Sir Bishop is not your typical hip-hop artist. Born in Memphis but reigning from Atlanta, the Dreams rapper made waves in the electronic scene as he bridged the gap between hip-hop and experimental bass. Connecting with the French legend CloZee through SoundCloud, Sir Bishop found his way onto her Neon Jungle Album with Long Live The Chill. Effortlessly flowing over CloZee’s lo-fi instrumental beat, the Atlanta rapper opened up a new avenue of sound for both hip-hop and experimental bass. Not only would Long Live the Chill become one of the many highlights on Neon Jungle, but it would go on to be remixed by rising bass star Tripp St.
On August 10th Sir Bishop released the Long Live The Chill album, where he not only expanded on his sound but brought his story to life with impeccable wordplay and groovy beats.
The Daily Frequency sat down with Sir Bishop to discuss working with CloZee, spirituality, and a whole lot more.
Check out the full interview below!
First off, Congratulations on the Long Live The Chill album! It’s such a dope record! Can you explain the meaning behind the phrase Long Live the Chill?
The phrase stemmed from reminding myself to chill out. The idea is to take a step back, remind yourself to chill, and focus in times of stress and turmoil. It’s also a reminder to remain yourself. I’m a pretty laid-back person outside of music, and I stay true to that.
So, when did you first get into rapping, and when did you know music would be your career?
I started rapping somewhere around the 6th grade; I had to have been 11. It started out as something the homies did for fun. I knew even then, I enjoyed making music, but I’ve never thought of music as a career. It wasn’t until I got to college that I began taking it seriously and realized that people relate to how I feel at times. It’s humbling when people reach out and tell you to keep going. That your music got them through dark times.
You can tell there are musical elements from a bunch of different genres within your sound. Who would you say are your biggest influences?
My influences are all over the place, as I listen to and draw inspiration from everywhere sonically. Lyrically, Big K.R.I.T, Mick Jenkins, and Jay Electronica have had the most noticeable influences on my style of rhyming.
Your music is very spiritual and thought-provoking, which is rare in hip-hop these days. Where does your spiritual side come from?
My father and grandmother. My grandmother used to go to church every Sunday faithfully. She was, and my father is, a very spiritual person. We talk a great deal about spirituality and life within this realm. I’m not a very religious person, however, I understand that there is more to this life than the physical realm we dwell in currently. Regardless of what we believe, everyone has to have something to believe in.
Is there anything you feel is missing in today’s hip-hop?
Nah, I think hip-hop is in great space. The culture itself has grown exponentially since its inception and continues to impact popular culture. There is a lane for everyone these days if you know where to look.
The track Long Live the Chill on CloZee’s Neon Jungle is one of my favorites on the album. How did you link up with her, and how has it been working together?
Thank you, she and I connected on Soundcloud a few years back, when I released the song Southbound with Koresma, and she loved the song enough to reach out to me. Working with her has been awesome. Aside from opening an audience, it’s different when you get an opportunity to see someone doing what she’s doing in person. The dream becomes tangible because it shows you it can be done.
Does your writing process differ when working with an electronic producer like CloZee and Korsema as opposed to a hip-hop producer?
Not at all, the writing process is always the same. For me, the instrumental has to pull a feeling out of me or spark a thought. As I mentioned before, I draw inspiration from everywhere as I listen to A LOT of music, and that affords me a level of versatility to rhyme over various sonic styles.
Do you feel there is an unexplored avenue of blending hip-hop and experimental bass?
If there is, I plan to do so. Demographically, the people I see at experimental bass shows do not always look the same as those at hip hop shows. That said, music has a way of bringing people together, and if I have to be the one to bring those worlds together, then I’m up for the challenge.
You once tweeted, “a man who controls himself controls the universe around him.” What are your thoughts on the Law of Attraction, and how important is perspective in life?
While I have not done thorough reading on the subject, the concept itself makes sense to me on a surface level of understanding. The way we view things has a direct correlation to our thoughts and actions. At what point do we as humans hold ourselves accountable for the way that we perceive things? Regardless of what anyone says, we have direct control over our thoughts and outlook. Life is all about perspective.
If you could work with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
That list is entirely too long, however, if I had to pick one, it would be Michael Jackson. That’s Mike bro. That man was the epitome of what it means to be great at what you do. His attention to detail and the amount of knowledge that could be obtained from working with him would be unrivaled.
Lastly, what can fans expect as we look forward to 2022?
More dope raps, more good vibes, and continued growth. I’m looking forward to what the year has in store, and I thank everyone that’s embarking on this journey with me.
Long Live The Chill.