Getting ready to head out on tour, BIA phoned in to chat with Audacy and Hot 104.1’s Princess Stormm to talk all about the upcoming trek, her EP Really Her, her multi-faceted sound, plus a whole lot more.
LISTEN NOW: BIA talks with Princess Stormm
Taking into consideration the lack of choreographed rhythmic movement in BIA’s music videos, if like Princess Stormm, you’re wondering if the rapper/singer plans on showing off some dance moves on her upcoming tour. Well then, BIA’s got something to tell you.
“Let me tell you something, I’ve been in rehearsal for 8-10 hours a day, and your girl is dancing, okay. One thing about me, I’m dancing… and if you’ve actually been to a show of mine, you see, I do dance… not so much in my videos… but my shows, I’m giving it up.”
While discussing her most recent EP, Really Her, BIA spilled on how she got linked up with Juicy J for one of the tracks, “DON’T TELL.”
“I’m such a fan of Juicy J, like Three 6 Mafia… like that’s just some of my favorite music of all time. So when I cut that song, I was hitting certain Juicy J ad-libs and I was like damn, it would be really fire if we could go get Juicy J on this. And we got the song to him and he sent it back within 24 hours… I lost it,” she added, “I was so happy, because I love Juicy J, he’s a legend.”
Chatting about the incredible experience of sharing the stage with Busta Rhymes during the 50 Years of Hip-Hop performance at this years BET Awards, BIA shared all about the “surreal moment.”
“My dad used to listen to Busta Rhymes with me all the time, so like I just love Busta Rhymes music and I know like every word to like every song. So to be a part of that tribute, 50 Years of Hip-Hop, that’s like such a legendary moment, I’m so grateful for that.”
Also offering up one of her favorite moments of her career thus far, BIA noted that flying to London to shoot the music video for “LONDON” with J. Cole most definitely takes the crown.
Delving into her sound, BIA said, “I’ve spent a lot of time traveling, especially the last two years, like festivals and shows. And I’ve spent so much time in different places, so I wanted this album and my music to feel like I’m a student of the world. I’m just that type of person, I like to soak up the culture and like shine light on the things that inspire me.”
As for her take on the current narrative that female rappers only rap about one thing… BIA says, “People just hate… you gotta let people do what they do. There’s something for everyone. So my music might not be for every single person, and somebody else’s music might not be for every single person. That’s why we need an active representation… so there’s something for everyone.”
“You know, nobody chirps when men do that,” she continued, “like nobody really cares when men rap about the same things. So it’s like the girls are having a moment, and respectively we’re all different in our own way, and everybody just has to get over it.”
BIA and Stormm also talked about fashion (look out for her fire tour merch), how she settled on her album name, her writing process, what keeps her motivated, and more. To hear it all, press play on the interview above.
