#ASideBSidePodcast Episode 213: @OnlyBisi Interview

Episode 213 of A Side B Side features an exclusive interview with ONLYBISI. The R&B crooner dropped his latest EP, Demonstration II. He and Ramsey talk about R&B, relationships, and more.

The music in this episode is Change This by ONLYBISI.

Rate, Subscribe, Review, and tell a friend to Listen to A Side B Side Podcast everywhere you listen to podcasts!

Follow Us on IG @ASideBSidePodcast | @WhatsTheMovement

Twitter: @WatsTheMovement | @RamseySaidWHAT

Review: Demonstration II - @OnlyBisi

It's only right that a Demonstration has a sequel. OnlyBisi returns to the mic bringing us Demonstration II. If it's anything like the first one, we could expect a concept and story to go along with various styles of music. Bisi takes on many subgenres of R&B. Some more modern than others but sometimes his voice sounds like he was born 20 years too late.

Bisi opens Demonstation II on an upbeat note. Wishlist us reminiscent to the cadence and pace of the first project. He's talking greasy on Wishlist. It's rough sex, in a song. Reminds of something CB circa 2009, Fan of Fan mixtape.

Designer is a trap song also about sex. He's rapping but his voice is still melodic. It's eloquent in a way. instead of cursing they've engineered a woman's moan in place. What's equally impressive is the beat is complimented by Bisi playing acoustic himself. It ends with a skit conversation between Bisi and MyNameIsJeph plotting their night. Bisi gets a call from his old thing that lives on Clinton ave that he plans on pulling up on. That leads into the next song, Change This. Change This feels like a sequel to Happy 4 U from the first Demonstration. 

"Together or not you still my baby girl, together or not you still mean the world, to me sincerely I say this, we not together but that don't really change this."

On a production front, this is my favorite track. A piano chord progression means twerk drums. Think Master P's Choppa Style meets R&B. Bisi demonstrates his skill singing harmony with his own voice. I think the lyrics to the hook speaks for themselves. That doesn't bode well for the current lady in his life. The track ends in a voicemail from her crying. She's reached her limit. While she pleads over the phone, it transitions beautifully into track four, Don't Leave. 

This is where Bisi is in his bag. He's an excellent ballad writer. We'll talk more about this and the nature of R&B in our interview coming soon. The project ends with What If? It's her response to him asking her not to leave him even though he's hurt her. This is excellent songwriting because not only does Bisi speak from his perspective but the woman's as well. He ends the song with a beautiful spoken word. The prose is a nice touch as the track fades out. He asks a question I think we all should ask ourselves in relationships: "Was another woman's flesh enough for me to disrespect my rib?" The bassline and acoustic pair very well together. This is a conversation that has probably happened to the best of us so it's giving us all the feels for sure. It's really honest without being specific in a way. As far as this relationship we're left with a question mark. What a journey in such a little bit of time. Perhaps it'll be answered in the next project. OnlyBisi's gotten a lot off considering his discography can be listened to in its entirety in less than 40 minutes. For now, listen to Demonstration II below.

Review: Demonstration EP by @OnlyBisi (words by @RamseySaidWHAT)

OnlyBisi is probably one of the artists I've been most critical of since first listening to his music. You can ask him he'll tell you. It's only because of how great I knew he could be.

To this point in his discography he's been a blend of all the music I listened to in college when I was jumping from dorm to dorm running around chasing whatever girl I was into at the time. His new project is the culmination. No one was more excited for this project than I. Especially following up his work on the hook for David Michael Jonze's Shea Butter earlier this year. Demonstration is many things. The songwriting is mature, direct, sometimes vulgar. If you told him he'd remind you that his music isn't written for you, it's for her. Whoever she is, she'll love it. Let's get to it.

The project takes us through a phone conversation between Bisi and the young lady he's dating. I think the skits through a high-pass filter gave the project some character and it was very well mixed. The introduction starts with a guitar chord progression that will continue in the next track, Throw It Back. His lover expresses how complex of a man Bisi is in a way any man would love his woman to speak to him. I'm almost jealous. The aforementioned lead single blends through with an added 808 kick and bassline to join the acoustic. Throw It Back would sound fire with a Jersey Club remix treatment. I could see it now at all the parties, a straight movie I'm telling you.

Bisi takes things in his own hands as his name is on every production credit on the album. If it wasn't self produced and a live guitar arrangement (yes, he plays the strings too), LehkzTheVamp is the only name on for a production assist. Priorities and Happy 4 U are the meat and potatoes of this. I'm not sure how my girl would feel about me writing a song to an ex but if I ever did it'd sound like this. This is the most grown up conversation between exes I've ever heard. I could see this playing in an episode of Insecure between Issa and Lawrence. The Game Plan is wild. I'll leave it at that. You gon' have to listen for yourself to see what that means. You already saw what I had to say about the So Wet video earlier this week. I think it serves a good ending of the project.

