It is Call of Duty season. Once again, Hip-Hop and the uber-popular video game series collide, bringing in Dreamville rapper Bas to participate in the Call Of Duty: NEXT event that happened last Thursday.
Bas is an avid gamer when he isn’t posted up in the studio, and he got an early crack at the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. Speaking with The Source, Bas highlighted his history in gaming, his first Call of Duty, and more.
How long have you been gaming for?
Wow, I’ve been gaming since like Super Nintendo days. So my whole life I’ve been gaming. Always fighting my three older brother for the sticks now I got my own. Was beaver tail super Mario, a yellow cover. I think.
My first COD was World at War, I was addicted to that and the zombies. Me and my friends were playing zombies non-stop.
Does gaming influence your music in any way? From writing, to producing, how have games had an impact?
Absolutely, it’s funny a lot of the guys I collab with I game with. I don’t think that;’s a coincidence. Collab process is chemistry and collab, being in each other’s ears every night when we’re gaming opens up the communication. Even in studio. We’re gaming, we talk about beats. Guys I play with the most happen to be the ones I collab with. Boy wonder produced some of my stuff. W e’ve always been cool and acquaintances but grew really close by gaming and let to your first collab. T-minus, J. Cole. Up and down the line. Lots of my producers and artists.
Best one is Mixed by Ali, my audio engineer. Big Grammy winner, preeminent audio engineer and he’s pretty good, he carries me not gonna lie.
What is it about Call of Duty that you enjoy the most?
I am an MP guy, I don’t have patience for war zone. When I stream it’s the aspect of keeping in touch with fans. When you go to show or in public it’s a different interaction, but it’s more intimate when you’re gaming with them. Ask qs, react, more like a friend rather than a public figure at a concert. Really enjoy and allows me to build a new relationship with fans rather than a meet and greet, etc. share stories. Game is muscle memory and puts you in a comfortable. Makes me more human, down to earth discussion.
How does it feel to be invited to one of the biggest gaming events of the year, NEXT, around the biggest game release in the world?
It feels blessed honestly, as much as I’m a musician I’m a gamer at heart. To be a part of this is super cool to me. Humbling, is a pleasure. One of the coolest events across any medium I’ve ever seen. Never seen something like this. I wasn’t expecting this at all. Never seen it.
I was excited to see Santana, my guy. Joe, a few guys I watch on Twitch – swag. I’m a true fan.
If you could “Squad Up” with any other artists, who would that be? Why?
Wow. Let’s see. I’d want to play with Bob Marley because I want to talk to him. Drake, because I want a feature soon. 50 Cent because I’m from Queens and he’s an idol for all of us from Queens, and he’d be down for war stories. And, my boy A$AP Ferg he’s just one of the funniest dudes I know. Can’t be too serious, want to chill out have a fun time, and gang.
Any specific music/songs you listen to while playing?
Not really because I need to hear the footsteps, and bullets whizzing by, usually pretty locked in when I’m playing COD. Music is for everything else I gotta lock-in.
Your single “Passport Bros” with J Cole was well received. Are you working on any new music?
Yeah. I’m releasing an album in Q4. It’s very honest and vulnerable, been 5 years since a solo and I’ve grown a lot as a person and a man so put a lot of those experiences into the music. I think they’re gonna enjoy it. They’re accustomed to honesty, and this is me at my most honest.
Describe the differences between streaming and recording music?
I think what I enjoy most about streaming is being able to speak to my fans. Make that a safe space to speak and talk about whatever. Music is similar because collab process. A lot of songs iv’e written started with me and guys just having a convo in studio, but the time you get to the emotions they make their way into the songwriting. I think in a lot of ways they’re similar. It’s a communal process.
A lot of times we talk about making edits to music while we’re gaming. Giving notes back and forth.
Do you ever game with J. Cole?
He does a lot of NBA2K and GTA. I carry him a bit, he doesn’t have quite as much time with me.
Finally, who is the best gamer at Dreamville? At Interscope?
I’m gonna say there’s no competition for me so trying to put the rest of them in order. IB, our co-founder, would be number two, but there’s a big gap between one and two. Proof is the one that would need some tutoring from me. He’s our guy, but he’s a little delusional with the gaming and his capabilities. He needs to get reeled in. His confidence is through the roof, but there’s a gap.
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