Emerging out of Los Angeles, California, BAQI feels like an artist who was introduced to creativity long before he ever thought about making it a career. For him, artistry has always been part of his environment. Growing up surrounded by different forms of art and the elements of Hip Hop through his elders, music and creativity became a natural part of his upbringing.
At just seven years old, BAQI wrote his first rhymes, inspired by another passion that was already shaping his world at the time: skateboarding. Those early rhymes would eventually grow into something much bigger. By fifth or sixth grade, he was already experimenting with production, creating his first beat during computer class.
As he got older, BAQI began looking at Hip Hop differently. Around 2011-2012, he started taking music seriously and becoming a true student of the culture. He wasn’t simply listening to whatever was popular. He was digging deeper, searching for the most unique sounds and underground artists he could find.
BAQI became heavily influenced by artists and producers such as Flying Lotus, Mndsgn, Dibia$e, Madlib, J Dilla, Company Flow, Binary Star, The Roots, Pharoahe Monch, and countless other legends who helped expand his understanding of what Hip Hop could sound like.
That curiosity continues to play a major role in his own music today. BAQI describes his sound as being like a well-balanced meal that can change your perception about healthy and real things being flavorful or refreshing. It’s an approach that reflects his desire to make music with substance while still creating something people can genuinely enjoy.
His journey has also taken him through different recording environments across Southern California. BAQI has recorded music in Studio City, RZN Studios in Downtown Los Angeles, and the recording studio at Compton College, adding different experiences and surroundings to his creative process.
But for BAQI, Hip Hop has never been limited to the studio.
If there was Hip Hop happening somewhere across Southern California, there was a good chance you could find him there. From LBC Park Jam and Leimert Park to GCS Santa Ana and the beaches, BAQI made it a point to be around the culture, the people and the energy that helped shape him as an artist.
That connection to the culture continues to show through in his work.
BAQI recently released his latest project, “P.R.T,” while preparing for another major step in his career. He is currently releasing singles leading into his upcoming debut album, “POLARITY.” The album represents the next chapter of an artist who has spent years developing his sound, studying the culture and finding his own place within it.
More than anything, BAQI remains grateful for the people who helped him get here. He gives his eternal thanks to his family and friends for their support, recognizing that their presence has played a major role in who he is and what he has been able to accomplish.
He also gives thanks to God and the Universe for blessing, protecting and directing him along what he describes as his divine path.
