About To Blow: Bless Beats
Artist:
RWD
When word reached our ear of Bless Beats being involved with Sony Publishing deals, that he has the likes of Lily Allen and Sam Sparro hollering for tracks, as well as a passport that is accumulating enough stamps to rival our very own beloved editor’s holiday booklet, we had to catch up with the soon-to-be father of one to find out what fortune’s fame has been ‘sweeping’ his way… Words by Rajveer Kathwadia Images by Carnegie & Conway
“The first time I met Wiley he told me ‘I’m not your career.’ So I had to just crack on and do my thing. Now I’m coming into my own light,” this month’s About To Blow star declares about his new-found fame. But we here at RWD towers are no strangers to Bless Beat’s spotlight snatching. Having followed the Bow beat maker’s progression through the scene from 16 Bar Rally to Hard Day’s Graft, all the way up to a certain timepiece-dedicated electro anthem, it’s fair to say we knew Bless was destined for big things.
But it was still unexpected to be sat behind a piano in the studio of Chris Baker, one half of chart toppers Mint Royale. Taking time out of creating another Mint hit, Mr. Beats pauses songwriting to play me a tune he’s concocted for a certain Sam Sparro. “I met him backstage at his concert the other day, and we were discussing working together so hopefully something will come of that,” he says of working with the Black & Gold star.
Circumstances and clientele are slightly different these days from when Bless, 21, last graced our pages as a One To Watch over a year ago. His mixtape Hard Days Graft which featured the likes of Jammer, Tinchy and Chipmunk was well received and production requests came in thick and fast from the best in the scene. But it was an out of the box synth symphony entitled Wearing My Rolex that blew open the doors to the industry for BB. “I never knew the potential that tune had,” Bless comments of the Wiley collaboration, which was the most played track on Radio 1 for four weeks running. “Now people all over the world know the tune. It’s gonna be released in Europe and Asia and I had some geezer telling me that it’s getting battered in Australia, so it hasn’t run it’s full cycle yet.”
But just like a Dyson washing machine, Beats has more than one cycle with the Rolex phenomenon continuing with Skepta’s Rolex Sweep. With plays from Jo Whiley and the likes of Chris Martin doing the dance, it looks set to emulate its prequel’s success. “It’s time for everyone to just let their hair down and enjoy themselves,” Bless confidently states.
As well as entertaining revellers all over England, Bless has taken things further a field by linking up with multi-platinum French producer Bustafunk, as well as song-writing sessions with Paul Tucker from the Lighthouse Family in Ibiza where Bless hung out with new DJ pals Pete Tong and Zane Lowe. Now sporting a publishing deal from Sony, others have come knocking for a bit of that Rolex magic; Estelle and Public Enemy have put in remix requests, the deceased Roy Orbison has been in touch from beyond the grave and despite Bless’ reluctance to address it, rumour has reached us of Lily Allen hoping to be blessed with beats.
But don’t think that Bless has left behind the scene that grew him; the second installment of the Hard Days Graft trilogy, Another Hard Days Graft is on its way, followed by an instrumental release Beat Fighter on his new label Presidential Sounds, which he runs with Most Wanted. It’s fair to say grafting is not something the young musician is afraid of doing. “Sometimes I don’t even have time for myself. I would have clocked GTA4 in two days but due to the work it took me four weeks,” he says with a laugh. “But the hard work is paying off for me now.”
Download Rolex Sweep from 8 September. Check out MySpace.com/blessbeatsuk
Biggest contract you’ve ever signed?
To my kid. That’s the biggest contract I’ve signed my life to.
If you could sign over a cheque to a charity?
I’d sign it over to youth organisations cos when I was a kid these places used to take me everywhere in the summer. They don’t do that anymore and I think that’s part of the problem. Kids are growing up too quick and not having fun. When I was younger we’d go Wales and do canoeing and stuff - they’re putting money into irrelevant sh*t like roads.
