Beat-maker B.Lewis uses a wide array of samples, from Frank Ocean to his own voice to unlikely R&B drum-rolls and vintage beats across his latest release A Lion’s Aperture. A San Jose native, he has been creating some of the finest underground hip-hop releases that refreshingly don’t make samples the main focus of the tracks, instead they are soul-driven and layered. Here we catch up with him for some SMALL TALK about the LP that is available for download below.
My name is… Brad Lewis, my stage name is B.Lewis
I live in… San Jose, California
My LP is called… A Lion’s Aperture
Some of the things that inspired it are… the way you look at something, whether it be good or bad, and the way you act upon that situation. I feel as though a lion (my favourite animal) is calm yet fierce when need be, and that’s kind of how I went in making songs for the album.
Some songs are relaxed, some groovy and some very energetic. Also of course, I have other inspirations around me all the time like good friends, good times, mixed with the every day emotions of all sorts.
Getting goose bumps while listening to music is a big one for me as well. That is the moment where I suddenly feel the urge to make people of the world there feel the same way I do through my music, [it] is a huge inspiration for me.
It’s cover art looks like… myself in the midst of deep thought…pondering if you will.
My favourite track is… to me, there are too many different styles on the album to say one is better than another. But if I had to choose, I would have to pick Time Travel.
The person I can imagine listening to it is… beat heads, producers, artists, anybody really, any age, any sex, any ethnicity.
My favourite mixtape would include… Not a huge mixtape listener, because as a producer I’m listening more so for beats and the musical composition. But one of my favourite beat tape/albums would definitely have to be Los Angeles by Flying Lotus.
When I’m not making music I… am attending to emails/messages, playing shows, travelling or when things aren’t as busy, I try to clear my head. Get out of the studio and grab a drink/food with friends, play ice hockey or just scrounge the Internet for new music.
The last thing I downloaded was… Nikko Gray Love Seen… an oldie but goodie.
The next project I’m working on is… I’m finishing up a project I’ve been working on for quite a while with a band from Boston called the Bad Rabbits. I’ve started some work with the good homie Grieves on Rhyme Sayers. Of course, I will always have my personal stuff I’m working on. I’m also working a lot of collaborations with local artists as well as some from out of the state. Just trying to stay as busy as possible.