Bas was born in Paris, France, in 1987, to Sudanese parents. At the age of 8, his family moved to New York City. He attended St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York.
In 2011, Bas released his debut mixtape titled Quarter Water Raised Vol. 1. In 2013, his second mixtape was released entitled, Quarter Water Raised Vol. 2.
In 2013, Bas was featured on J. Cole's "New York Times" along with 50 Cent from Cole's album Born Sinner, and then on DJ Khaled's "Hells Kitchen" from Suffering from Success. He then appeared on the Dreamville compilation mixtape Revenge of the Dreamers. That mixtape was released in celebration of Dreamville's partnership with Interscope Records, resulting in Bas being signed to Interscope. Two weeks prior to the release of his debut album Last Winter, Bas released a free EP titled Two Weeks Notice.
Last Winter was released on April 29, 2014, by Dreamville Records/Interscope Records. The album was a conceptual project that touches on the cold days in New York City recording the album. The album was supported by the single "My Nigga Just Made Bail" produced by GP808 and featured guest appearances by J. Cole. Last Winter would debut at 103 on the Billboard 200 with 3,601 copies sold in its first week.
Following its release, Bas went on a 10-city nationwide tour titled after the album. Bas followed his own "Last Winter" tour by going on a 24-city nationwide and international tour with TDE rapper Ab-Soul. In 2015, Bas supported J. Cole on the '2014 Forest Hills Drive' Tour alongside Omen, Cozz, Jeremih, YG, and Big Sean.
Bas released his second album, Too High to Riot on March 4, 2016. The album also includes guest appearances from his labelmates J. Cole and Cozz, as well as the Hics. The album would debut at 49 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 10,965 copies in its first week. He also later released a music video for each song on the album. Bas went on tour after the album in June 2016 with Cozz and EarthGang. It included 26 cities in North America and 10 cities in Europe. On January 29, 2017, the documentary highlighting the tour was released on Tidal.
On April 10, 2018, Bas released the one-off single "Pinball II", featuring Correy C. The first single for his third album "Boca Raton" was released on June 19, and featured ASAP Ferg. On August 22, he released the second single "Tribe" featuring J. Cole. Bas released his third album, Milky Way on August 24, 2018. The album debuted at number 35 on the Billboard 200, selling 13,150 album-equivalent units in the first week. Bas announced a 43-city tour to support the album, which began in November 2018 and concluded in February 2019. In late 2018, Bas announced he was working on an album with frequent collaborators, The Hics, the album is due out in late 2021 to early 2022.
Methylone
Bas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good things don't happen to good people
People never change
Pupils dilate my frame
Make my vision so exquisite
While my cousin dead and gone
I can't wait to go and visit
I just need a couple minutes
Exercise my better nature
I've been holding up these bridges
Nigga's always take advantage
Olive branches start to splinter
Giving way, withering, turnin' colder than the winter
And my city, bit the center
Feels no pity, this for me, this for me
I'm just reaping what I sow
And I've been sewing for my nigga's in the snow
And let them know I be sewing
Never slow to know your pain
I'll be back before you know it
Left the town a drug dealer
Came back a fucking poet
Let me grow
I need to leave this shit alone
I've been doing the wrong drugs all along
Niggas'll sell you any dream where I'm from
That ain't molly my nigga that was methylone
Last week I bought a testing kit, I wish they made 'em for people
The way these nigga's be actin' they should be castin' a sequel
Niggas phony they only give you dap just to reach you
I know ain't the first homie to have to tackle these issues
Hov told me the evils
Got the best of him then, they get the best of me now
Without a Reasonable Doubt
When niggas acting irrational, hard to reason it out
I had to kick down the doors, I had to leave a few out
Door mat
I need to leave this shit alone
I've been doing the wrong drugs all along
Niggas'll sell you any dream where I'm from
That ain't molly my nigga that was methylone
It's okay
My bitches know I'm a fiend
But that's okay
They just love me for me
They just love me for me
(Methylone)
I need to leave this shit alone
I've been doing the wrong drugs all along
Niggas'll sell you any dream where I'm from
That ain't molly my nigga that was methylone
I need to leave this shit alone
I've been doing the wrong drugs all along
Niggas'll sell you any dream where I'm from
That ain't molly my nigga that was methylone
The song "Methylone" by Bas is a self-reflective track that centers on the artist's struggles with drug abuse. In the opening lines of the song, Bas admits that he has been "doing the wrong drugs all along." He then goes on to express frustration with his environment, suggesting that people in his community never change, and that good things don't happen to good people. He references the death of his cousin, and his desire to visit him, but also acknowledges the effects of his drug use on his ability to exercise his "better nature."
