Bas opens up about J. Cole’s seven-minute drills & his Kendrick Lamar spat not being “beef”

Bas’ music is a constantly evolving amalgamation of all his performances, late-night recording sessions with J. Cole, and a pen that could humble a few rappers. A prolific artist under Dreamville Records, Bas attracted one of the best reactions at this year’s Dreamville Festival, and he’s learning new ways to make hits.

“[J. Cole and I] sat at the mic, didn't write anything down, and we just sang ‘The Jackie.’ We just took turns sitting there, coming up with lines on the spot and recording it,” Bas told REVOLT.

In this installment of “Studio Sessions,” Bas explained how his performance at the 2024 Dreamville Fest will affect the music he makes moving forward, how J. Cole’s seven-minute drills helped him as an artist, and why he hasn’t jumped in his mentor’s Kendrick Lamar battle yet. Read the exclusive conversation below.

You just performed at Dreamville Festival, one of the biggest events every year. Which songs from your set came from studio sessions that have stuck with you?

“The Jackie” and “Passport Bros” stand out to me. Anytime I'm collaborating with Cole, it's usually the whole Dreamville family with us, whether it's producers like DZL,** [** AzizTheShake], or T-Minus. A lot of those songs happen on trips. They might be in Miami; you might be in London. Those songs always bring up the memories of the clubs we hit that week, the dinners we had, the jokes we made. Obviously, songs like “Passport Bros” aren’t the deepest, most cerebral records. They capture a moment. They capture a time in our lives. So, anytime I hear it, it brings me back to that time.

“The Jackie” was one of the best songs you performed at the fest. Tell us about the making of that record.

We were working on The Off-Season, and we had done some of the records for The Off-Season. Then, we had 30 minutes left in the studio session because I was going to get some sleep. But Cole said, “Let's just try some new s**t before we go.” It was kind of like it was part of his seven-minute drill thing. Now, people know it's a practice, but the seven-minute drill is just for us not to overthink anything. Just go with the first thing that comes to mind. We sat at the mic, didn't write anything down, and we just sang “The Jackie.” We just took turns sitting there, coming up with lines on the spot and recording it.

Usually, I’d like to think your first idea is probably your best idea; you just can't overthink it.

That was fun because that was my first time working like that. There are certain people I work with, whether it's producers or artists, where you pick up a new superpower in the session, and then you go to another session with that ability. It's a great warmup when you're writing music. You like to lock into the studio for weeks because it's like jogging a muscle or warming up a muscle. That helps instead of sitting there trying to come up with something. Get it out, and eventually, you're going to land on something that's magic.

Speaking of the seven-minute drills, Cole dropped his Kendrick Lamar diss, “7 Minute Drill.” Do you have any plans to join the beef?

Nah. This s**t is not beef. I'm good. I got my popcorn. I'm enjoying the show.

If someone says your name, you have to do something though, right?

Yeah, but nobody said my name.

The reactions at artists’ live shows typically inform the records they make in the future. Was there anything at Dreamville Festival you know will inspire your music?

Of course. Records like “Risk” go over with a crowd like the ones at Dreamville Festival because it's not like a high-energy record; it's more of an intimate moment. I get to look around the crowd and see people in their emotions, see people in their feelings, see people hugging their loved ones and singing. It’s a little different. We want to make you jump, and throw your hands up and wild out, but it's also refreshing to know these records we crafted in the studio can create an intimate moment even with a crowd that big.

I think when you perform, you write music differently -- especially at a place like Dreamville Festival. You get accustomed to the moments a crowd responds the best to. So, subconsciously, that always makes its way into your writing.

What was your favorite session from your new project, We Only Talk About Real S**t When We’re F**ked Up?

We were in Miami last summer. It was me, Cole, [AzizTheShake], DZL, T-Minus, Deputy, and a few others. We were just going out every night and then going to the studio. One day, I did the intro on my album, “Light Of My Soul,” and “Passport Bros.” Then I ate some mushrooms and did the hook for “H.Y.B.,” the joint with Central Cee on the tape. All three of those happened on the same day. Anytime you get three heaters out in one session, it's memorable.

You’ve been releasing music for over a decade. How has your recording process evolved? What do you need to make your best music?

There’s nothing I necessarily need in the studio apart from a recording engineer. But I think what's changed is the more experience you get, the more people you go in with, and that’ll push you out of your comfort zone. The great producers will say, “Yo, why don't you try this tone with your voice?” Me and my boy Josh Lloyd-Watson from from Jungle, a huge international band, did a session for a song that’s not even out, but he was very particular about how he wanted me to sound tonally. I always kept that with me, and I’d tap into that tone if needed. I know how to recall that moment. It’s the same with Cole. Cole's always been good with telling me, “Yo, take a deep a** breath and sing your heart out.” I had never done that before.

Is there a competitive nature as far as your collaborations with Cole?

I think the competition is just based on making the best song. If I don't come correct, or if he doesn’t come correct, we'll probably be the first to let each other know this could be better. Those moments happen in the studio all the time. Maybe the last line in a verse could be harder. Or maybe you need to add some melody here. Or these first eight bars are cool, but it needs a variation. That's part of the collaborative process. We have a very open process.

What do you guys have coming for the rest of 2024?

We're trying to wrap up this tour and then go overseas. We want to bring these songs to life worldwide and then release some more music.

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