Louisville, KY has always been one of the music industries best kept secret. The small town on the banks of the Ohio River has produced countless national recording artists such as Playa, Static Major, Nappy Roots, Nicole Scherzinger and Bryson Tiller – to name a few.
However, many of those artists, with the exception of Tiller, peaked in the 90s and early 2000s – leaving the city with a void that many locals want to see filled. Louisville is like any other major cities across America when it comes to its local music scene. There seems to be tons of talent but for reasons unknown – the music just isn’t connecting with fans outside of the city.
That is until now. Up and coming Louisville rapper Bblasian seems to have enough momentum on his side to break down those regional barriers and become a nationally recognized artist. The charming kid of Korean and African-American descent is changing the way the world views Louisville hip-hop.
“I’m actually Korean and Black but people don’t see it – they think I’m light-skinned but I’m actually mixed with several different heritages like Korean, Black, Indian and German. My friends were trying to make up a nickname for me and since I’m Black and Asian, they came up with Bblasian and it just stuck with me.” – Bblasian
17 year-old Bblasian has only been rapping for a little over a year and wasn’t taking a career in hip-hop very seriously. He was more interested in enjoying being a kid, like most people his age – but on Christmas day 2017, he received a gift that no other gift under the tree could match.
While most people were spending the day ripping through wrapping paper, sipping on eggnog and relaxing with family – Bblasian uploaded his newly recorded song Change to his SoundCloud account and his life has never been the same since.
“When it first popped off, I was surprised at how my SoundCloud numbers were doing. Change jumped to like 100,000 views in a month and that really shocked a lot of people – and then I had 200,000 views in two months. It was surprising, coming from the city [Louisville] because other than Byson Tiller, nobody really does those kind of numbers.” – Bblasian
To date, Change has climbed to roughly 350,000 SoundCloud views and 170,000 YouTube views, without any promotion or marketing dollars. Louisville music producer Jon Woo, who works closely with Bblasian says that understanding social media has helped the young rapper spread his music outside the barriers of Louisville.
“He [Bblasian] understands and has mastered how to brand himself through Instagram. He’s built a fanbase by popularizing himself on social media and then leading his followers to his music on SoundCloud and Youtube Accounts. This kid gets what building a brand is all about.” – Jon Woo
Growing up in Louisville hasn’t always been easy for Bblasian. Like many youth, he lost his way in life for a while and as a result – experienced a few brushes with the law. He is currently locked away at a Kentucky juvenile facility and is scheduled to be released on September 6, 2018.
Ironically, he recorded Change as an apology record to his mother, prior to being incarcerated, for the pain that he’s caused her while trying to find his place as a man – in this often face-paced world.
Throughout the record Bblasian showcases his gift to both sing and rap over a radio-friendly uptempo beat. The lyrics of the melodic hook read as an explanation and revelation to his mother about how his misdeeds have led to his incarceration as well as put enormous stress on the entire family. They read:
‘”What’s a true thief in the night was a blessing/ They set me down the next day with a sentence/ Ma I feel the pain in your mind from the stressin’/ And the tears in your eyes is a weapon/ I’m losing your trust/ I put you through more than enough/ And I know that you’re tired of my bluffs/ Am I delusional?”
Bblasian feels that he can become the next artist from Louisville to put the city on his back and share the culture of Derby City with the rest of the world. He believes that the key to his success is that he puts his heart in his music and many can relate to his experiences.
“I put my heart into my music and that’s why I feel it’s relatable to so many people because I’ve been through so much and I know that everybody goes through something… But that emotional barrier that everybody feels, when they feel down at times – I just like to uplift you and that’s just me. It’s the way I can connect with you through my music.” – Bblasian
Bblasian and Woo have said that major record labels have shown serious interest in signing the talented 17 year-old but they are remaining tight-lipped about the communications at this moment.
Brad Harrison is a journalist/motivational speaker/entrepreneur and on-air personality. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with cum laude honors from the University of Louisville. In October 2015, he started UrbanMaxx Magazine to provide positive role models for Urban residents that reside in at-risk-communities and lack positive leadership in their lives.
For booking or advertising – contact Brad Harrison at bradharrison@urbanmaxx.com