How Does Bizarrap Choose Which Artists to Collaborate With?
His 'BZRP Sessions' have become one of the most coveted formats in the industry
Bizarrap was once again revolutionizing the scene this week by revealing the protagonist of his next BZRP Music Session; none other than Young Miko, the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist who has become another global reference in urban music.
The buzz caused by the announcement and Miko’s selection as the latest release – considering that the Argentinean had several recorded sessions with other artists in store – has led us to wonder, how does Bizarrap choose which artist to record with? And when does he choose to finally release the song? Let’s go through some key points to better understand one of the most innovative masterminds in the urban genre.
Artist’s Choice
Bizarrap started producing in the same room we see in his sessions 10 years ago. Nothing more and nothing less than the room at his parents’ house, which he now replicates for recording. Here, he uploaded his first sessions, starting with freestyle sessions, collaborating mainly with emerging Argentine artists (Bhavi, Sony, Lit Killah, ACRU…). Many of them were part of the world of rap battles, an environment where Biza began by remixing rap battles and songs.
In 2019, the artist signed with the record label Dale Play, led by Federico Lauria, also the manager of other artists such as Duki or Nicki Nicole. It was precisely with the Argentine trap artist that he achieved his first success, taking the session to the top of the charts in several territories. «It was our first success, she was the first woman to record, and it was number 1 in many countries. That’s when he saw what it could become,» Lauria revealed in an interview with Billboard.
As the project grew, we can see in his BZRP Sessions how the features become more international, including Spanish (Don Patricio, Bejo, Ptazeta, Morad…), Mexican, and Puerto Rican artists, even including true stars of the scene in just two years, such as Nicky Jam, Eladio Carrión, or Anuel AA, among others.
Although Bizarrap has never revealed the true reason for choosing to record with some artists and not others, he has given several clues about the factors he considers. The main one has to do with a symbolic reason: providing visibility to some of the performers. «I feel that my current position is to give visibility to artists,» the producer revealed in an interview. That would be the reason why the Argentine is accustomed to innovating, popularizing new voices and styles, and shaping his own brand.
A Matter of Connection and Timing
«I only make the music I feel at the moment, and generally, I am guided by the music I am making at that stage of my career,» the Argentine said on El Hormiguero last July. On several occasions, Bizarrap has expressed that his creative decisions have a lot to do with timing, the moment he develops the song with the artist. Something we have clearly perceived in some of the beefs he has produced, such as in session 49 with Residente or in #53 with Shakira, the post-breakup hit of the year. Also in the midst of the success of corridos tumbados with Peso Pluma for #55 or with Rauw Alejandro in #56 before releasing his latest album, Playa Saturno.
The session itself seems to have a lot to do with the point at which the performer finds himself in each case and the creative connection between them. «I like to work at the same time as the artist who comes to the studio. I don’t prepare the beat beforehand. I prefer to talk, see what situation he is in. I ask him to show me the music he’s making at that moment. And then I give my point of view and say, ‘With me, I think you should make this type of song.’ I like to connect before starting to work,» he revealed in his interview with TIME.
@universobiza Bizarrap habla de cómo trabaja las Music Sessions en una entrevista con Forbes #bizarrap #universobiza #bzrp #fyp #parati ♬ Quevedo: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52 – Bizarrap & Quevedo
This also explains the parallelism between Milo J’s sessions (#57) – which practically turned into a complete EP – and Young Miko (#58). Milo is a young promise of the urban genre in Argentina who, at just 16 years old, has accumulated more than 19 million monthly listeners on Spotify, while Young Miko became a reggaeton superstar at the age of 25 this past year. Both artists are at a similar point in their careers, a stage of growth, of peak; an emergent period where Bizarrap seems comfortable entering the game to finish it with a successful session.
It’s clear that only the Argentine and his team know their methods and reasoning when it comes to work, but by closely following their successes, we can understand more and more how they are built, and we love it!