The infectious Atlanta trap sound has taken over as one of the most prominent genres in popular music today. As countless subgenres emerge, producers are blending together unlikely samples with booming 808 production. Omar is an artist from West Windsor, New Jersey that moved down to Atlanta for a few years and fell in love with the artistic community and notorious instrumentation. On March 27th, he let loose his first collection of beats that harken to his time spent in Atlanta, as well as his exploration into Bollywood sounds. Omar’s Bollywood Bass Vol 1: Bombay To Atlanta is the perfect clash of cultures that will get you moving.
We were able to tap in with Omar to learn more about the musical journey that led him from New Jersey down to Atlanta, and now over to LA in recent years. Drawing inspiration not only from around the world but also through ritualistic collaboration, Omar is always growing with his production. His release of Bollywood Bass Vol 1 is just the beginning of his exploration into this unique marriage of sounds and building his ultimate beatmaker collective.
New Jersey → Atlanta → LA
Omar grew up listening to big East Coast stations like Hot97, running up artists like 50 Cent, Wayne, and Biggie. Then, when he was 9-years-old, he heard Usher’s “Yeah!” This made him realize how hard 808s could slap and then it was over. Ludacris, Dem Franchize Boyz, and Jeezy became his go-to’s. Omar said that he “would test Young Jeezy songs on all the subwoofers. I’ve had a subwoofer since I was like 10.” He began producing a little bit before high school using the free version of FL Studio, making remixes of popular songs.
By the time he got to college, Omar made the switch to Ableton so he could more easily collaborate with friends. Around a year after college, he had a job opportunity in Atlanta that brought him down and he found himself instantly embedded in the scene. He quickly met other producers and a dope LoFi group called Controllerise that gave him the opportunity to perform. By this time he was gaining some traction on Soundcloud. Artists like Troyboi and Sango were on repeat for him during this time as he was exploring countless sample packs on Splice.
Omar said, “Atlanta was such a welcoming and engaged community that was so special and something I’d never experienced before.” “My next-door neighbor was Future and Young Thug’s producer, J Bravo, and he gave me so much free game. Going to parties and shows was just like the most fun I ever had. So fun, so free-spirited.” By the end of 2019, Omar had a new opportunity to work with a few upcoming artists under Corey Rooney, which brought him to LA.
The “Bombay To Atlanta” Sound
After about a year in LA, Omar gets a DM on Instagram from producer MTOORAY (M2Ray_) saying she wants to chop it up. “She introduced me to a lot of Bollywood music that I didn’t really have growing up,” Omar said. “She really put me on to a lot of the sounds and music that I remixed on the album.” You can also find MTOORAY’s co-production credits on “Qurbani” and “Nainowale” on the album. Speaking on growing up as an American of Indian and Pakistani descent, Omar said his Bollywood Bass album has “reconnected me with my roots. I didn’t think it was cool when I was a kid.”
During the quarantine, Omar found himself reminiscing over his time in Atlanta while falling in love with different Bollywood sounds. After not long, he had around fifteen songs that were near completion that brought both of these cultures together sonically. “I decided I wanted to compile them together and switch it up and just be a little more creative,” he said. “Swaroop Suri, part of my creative team, thought of the name Bollywood Bass. To me, it sounded like a great name for a series/ genre for other producers to be inspired by.” He also mentioned Nik Lathia, founder of House of Lathia, who created all the artwork / illustrations for the album.
“It all came together in a divine way. It’s a lot of peoples’ project and that’s what I like about it.” He predicts a never-ending continuation of the Bollywood Bass series. “I want other producers to contribute to it. I love the idea of empowering other creatives and artists,” he said. “Bollywood Bass Vol 10 could be all originals from the collective. This first one really just sets the stage for what I’m trying to do.”
Future Collaborations
Currently, Omar is busy learning and honing his craft, while still sitting on an album or two. “When I was in Atlanta I went to Morocco and Spain and that inspired an album. I’ve been sitting on that for like two years,” he said. “I just want to learn and also work with artists out in India; like rappers.” He told us he plans to perform in India in the years to come. “I’m going to get into producing ethnic beats for artists that I love and see if we can work together.”
Twitch Performances
Before the pandemic, Omar was running a weekly mix series called “The Caravan.” This gave him the opportunity to spin some of his current favorites and leak a few originals. Omar said he plans to get back on his grind with shows presented in a new format on Twitch. We can expect to find him live and dropping pure heat once again sometime in May. He said the timeframe is “probably during or after Ramadan.” For now, turn your subwoofers up and run through Bollywood Bass Vol 1: Bombay To Atlanta ASAP. The soaring decadence of the Bollywood vocal and orchestral samples over grimy 808 trap production will make it hard to sit still.
Follow Omar
Instagram | Soundcloud | Twitter
RAPPER WEED: WHICH RAPPERS HAVE CANNABIS PRODUCTS IN THE MARKET?
10 UNDERRATED FEMALE RAPPERS YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO RIGHT NOW
9 RAPPERS FROM DETROIT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS YEAR
