West London MC Bawo has been sending waves across the scene throughout the entirety of 2019. With a series of poignant Instagram and YouTube freestyles banked, Bawo went on to drop two well-received singles and features on tracks with the likes of B.Fisher and Chedda Bred.
Bawo hit 2020 head-on with a piercing guest verse on Eskimoe's '17 Floors'. A very sure of its self flow with humble love bars and clever rhymes had us pumped for whatever would be coming next this year.
The two-track reflective E.P 'Mood' dropped on May 4th, probing a lot deeper into Bawo's capabilities. Bawo seemed to head for a slightly darker vibe than his 2019 releases with a bigger insight into who he is and how he thinks. The drop came accompanied by some super effective visuals for the opening song, 'You Get It' (produced by El Londo). He finds himself somewhere between a contrasting silhouetted character in a room of serenity versus a darker more energetic environment; remaining unmoved throughout it all to deliver his message with confidence. Bawo actually wrote this track on New Year's Day.
''It captured exactly how I felt going into the new year. t’s optimistic about good intentions leading to somewhere worthwhile.” - Bawo
The second track is a story of ''patience and perseverance''. Bawo spits a lot more introspectively on 'No Sleep'; about his struggles within everyday life, relationships, and finding the time to rest. Without sacrificing any clever wordplay, he floats between pensive verses and a more optimistic hook. The atmosphere and references throughout are relatable to everyone's situation right now with the lockdown happening, topically ending his last verse with ''I'm looking at Boris like, where does this leave us?''. B, Fisher's production really compliments the tone of the record perfectly.
Bawo explains: “I hadn’t slept for 3 nights in a row. I wrote it at the foot of my mum’s bed and it captures a moment. It’s anecdotal and a snapshot of exactly where my mind was at the time.”
A really solid project that isn't shy of being honest. We can't wait to hear more from Bawo and watch the direction he takes, we'll be sure to cover his future releases.
LISTEN TO 'MOOD' HERE.
Watch 'You Get It' below.
Visuals Directed by Tansy Taylor and Shot by Cassius Adams.
Words by: Jack Slade.
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