Long story short, if Demonstration came out in 2011 I may or may not have a few children running around. His voice is unique, he's not afraid to take chances. On top of that he's a superb songwriter and will fallsetto like a G (whatever that means). He kills it when he goes for it, stank face guaranteed. The skits put you in the room. It's so realistic. I'd play this project in a quiet moment with shorty but it's running time is only 15 minutes. I might need a little longer than that (I'm talking about the music, ya nasty). If I were DJ'ing a sex set I'd play songs from Trey Songz's Anticipation, 12 Play, Would You Mind by Ms. Jackson followed by anything off Demonstration. This is the best Bisi yet and I know it'll get better. Seven tracks is enough to hold me to the next release. I need y'all to feel this.

You can grab this on Apple Music and Tidal today.

Watch: So Wet - @ONLYBISI (shot by: @jonzevishun)

Well where do I start with this one?

This song is just nasty. If you're not into it, get hip quick because that is the name of the brand that is ONLYBISI. The Phone On Silent just dropped a new EP, Demonstration. For the longest I've been excited for a Bisi project and it's finally here. Below is a video to one of the singles, So Wet. The Newark native crooner takes a page out of D'Angelo's book singing shirtless in front of a portrait background How Does It Feel style.

"If the coochie wet and gushy then its gucci coochie. If its gucci coochie with a condom on it still feels sushi."

Whether we want to admit it or not we all felt that. I promise he not singing it to me ladies. Look out for our review of the project this week on Thursday, but for now check out the sultry video to So Wet after the break.

Listen: Shea Butter - @PilotJonze feat. @ONLYBISI @CashletePete

"It's that Black Boy Joy wrapped up in gold."

Last I spoke with Dave Michael Jonze, we talked about his complicated lyrics. I've been among the lucky few that have been listening to Shea Butter for the past couple months. You'd think by now I'd have it down like rap genius.

"This that Shea Butter Trap, That new escapism. Instill in my n*ggas with vivaciousness that you can't take from them."

I can't lie. I don't even know what that means but still, DO NOT DUMB IT DOWN for the masses. If they don't catch up. It's just another opportunity to explain and connect with your audience the way you know how. Complicated bars aside, Cashlete Pete joins the fold with his own gritter 16. OnlyBisi floated on the hook as always. In fact that doesn't do it justice, his voice is beautiful. I told them when I heard this song natural shorties are going to love it. Do me a favor, press play below. Do yourself that favor. After you've finished, find the next woman you see that smells like coconut oil, Palmer's formula, or uses Carol's Daughter as a leave in and play it for her. This song is for her. Dave Made Time is coming. Feel this.



You can also stream Shea Butter on:
Apple Music
Spotify
Tidal

Listen: Neighbors - @onlybisi

Let's go back to 2011. For me it was a fun time running around on campus. Trying to train my facial hair and talk to this shorty that lived in C3 of towers.

Passion Pain and Pleasure dropped swiftly after Trey Songz released his Anticipation tape but it was a song on Ready that rang through that basement hallway floor, Neighbors Know My Name. In my case, a classic that sealed the deal for a past lust affair. One I may hold true to my heart to this day. So for Bisi to cover it holds an expectation. Time and time again I used to complain that this Newark Native used too much pitch correction because of how solid his voice is. Well, no more complaints. The diffppl crooner is raw and blessed the cover. He didn't try to sound like Trey, he sounded better. Revisit some old times with me, Neighbors, by Bisi after the break

Listen: Phone On Silent - @OnlyBisi feat. @OG4GAUTO

ONLYBISI, I've been hip to the name for a few months now.

Funny enough I met him off business at a party (yes guys I go out sometimes and live behind a keyboard). He passed me his soundcloud and I chopped it up with him and the rest of the Different People crew. So it was only right that he was actually the first voice heard on David Michael Jonze JACK album. I immediate dove into his own discography. I deduced that live and in studio his voice was magic. I complained a little bit about pitch correction because flat out the talent is there. I don't know if he listened to me or I just listened to the old stuff but his newest release is flames. Phone On Silent features OG4G and was actually self produced. Perhaps the lyrics are vulgar over such a sweet voice but the irony doesn't matter. I've been told this is just a taste of what's to come from Bisi. You'll find out when I do but in the meantime check out Phone On Silent after the break.

