game from Vellejo with some Texas game and
created my own sound which was the “Suga Suga’s,”
“Shortie Dowop’s,” and “Baby I’m Back’s.”
LJC:
Do you ever sit back and realize what you have accomplished
and are like, "Damn!?”
BB:
A couple of times. I’m
just so happy to do what I’m doing.
Maybe I don’t understand.
My friends tell me all the time,” Man you doing it
big,” and I’m like, “I am?” Maybe a couple of years from now I can look back and say man
can you believe I did that or I traveled there.
LJC:
Being an artist is a 24 hour job, what brings you peace in the
chaos?
BB:
Peace to me is getting on the basketball court playing hoops
with my friends, taking a shower, having a nice meal, watching
Sports Center and catching up on the highlights.
LJC:
What does Baby Beesh mean?
BB:
It’s pronounced (bee-she).
I used to have a messed up Mitsubishi mini truck.
Remember when mini trucks were cool.
It wasn’t fixed up at all, but I used to hang out
around the guys that had mini trucks.
I’d be cruising around and people that didn’t know
my name would be “Oh there go Beesh,” then it came out to
be Baby Beesh because I had a baby face.
LJC:
You have a lot of stellar collaborations on the album, but who
are you really dying to collaborate with?
BB:
I would love to collaborate with Outkast because I think we
would come up with something nice.
Pharell, Lenny Kravitz, I wouldn’t mind doing a song
with Mya, that would be dope because she’s pretty saucy
herself.
LJC:
If you could describe you/your music in three words what would
they be?
BB:
Super Duper Saucy. Ultra-magnetic.
Fly.
LJC:
What is the one thing that you can’t live without?
BB:
Lotion. I always
got to be lotioned up. I hate not having lotion.
LJC: I was
listening to Power 106 one day and Big Boy mentioned that you
do a lot for the community.
What have you been involved with?
BB:
I’ve been apart of a couple of different charity events in
Texas like for people that lost loved ones and didn’t have
the funds to bury them, bone marrow drives.
I just try to help wherever I can.
LJC:
What are you most thankful for at this point in your life?
BB:
I am thankful for
my health of course because I’m a healthy cat; I drink a lot
of water. No
kids, low-drama in my life.
I’m really thankful that I was able to pay off my
grandmother’s house and take care of a couple of unpaid
bills, and thankful that people enjoy my music and really want
my autograph and really think that I’m someone special.
I am also thankful for being happy because even when I
was broke I was happy.
LJC:
Any last words?
BB:
I
appreciate all the people that love my music, much blessings
to them and thank everybody who has had my back and the ones
that didn’t have my back because it’s all gravity and to
just be ready because it‘s going to be a Super Saucy year
this year!
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