Based in Atlanta, rapper Bri Biase showcases her true talents as more than just someone with catchy lyrics; she is also a creative genius. Biase, known for her freestyles and music videos, loves to pay homage to some of the most creative rappers gracing the industry, such as Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, and others.
Biase spoke with rolling out about her music inspiration, creative direction, and being an independent artist.
Your creative mind is constantly flowing, as seen in your videos; where did you get that from?
I’m a happy person. I’m not one of those people who wake up grumpy, and it’s hard to get me mad or argue with me. I make fun of everything, and I’m positive about everything. That is reflected in my music and videos. I’m not dissing anybody in my music. This is how hip-hop started. This is what the rappers used to do. It wasn’t just rapping about body parts, who we can take, or how good we look. They were just being funny and making up scenarios. I want to bring the fun, the excitement, and the character. I would watch Eminem, Ludacris, and Missy Elliott videos. Missy didn’t care; she just wasn’t going to sit up there and try to be cute the whole time; she was out there bringing character, and she’s funny like Busta Rhymes. My uncle made me watch all those videos. Eminem used to have costumes on. In the music video for “Stand Up” with Ludacris, if you’ve seen the video and you know your history, he actually made the girl’s butt grow. I did that in my freestyle video.
What message would you share with other independent artists?
Stop focusing on the wrong thing. Focus on pushing that pen; focus on making records that sound good. You might not even be the best rapper, but you can make some catchy songs. Make that the thing you focus on the most. Get in those videos and have fun. People are more likely to follow you, hold on to you, and fall in love with you [based on] the fact that you’re in your video looking like you’re having a good time before they care about how much jewelry and stuff you have on. I was having a hard time working with guys in the studio, them being guys and [me] being a woman. So, I went to school and learned to work in the studio. I used my financial aid check to buy studio equipment and started recording myself. I also took graphic design in school and now have cover art.