Editorial Review: JACK - @PilotJonze (written by @RamseySaidWHAT)

You know some people call me arrogant. I have the same braggadocio attitude that your favorite rapper does. How could I not? My staff and I put out one of the best quality and content filled sites on the Internet as far as I'm concerned. People come here for our opinions on their favorite artists near and far because we keep it a buck (I'm humbled by that, I'll be done talking about myself in a second). My friends like to call me a Jack of all trades. I write, mix code, edit, shoot, promote, record, host and a plethora of skills I use for this blog and my daily life. Enough about me (finally), point blank I'm not the only Jack of all trades around. There's David Michael Jonze too. Also part of the Different People collective I've spoken about earlier. Two weeks ago he dropped his debut project and I've been tasked to review it. Let's get to it.

Jack featuring ONLYBISI is a great opener to the tape. It has good pacing, with an awesome feature with his labelmate in Bisi. This track sets the tone the entire project. Next up, Faith featuring MURADDDDAH & Jephtoda is the tale of a ambitious kid fresh out of college pleading for his mom to understand his new plight. Dave is a young man just trying to make it and express his feelings as a creator and not a Nine to Fiver. This is that stage of life for a lot of us and extremely relate to. The hook is dope too. I know Kanye is an influence and the song ends with pleasant harmonies kind of like how Ultralight Beam finishes with God's Property, Kelly Price, and The-Dream. Faith is my favorite joint on the project.

Mercy isn't my cup of tea. I do like that Dave is willing to take a bunch of routes to create his sound. This time he ventures into trap but his verses are pretty good. He even takes some chances and sings a few riffs here and there. Maybe not the singer of his crew but it's better than most of these rappers nowadays. Good enough to sing his own hook. As long as he understands that's his lane and doesn't try to Alicia Keys the thing. Remember part one and two are the meat of this JACK sandwich. Dave takes a retrospective angle at one of his past relationships. Part one hits home for me personally. He takes a moment to reflect on trying to be a good enough man for his Ivy Leaguer taking trips on that 1 Train uptown while battling infidelity head on. Part two is more forgiving for himself. He doesn't care if they ever get back together but he just hopes she remembers him because he'll never forget her. I originally thought he sampled Elcyna's voice but it's a Corrine Bailey Rae song looped throughout the track. I'm glad he sang his own hook here, it makes it personal, but it's when he pulls Elcyna out his pocket to take stage in this song when I'm impressed. Different People really has a few guns in their arsenal.

Earlier this week Queen covered the next song, Jersey Slide. Dave is a kid out of Essex county so it's clear Jersey Club music has a real influence. I love odes to our homestate and I love the landmarks and routes he name dropped in this track. I know he's kidding about the central Jersey thing but I swear you fools gotta make it south of Plainfield one day for another reason besides the beach. The entire space between Plainfield and Lakewood on the east side, and on the west side Flemington and south of Bordentown makes up Central Jersey yall (I had to say it in this review where people will read and be edified.). When you all get to Ocean or Burlington County and you're in clansville you're south (somewhere there's a guy from Jackson cursing me out lol). Back to the music, Jersey Slide was dope as hell. County Roads closes out JACK in magnificent fashion. ONLYBISI, MURADDDDAH & Museical Souls sing the hook with four part harmony. Dave's flow and vocal tonality reminds me of Chance here. Sidebar, I really like the Jay and TaTa minus the Mai Tai line. He does more landmark name dropping in the final tune. If you're a commuter like me you understand exactly where he's coming from. This is the best singing by Dave on the project no argument.

JACK in no way sounded like a debut project. When I asked him why he went concept on his first project he said he didn't. I mean he's right. He could be a rapping-a**-rapper but he's gonna need some kind of content to talk about. Family, friends, past loves are always a good route to go. At times in JACK it seemed like Dave would get a little lost in his delivery. The only thing he struggles with is his flow. It's like he adds an extra syllable or is missing one at the end of some lines. There's not much I would change about the project. A couple rookie mistakes but it's the first project. With time he'll grow out of that. I think he has more upside than most of the acts from round the way. He's the full package and produced most of JACK himself. I think he is flat out excellent in creating sonic structure and building a song from scratch as a producer and artist alike. In his interview on Podcast About Nothing he talked about not only what he does for himself but how he puzzle pieces his teammates as well. Different People is on the rise. I think it's time we all got with it. JACK gets a 4.2 of 5 stars on the Ramsey Rating Scale. This is one of my favorite underground projects thus far this year. I really relate to the stories told. I'm excited to see what happens when he actually goes conceptual. In the meantime, listen to JACK after the break.