Meet B Squared

Today we’d like to introduce you to B Squared.

Hello B Squared, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in the Burlington, NC area, and I spent a lot of time alone as a kid. I was really quiet and shy, while the rest of my family is kinda loud, and outgoing. I felt different, so I spent a lot of time in my room. A lot of drawing and reading books and watching movies. Somewhere in there, I developed a love for music. My mom had really eclectic taste, and she always had music playing in the house. I was fascinated by how much emotion and atmosphere that music could communicate. I was obsessed.

As I got older, I started going to shows and developed a real urge to play an instrument. There was so much energy in live music, and it just made sense to me. It was one space where I didn’t feel like retreating back to my room. I picked up the drums and immediately started looking for people to jam with.

I spent several years playing in different bands, and eventually got frustrated with the complications of trying to come together with other people– the egos, and clashing opinions, and conflicting schedules. It was stressful.

Around this time, I was working at a call center. I met a guy who made beats, and he asked if I wanted to collaborate with him. We made beats together for a while, and I really liked the versatility of making beats. I could literally sit down whenever I wanted and make music on my computer. It was awesome. I dove head-first into it and learned a lot in a short amount of time.

The partnership dissolved pretty quickly, but I was hooked on making beats. When I got into sampling, I really found my style. All that music my mom played growing up now felt like training for where I was currently. I knew at this point that it was what I should be doing.

Shortly after, I started meeting emcees that wanted to make the same exact stuff I did, and there was no turning back. I’ve to build on it ever since.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely been filled with struggles and challenges, and they come in all different forms. One of which is just getting started. It’s not like you can decide that you want to be a producer, and go take lessons at your local music store. When I started, the only info I could find was on Youtube.

I spent countless hours searching for videos of established producers making beats and trying to decipher what they were doing. I would watch 20 different videos teaching one specific approach or technique and take bits from each individual producer to develop what works best for me. There’s no shortcut to that, and no one is going to force you to do it. You have to put the time in, and constantly motivate yourself to continue learning.

Another thing is time. My schedule is crazy; between work and family life, it’s difficult to fit dedicated time to create into the schedule. And music is a very mood-based thing. You can easily sit down and waste hours if the feeling isn’t there. I had to teach myself how to manage the time that I do have as effectively as possible.

I had to break the process of creating music down into smaller parts, doing menial tasks like sifting through records for potential material or finding new drums when I don’t feel inspired so that I could maximize the time when the mood is right. Not only did I feel less pressure when I sat down to create, but my productivity shot through the roof.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’d say the work I’m most noted for, and most proud of would be the projects I’ve put out with OC from NC. I met him very early in my producing career, and we just clicked.

Our styles mesh so well that making music with him is easy. We are also extremely competitive people, so we are constantly working to better our respective crafts. Even though we are doing 2 different things, we are continuously pushing one another to keep up with the progression.

I guess the thing that sets me apart from other producers is my taste. We are all working with the same notes and tones. The only difference is the way you put things together. I really lean into that, and embrace my approach to making beats, instead of trying to compare my work to what people are doing, or have done before me.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Reach out to me online for collaborations. I love finding new people to work with.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @bsquaredbruh
• Facebook: @b2audiolab
• Twitter: @bsquaredbruh
• Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCUWI0CNVgkGiKRg6k7s7YCQ?feature=share

Image Credits
Blake Rodriguez