Rising LA hip-hop artists Blxst and Bino Rideaux are two of the most important and influential leaders of this new era of West Coast hip-hop. Having earned their bona fides with solo projects featuring Ty Dolla $ign, YG, Drakeo the Ruler, BlueBucksClan, Nipsey Hussle, and more, Bino and Blxst are ready to be crowned the new kings of LA.
We caught up with Bino and Blxst shortly before the recent release of Sixtape 2, the sequel to their 2019 breakthrough album, Sixtape, to talk about the new album, their chemistry, and representing for LA.
The following interview has been lightly edited.
What were some of the biggest influences shaping the creation of Sixtape 2?
Blxst: My biggest influence is really just part one [the original Sixtape], the success of part one, I felt motivated to double down and give the fans what they deserve. They deserve that fresh breath of air, that new energy from LA.
Bino: The chemistry in the studio was an undeniable vibe. Our agent called, saying, “Where’s part two?” It just felt like we had a job on the first tape that wasn’t done, so it was an easy decision [to make Sixtape 2].
What do you mean that the “job wasn’t done”?
Bino: I feel like we bring a whole different spectrum and perspective to our music. We have a different tone in the music that captivates me; it makes me want to move around. We have a whole different body of music and needed to shed a different light on what we’re bringing.
Blxst, you said that Sixtape 2 was something more to give to the fans. How were you able to make sure that Sixtape 2 was everything that Sixtape was and more?
Blxst: Bringing in different producers, like JFK Beatz and C Styles, made it bigger than the last one where I produced the whole thing myself.
Did bringing in outside producers allow you to channel more of your creativity into the visuals and lyrics this time around?
Blxst: It definitely took some pressure off my back. And the neat thing about it was we flew all the producers out to Miami, and we just locked in at a house for like a week straight. Then me and Bino came back to LA and locked in at the studio. In part one, we were just singing the songs. With the new album, we were actually building our chemistry in the same room with each other.
What do you think is the most overrated right now?
Blxst: That’s a good question; it threw me off. It’s kind of funny that we’re talking because I think the resale game is overrated.
How so? What do you mean by that?
Blxst: Like when people buy the shoes and resell them at an outrageous price, that’s overrated. But it comes with the game, so I appreciate it at the same time.
What is the most underrated right now?
Bino: So we’re the wave, we’ve got the vibes. LA, they kind of know what we do, but we’re just getting to that point with everything to put it out there to the universe – getting it to the masses.
Blxst: Yeah, I agree.
When you both create, what comes first: the music, the lyrics, or the visuals?
Blxst: Usually, the production comes first, and then as far as our process for Sixtape 2, we just go straight in the booth with whatever Bino comes up with. I just go off his energy, just follow up, and then vice versa.
Bino: It’s easy when you are working with somebody like Blxst. He handles the production and comes with all these ideas. Blxst does it on the production side and the writer side. So, when Blxst comes with the beat, nine times out of 10, if you load one up and play it, I’m going to be like, “All right, load that bitch, let’s go.” And I can already feed the vibe to him. We got a lot of respect for each other creatively. So whoever goes in the booth first, we trust each other and know that we can pick up where the other leaves off.
What do you want listeners to take away from Sixtape 2?
Blxst: I hope everybody comes away having a good time. When you go to a Bino show, you see people dancing. You come to the video shoot; we got people dancing. It’s a different type of energy we’re bringing. Whether it’s in the music, the shows, or the videos, we want people to have a good time. Forget all that egotistical shit and enjoy yourself.
Bino: If you heard the first one, you know the vibe by how we rock. But If you’re new to us and listen to the new album, I want you to tap back into the first one so you can see how we come. That’s my hope for Sixtape 2 because I feel like the first one was so perfect. And now, with the new one, we just made it all that much more A1. So if you’re new, really go back and do your research and tap in on the first Sixtape because it’s essential.
Sixtape has six songs, and Sixtape 2 has 12 songs. If there’s a Sixtape 3, will that have 18 songs?
Bino: Let’s just get through part two first [laughs].
Bonus Question #1: What does it mean for you both to represent LA at this moment?
Blxst: Man, shit is crazy. It’s like a dream come true. Just to have a name here and build with somebody else makes your legacy even bigger. I always shout out Bino for giving me that avenue, even on the first Sixtape, because that was his idea. I just want to represent the city in the right way and keep that integrity and keep that respect level high.
Bino: I feel like I was blessed with the opportunity to represent LA. And linking up with Blxst is letting us take it to that next level. I feel like we’re at the forefront of everything, really pioneers of this new sound. And we’re doing that as new leaders out here. They say, “If you can make it in LA, you can make it anywhere.”
Bonus Question #2: If you could only listen to one LA artist for the rest of your life, who would it be and why?
Bino: That’s a hard question. I don’t really want to answer that, but the obvious answer for me would be Nip. Not only because of our history, but it kind of takes me back to when I was younger. Hearing him say some shit, I can still learn from him.
Blxst: I’m going to have to say Nip. too. He was the closest thing we got to see of real leadership in the city, as far as ownership and setting that example for the community. He is bigger than just his music; he’s the motivation for me to be a man in general. So that would be my choice.
