Busdriver: Crushed Groove
"Your least favorite rapper/With a haircut like a pineapple/Wearing khakis torn/With a voice like a high soprano."
A regular of legendary hip-hop night Good Life by the age of 14, the young Busdriver received mentoring from scene staples C.V.E. and learned to rock shows at a tabernacle graced by underground royalty like Freestyle Fellowship, Rifleman Ellay Khule and Abstract Rude.
“I got inducted early — the Blowed was stratified like gang culture. I was the little homie, and they let me in. Now when I go back, people speak of me like I’m an O.G., even if I don’t really feel that way,” Busdriver says, trailing off, glancing away.
Related Content
More About
Though he claims his pool of friends is shallow, his list of collaborators would insist otherwise. Indeed, Los Angeles’ best beatmakers litter his liner notes, including Daedelus, Omid and Low End Theory mainstays, Nobody, D-Styles, Daddy Kev and Nosaj Thing.
“I’ve always been amazed by his performances and the dynamics in his music,” says Nosaj Thing (a.k.a. Jason Chung). “The way in which he manipulates his voice, the way he can both sing and rap — he’s on another level. We didn’t even need to talk about the track we did, there was just a common understanding and an innate musicality to him. He’s a unique talent.”
Which is to be expected from the only punctual Busdriver in town.
Busdriver performs at the Knitting Factory on June 18.
Now Trending
