Get To Know BBlasian, Louisville’s Hip-Hop Wunderkind

At 18 years old, the majority of the population is navigating the routine pathway of existence, school – work – repeat. BBlasian is not part of that majority. Throughout the past few years, the Louisville rap talent has experienced everything from incarceration and gunshot wounds, to performing alongside Anderson .Paak and Jack Harlow at Forecastle Fest in Kentucky. “My life really did change overnight,” BBlasian reiterates to me.

Growing up, Bblasian’s life has centered around two different environments. “My mom lived mainly around the suburbs, but my dad’s side led me to the streets.” This balancing act would be the catalyst for BBlasian’s upcoming success in the music industry, but also be the very thing that holds him back the most.

In 2017, BBlasian would serve time at a Juvenile Correctional Facility for various charges, but none more damning than the accidental gunshot wound that would lead him back to boot camp. “I was incredibly depressed, bro. At the time, they wanted to send me back for another full 6 months, adding up to a full fucking year.” Then something miraculous happened. The 17-year-old caught a break.

As BBlasian puts it, “It was truly a gift from God. I would pray and pray bro, I was mentally exhausted.” This gift came in the form of lost paperwork. As BBlasian was preparing to gear up for another 6-month bid, the universe had other plans in store. “I ended up only having to serve 30 days, and since then – everything has changed,” BBlasian stated.

• 

• 

What changed, you ask? Over his final 30 days of incarceration, BBlasian explained that his creativity began to flourish. “During that stay, I wrote ‘Change’ and ‘Above and Beyond.’ The first was an apology letter to his mother, and “I never intended on publishing that shit,” he reminds me. That single has since amassed hundreds of thousands of streams and helped him sign with Cinematic Music Group

Throughout the last year, Bblasian has been working non-stop. His personal highlight of the year? “Easily performing at Forecastle. Seeing the energy of my own city was something I never could have imagined a few years ago, especially with the hometown homie, Jack Harlow,” BBlasian responded.

Harlow, off to an equally as successful 2019, helped BBlasian gain traction at a young age. Prior to the two collaborating on “Green Bubble,” the two first exchanged comically through Instagram. “I remember hearing he was DM’ing this girl I was talking to. I basically hit him up, and was like “C’mon now Jack! (Laughs) It’s really always been genuine love,” Bblasian reminds me.

Love and positive energy seem to be the continued focus for the 18-year-old rapper – alongside a debut album of course. When I asked BBlasian about his upcoming plans for rollout, without hesitation he exclaimed, “I got something BIG coming for the people – a full 11 track album dropping next month.” The tape, originally destined to be an EP, was a recently formulated plan developed from an extensive catalog that only seems to get larger and larger.

Grinning cheek to cheek, BBlasian proudly acknowledges his hard work. “I’ve recorded so many tracks over the summer, bro. I’m really pumped to share this vision with the fans.” Follow BBlasian on Instagram @_bblasian and stay tuned for new album details.

Louisville, Stand Up!

More from Get To Know

---

Editor Picks

---