BU

At its most powerful, music transcends barriers, uniting people who on the surface may seem to have little in common. Such is the case with “BU”, an Omaha based rap artist who, despite being from a very difficult background, has a musical and spiritual bond beyond measure. On the upcoming album, Bringing the World to the Deuce, one can hear the power of his emotion and dedication to his craft. A lush, emotionally intense and darkly beautiful hip hop record that goes much further than skin deep in exploring timeless and universal themes of love, friendship, strife, loss and determination in the face of all life delivers.BU was born in Monroe, Louisiana but his turbulent childhood and adolescence were spent in Omaha, Nebraska. He recalls, “twelve months in a year and every month needs rent. Only if you knew how surviving in these streets and staying positive about life are compared to someone who only has to wake up and take piano lessons. I know you have choices in life but sometimes the situations you are born into impact your life negatively where you can’t recover until you are mature enough to recover. I grew up with no cable, coming home to the electricity not working and no money for batteries for the radio. I didn’t know about Shakespeare or Nietzsche; I knew the theme song to Fresh Prince. I have to thank God that I’m still breathing; people hate you for no reason where I grew up. I was in a lot of trouble as a kid. Last year my mother passed away and today I continue to use music as my outlet. Ever since my son was born, I’ve been trying to become a better man. Change my path. This is my moment of truth. This is my time”.Music provided both inspiration and salvation BU. His younger cousin Terrence has fond memories when the music bug hit him. “We only had one rap album as kids, 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me.” BU recalls, “I was about thirteen, and it just seemed like the realest thing in the world. He didn’t seem like he was talking about his particular neighborhood, he seemed as if he were speaking directly to me, telling his story. After about the millionth time I listened to it, a bell went off. I too had a story to tell and maybe I can help someone else get through their life by sharing my experiences”. From then it was on. BU went from only knowing The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song to memorizing his own lyrics and performing them for anyone who would listen.BU’s first four years into his music career produced its share of ups and downs. But they also produced about seventy songs, and an increasing confidence in himself. “I worked on branding myself, my image, and vocal delivery for quite a while. Some things worked well while other efforts needed continual revising” says BU. After numerous mix tapes and performing at small venues, BU is now ready to release his first record entitled Bringing The World To The Deuce, now that his buzz warrants it.“ Bringing the World to the Deuce is infused with a strong sense of darkness but with a light at the end of the tunnel. BU explains, “My music is about internal conflict and the feelings within everyone; love, happiness, loss and sadness. I do run on the darker side of emotional living; our thoughts go to longing, pain and sadness. But there’s always room for a way out and for celebration, even in the darkness.” That may seem contradictory, but it’s undeniably human, and you can hear it in songs like “Only If You Knew,” a brooding, loping and hook tale of a man who loses his confidence but sets to win it back by believing in himself and fighting his own self-doubt. It’s also present in “Hating For No Reason,” where a man trying to find his way away from his hostile environment but somehow life keeps calling him back. Musically, BU’s vocals convey the subtle balance between deep melancholy and exaltation at the miracle of being alive. It has roots in the past but is set firmly in the present and it’s that combination that gives Bringing the World to the Deuce it’s sense of timelessness and being beyond the fickle whims of fashion and trends.BU is finding his audience in the best way possible; through heartfelt, intensely personal music that can strike a chord with anyone and through a steady stream of playing throughout the Midwest and southern states. The foundation of BU’s music is set in the friendship between being at your lowest point but having the strength to survive. That bond will bring in more and more fans who want to be enveloped in the warmth and realness of his music. Bringing The World To The Deuce is musical testament to the trials and triumphs of life – his and everyone’s. .