• Besides experimenting with the sound, the one thing that Bas understands pretty well is the art of brevity.
Image: Courtesy
Title: Spilled Milk 1
Artiste: Bas
Genre: Hip hop/Rap
Release: August 9
Queens rapper Abbas Hamad, better known to the world simply as Bas, now seems to be on a streak. It’s certainly nothing new to hear that Bas has a new project out. He is Dreamville’s number two, coming after the label’s founder J Cole and just ahead of JID, and seems to be on the verge of solidifying his place in the hip hop scene.
For most music enthusiasts, it was expected that it would take a while before Bas is part of any other piece of work. His last major project, “Milky Way,” which dropped in 2018, came two years after his breakthrough sophomore studio LP “Too High Riot”, which was also released two years after his debut “Last Winter.” He has now assumed the position of an artiste who exemplifies brilliance in his craft and wants to maintain an undying presence in the music scene.
His latest contribution in the Dreamville-J Cole project ‘Revenge of Dreamers III’ brought him out as an artiste who has amassed tremendous star power. He featured on quite a good number of tracks on the long-awaited LP, but what even makes his story more appealing is the fact that he has been working on a three-part project, with the four-track EP “Spilled Milk 1” already out on streaming platforms.
For an artiste who traces his roots to Sudan, “Spilled Milk 1” exhibits great influence from Africa. The EP begins with a track christened “Jollof Rice”, featuring EARTHGANG, in which the artistes tell about their adoration for women. On the JID-assisted “Fried Rice,” Bas highlights how their respective cities got their back as they make moves in their careers.
Bas recruits the vocals of B Lewis and Falcons on “Nirvana” as he explains the satisfaction and happiness he attains while in the presence of his lover. In the closing track, Afro pop-inflected “Amnesia,” Bas incorporates the brilliance of fellow Dreamvillian Ari Lennox alongside Nigerian recording producer Kiddominant. The track highlights a relationship that doesn’t last the test of time.
Besides experimenting with the sound, the one thing Bas understands pretty well is the art of brevity. For him, when it comes to his works, he believes less is more. “Spilled Milk 1” is a true reflection of this quality in its arrangement, lyricism and production. In an interview with Beats I Radio, Bas revealed that he would be releasing a new full-length project this September. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.
Star rating: 3 out of 5