Today we’d like to introduce you to B-dope.
Hi B-dope, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I got started on the steps where I grew up in New York on 107th St. between 3rd & Lex Ave. My older brother and his friends use to be outside all the time rhyming and they would make fun of me while doing so.
Everyone would be like Bob’s here and the focus would shift to me. Because of that, I was l was ok, I’ll show them not realizing at the time that it would give me both my rap name (b-dope) and make me the type of emcee I am.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wish I could say that it was a smooth road, but it was far from it. A few months after my 16th birthday while in the middle of 11th grade my mom decided to move us to Miami. I was getting into a lot of trouble and my younger brother had bad asthma so for my mom it was a win but for me, it was like WTF.
Back then there was no social media, or home studios so for me I felt musically life was over. All I knew of Miami at that time was 2 Live Crew, Poison Clan bass music, not the type of hip-hop I was used to. It took a minute to hook up with some other like-minded people that also moved from NY to connect with and keep going.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
In Miami for a long time, I was known throughout the battle scene as one of the best. There wasn’t a competition that took place that I didn’t win (unless I wasn’t in it). I can say that I’m proud to have won the Source Magazine/Zulu Nation MC/DJ battles 2 years in a row with my Dj at the time Dj Craze doing the same both here in Miami and New York. I’m proud to have my son BGlizzy follow in my footsteps and can make music with him.
Not to mention having a wife who makes beats and solely produced my latest album. Shouts to Mz. Melz for making what I believe is a classic “That Eight Eight $hit” There are so many things for me to be proud of lol. I think one of the things that set me apart from others is my work ethic. In the past 2 years since covid, I’ve put out a total of 14 albums and featured on numerous singles. And not only am I a solo artist but I have 2 groups that I work with as well.
I’m in School Dayze which is a group that Simeauto started back in high school and continues to keep the name and sound alive by dropping a new album this past month called Back 2 Class. I’m also in a group called Dope Sessionz with fellow rapper/producer Mic Sessionz which allows me to express my words over boom-bap tracks that he makes along with my co-producing ideas.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I have a love/hate relationship with the bottom (Miami for those that don’t know). I love the fact that we have our hip-hop community that shows support for one another via cross-promotion, doing songs together, and making videos. It’s a great feeling to participate in events that are made for us to do our thing.
We have artists such as Orion aka Brassballs & Dj Exes who give us La Plancha, 8ch20wens with House Party, and I can’t forget Megafam for the Grab the Mic events. They give an artist like me and others a platform to showcase their skills and music. We also have Dj Heron and Clockwork Music who bring down established artists to perform and have local artists open up for them.
What I don’t like is the fact that we don’t have enough support from local DJs with getting our music out there. Meaning either in the clubs, they spin at or during their mixes on the radio, I do have to thank people like Dj Epps for showing love on his IG and Rock the Bells radio show, 8ch once again for his support to the local artists on his Twitch WVCC Cyph Lyfe Radio show.
Pricing:
- b-dope hats $25
- b-dope shirts $20
Contact Info:
- Website: www.b-dope.com
- Instagram: @bdope.bobhere
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bobherebobout
Image Credits
school dayze, bglizzy, @itssizwe (@webigent), and Dope Sessionz (@mic_sessionz)