RWD Magazine
When word reached our ear of Bless Beats being involved with Sony Publishing deals, that he has the likes of Lily Allen and Sam Sparro hollering for tracks, as well as a passport that is accumulating enough stamps to rival our very own beloved editor’s holiday booklet, we had to catch up with the soon-to-be father of one to find out what fortune’s fame has been ‘sweeping’ his way… Words by Rajveer Kathwadia Images by Carnegie & Conway
“The first time I met Wiley he told me ‘I’m not your career.’ So I had to just crack on and do my thing. Now I’m coming into my own light,” this month’s About To Blow star declares about his new-found fame. But we here at RWD towers are no strangers to Bless Beat’s spotlight snatching. Having followed the Bow beat maker’s progression through the scene from 16 Bar Rally to Hard Day’s Graft, all the way up to a certain timepiece-dedicated electro anthem, it’s fair to say we knew Bless was destined for big things.
But it was still unexpected to be sat behind a piano in the studio of Chris Baker, one half of chart toppers Mint Royale. Taking time out of creating another Mint hit, Mr. Beats pauses songwriting to play me a tune he’s concocted for a certain Sam Sparro. “I met him backstage at his concert the other day, and we were discussing working together so hopefully something will come of that,” he says of working with the Black & Gold star.
Circumstances and clientele are slightly different these days from when Bless, 21, last graced our pages as a One To Watch over a year ago. His mixtape Hard Days Graft which featured the likes of Jammer, Tinchy and Chipmunk was well received and production requests came in thick and fast from the best in the scene. But it was an out of the box synth symphony entitled Wearing My Rolex that blew open the doors to the industry for BB. “I never knew the potential that tune had,” Bless comments of the Wiley collaboration, which was the most played track on Radio 1 for four weeks running. “Now people all over the world know the tune. It’s gonna be released in Europe and Asia and I had some geezer telling me that it’s getting battered in Australia, so it hasn’t run it’s full cycle yet.”
But just like a Dyson washing machine, Beats has more than one cycle with the Rolex phenomenon continuing with Skepta’s Rolex Sweep. With plays from Jo Whiley and the likes of Chris Martin doing the dance, it looks set to emulate its prequel’s success. “It’s time for everyone to just let their hair down and enjoy themselves,” Bless confidently states.
As well as entertaining revellers all over England, Bless has taken things further a field by linking up with multi-platinum French producer Bustafunk, as well as song-writing sessions with Paul Tucker from the Lighthouse Family in Ibiza where Bless hung out with new DJ pals Pete Tong and Zane Lowe. Now sporting a publishing deal from Sony, others have come knocking for a bit of that Rolex magic; Estelle and Public Enemy have put in remix requests, the deceased Roy Orbison has been in touch from beyond the grave and despite Bless’ reluctance to address it, rumour has reached us of Lily Allen hoping to be blessed with beats.
But don’t think that Bless has left behind the scene that grew him; the second installment of the Hard Days Graft trilogy, Another Hard Days Graft is on its way, followed by an instrumental release Beat Fighter on his new label Presidential Sounds, which he runs with Most Wanted. It’s fair to say grafting is not something the young musician is afraid of doing. “Sometimes I don’t even have time for myself. I would have clocked GTA4 in two days but due to the work it took me four weeks,” he says with a laugh. “But the hard work is paying off for me now.”
Download Rolex Sweep from 8 September. Check out MySpace.com/blessbeatsuk
Biggest contract you’ve ever signed?
To my kid. That’s the biggest contract I’ve signed my life to.
If you could sign over a cheque to a charity?
I’d sign it over to youth organisations cos when I was a kid these places used to take me everywhere in the summer. They don’t do that anymore and I think that’s part of the problem. Kids are growing up too quick and not having fun. When I was younger we’d go Wales and do canoeing and stuff - they’re putting money into irrelevant sh*t like roads.
RWD Magazine
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Comments
guy
20 Aug 2008, 23:53
20 Aug 2008, 23:53
bless is doin alot
