By: Jude Kouassi
Abbas Hamad more commonly known as Bas, is a Sudanese rapper that is based in Queens, New York. He was born of Sudanese parents in Paris, France. When he was 8 his family moved to New York City. He raps as a part of J. Coles hip hop group Dreamville. He began his rap career more than 10 years ago and since has enhanced and perfected his game exponentially. Which his chill vibe and ethereal aura mike his music perfect for relaxing and reflecting. I first started listening to Bas when I heard his song ‘Tribe” with J. Cole. I recall playing it was on a cool summer evening while driving around with my friends. As soon as I heard “I think I made it” I was stuck on the tune. His ability to variate in speed and percussion in his sound is just one of the things I admire about his technical ability. His voice and sound make it easy to relax and listen to. It radiates happiness while giving you something to smile too in invoking good memories and energy. In his most recently released track, ‘Smoke From Fire’ By Bas and The Hicks, he showed us another impressive display of his skill and prowess as a lyricist and rapper. With a quicker tempo than his previous song, it gave a more upbeat vice while also maintaining the smooth energy with added vocals. His technical catalogue is also put on display here with his ability to emphasize his sound while maintaining control of the tempo and vibe. It didn’t take long for me to start bopping my head and singing the chorus along. His unique affinity to remain captivating with sound while maintaining a good and authentic energy is second to none. Bas is a rapper most would add to their playlist on the first listen.