BAINS. Drops Style & Substance On “Drugs In The”
Follow your nose to this certified feel-good hit of the summer.
by Darrole Palmer
- Published on
Pritpaul Bains — aka BAINS. — is a multi-talented Indo-Canadian rapper and producer who is just starting to scratch the surface of his immaculate potential. He came out in a big way in 2018 on the breakout hit, “Bad Girl,” alongside fellow Vancouver rapper, bbno$. The singles that followed — “Da’Shade,” “Played,” and “SorryBae” — saw the smooth vocalist take on a more laid-back and relaxed delivery, far from his Twista influenced beginnings. After blasting “Da’Shade” and its catchy chorus countless times, we are ready to shine a light on his latest bop, “Drugs In The.”
The first of three new tracks leading up to a fresh new EP later this summer, “Drugs” is a summertime anthem about being lost in a haze of substances on an eventful night out. The video is the concept of Joey Lopez and AZE of Silver Spades brought it to life. A sci-fi adventure that will make you feel the effects, it depicts BAINS. at a party, slowly losing his footing and ending up in the stars.
Determined to learn more about Van City’s next breakout talent, we sat down with BAINS. to find out what he’s been up to this past year and where he’s headed.
Who are you?
I’m BAINS. Rapper, producer, songwriter, NBA fan, avid reader, and video game player.
Where did the period at the end of your name come from?
I put the dot at the end of BAINS. mostly to set myself apart from other Bains-related topics when you Google my last name. I settled on the dot at the end as a tribute to Kendrick Lamar, who used to call himself K Dot. He removed the dot when he switched to his real name, and I added one. Shoutout Sam Herman (Masherman) for giving me the idea.
What kind of music did you listen to growing up?
My dad loves rap music, so I’ve been listening to it for as long as I can remember. I vaguely remember a time when all I listened to was Punjabi music, but that was super young.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard Bains before?
I always say I make music you can live with. Headphone music, for lack of a better term.
Can you tell us about the first time you discovered rap music?
Honestly, I don’t remember. It’s been a part of my life since I was a toddler. But knowing my dad, it was probably him playing me an Ice Cube song.
What or who influenced you to start making music?
I used to rap fast Twista songs as a party trick in high school — corny af, I know. This dude named Justin Dhaliwal told me one time I should try to write my own raps, so I did. Once I started I got hooked; it was like therapy. Even though I was an audience of one, it felt like someone was really hearing me for the first time in my life. I started producing in 2013 because I couldn’t find anyone to make beats for me.
Who is your dream producer/artist to collab with?
I have so many. It’s really hard to just pick one. At the moment I would say Kenny Beats for producer, and Dominic Fike for artist. But I can’t just not say Kanye, Pharrell, Timbaland, Kid Cudi.. honestly I could go on for days.
What is one track that you’ve been listening to on repeat lately that everyone needs to hear?
“Malibu Sleep” by Col3trane
When you’re writing songs, do you have a process that you like to stick to?
Usually I like recording myself, cause that’s how I’ve been doing it for like 10 years. But other than that, I don’t really have a set process. I just sit down and try to have fun.
Where do you go when you’re looking to get inspired and find creativity?
I should go outside more often, that’s easily my worst habit. But usually I listen to music and pace around my basement, almost always works
What is something that you learned about yourself over the course of the pandemic?
I learned a lot. I had to be real careful through this whole thing because I have a very high-risk family, so I had a ton of time to reflect on what I want out of life. I also learned I might not be as much of an introvert as I thought (laughs).
What is your favourite place to order takeout from in Vancouver?
Big question! Off the top of my head, I’m gonna say Anton’s Pasta for pasta, Supreme Pizza for desi style pizza, and Published on Main Street because their food is insane and the menu is always changing. But I’m leaving out so many good places, I know I’m forgetting stuff.
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