The chorus of the song is a repeated call to quit using drugs, specifically noting that the MDMA-like drug "methylone" that he has been taking is not what he thought it was. Bas goes on to describe the toxic nature of his environment and the people around him, comparing them to withering olive branches that start to splinter. He speaks about feeling cold in his city and needing to exercise caution in his relationships, but also of his commitment to his friends and those who have a similar story. The song ends with Bas revealing that he needs to "leave this shit alone" and that his "bitches know [he's] a fiend," but that his true friends love him for who he is, regardless of his struggles.
Overall, "Methylone" is a powerful and introspective track that deals with themes of drug addiction, mental health, and navigating a difficult environment.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been doing the wrong drugs all along
I've been choosing the wrong path in life
Good things don't happen to good people
Life is unfair and sometimes bad things happen to good people
People never change
People have a tendency to stay the same, even if they want to change
Pupils dilate my frame
My pupils widen when I take drugs, altering my perspective and perception of the world
Make my vision so exquisite
The drugs make my vision appear beautiful and attractive
While my cousin dead and gone
I am simultaneously enjoying the effects of the drugs while grieving the loss of a family member
I can't wait to go and visit
I look forward to reuniting with my late cousin, whom I miss dearly
Father time, don't deny me
I hope that father time, or the inexorable passage of time, will spare me from the consequences of my poor choices
I just need a couple minutes
I hope for a brief respite from the harshness of reality
Exercise my better nature
I want to tap into my better instincts and make better choices
I've been holding up these bridges
I have been trying to maintain shaky relationships and connections
Nigga's always take advantage
People often exploit me for their personal gain
Olive branches start to splinter
My attempts to reconcile with others are starting to fall apart
Giving way, withering, turnin' colder than the winter
My efforts to fix relationships are failing and the situation is getting worse
And my city, bit the center
My city is the epicenter of a lot of dysfunction and negativity
Feels no pity, this for me, this for me
The city is a harsh and unforgiving place where people only look out for themselves
I'm just reaping what I sow
I am experiencing the negative consequences of my actions
And I've been sewing for my nigga's in the snow
I have been helping my friends in difficult situations
And let them know I be sewing
I let my friends know that they can count on me to be there for them
Never slow to know your pain
I am always there to empathize with my friends when they are going through a tough time
I'll be back before you know it
I will return to my friends soon
Left the town a drug dealer
I used to be a drug dealer before I left my hometown
Came back a fucking poet
I came back a changed person who now expresses himself through poetry
Let me grow
I want the opportunity to grow and change for the better
Niggas phony they only give you dap just to reach you
People are fake and only pretend to be friendly with you to get something from you
I know ain't the first homie to have to tackle these issues
I am not the first person to deal with these kinds of problems
Hov told me the evils
Jay-Z warned me about the dangers of the lifestyle I was living
Got the best of him then, they get the best of me now
The same problems that Jay-Z faced are now affecting me
Without a Reasonable Doubt
Referencing Jay-Z's classic album, suggesting that even the most successful can still face these struggles
When niggas acting irrational, hard to reason it out
It is difficult to reason with people who are not thinking clearly
I had to kick down the doors, I had to leave a few out
I had to make some tough decisions and leave some people out of my life
Door mat
I will no longer allow people to take advantage of me
My bitches know I'm a fiend
The people close to me know that I struggle with addiction
But that's okay
I am learning to accept my flaws and faults
They just love me for me
The people who love me support me despite my struggles
(Methylone)
A reminder that the drugs I have been taking are dangerous and not what they appear to be
I need to leave this shit alone
I need to break free from my destructive habits
Niggas'll sell you any dream where I'm from
People in my community will mislead you with false promises and unrealistic expectations
That ain't molly my nigga that was methylone
The drugs I have been taking are not what they are advertised to be
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ABBAS HAMAD, KALEB ROLLINS, RON GILMORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arilennox
Omg bas is a fucking star
@WoosaaBaby
😍
@joseleon3743
Ari when you drop, Imma be like "aww shit, Ari back at it with them vocals"
@heirsofthekingdom9810
+Ari Lennox dude is paving his own way.... the team is doing it. Can't wait until your project, and tell Ced to chill lol
@kwabenadinizulu1069
+Ari Lennox You killed it on Backseat
@biglil1467
where is our backseat music video
@JesusChrist-jv5ts
His music is the best night time chill music
@gersonfranco7088
If Jesus Christ says it, I believe it😂
@BrianJangima
+Jesus Christ In your name, amen!
@lovescars
+Jesus Christ amen