When it comes to a musical drop, there is nothing quite like a comeback track. And, proving that this is definitely the case is San Diego-based rapper Biggie Babylon with his new track “All In”. Following on from three album drops and a pause in his music career, the track is laced with defiance and inspiration as we hear the rapper speak on his rise from humble beginnings and his all in approach going forward in the music industry. Constantly switching between his melodic vocals and rapid rap flow, a trickling guitar solo plays under deep synths sounds that reverberate throughout the track, allowing it to stand as a glimmering example of its pop and hip-hop genres.

“It was a different style of music than most of my previous music but it felt right and it made sense for me. I took the track home and played it for my wife who said she didn’t like it. But when I heard her singing the hook later that night from a different room, I knew I had something! Turns out that it has become one of her favourite songs of mine,” explains Biggie when speaking on how his new track came to fruition.

And, what is a rap anthem without an accompanying music video filled with scenes of the casino, red lights and rappers making it rain? Directed by Damien Sandoval, the video is a poetic display of the rapper’s musical journey as we see encroaching vices push Biggie to the brink of giving up just before he places a risky yet successful bet with the physical embodiment of his blood, sweat, and tears. And, with this infectious track coming from the rapper’s highly-anticipated upcoming album Coronado California, we can expect more Travis Scott-esque displays from the artist as he continues on his journey to rap domination.

Listen to “All In” below…

Hey Biggie! We are almost halfway through 2021, how has this year been for you so far?
2021 has been one of the best years of my life so far! Business is booming, my music is being acclaimed worldwide, I just had my second daughter born, and I recently dropped seventy-five pounds so I am as healthy as I have been in a long time. Plus, I live in San Diego which is one of the best cities in the world. I am truly blessed.

With everything that happened last year, do you think it affected your creativity?
The pandemic definitely affected my creativity over the last year. The whole world shut down immediately and life completely changed. Everything that I was used to rapping about in the past was no longer relevant. How can I keep making club bangers when all around people were dying, nobody was outside, and there was no foreseeable end in sight? I didn’t want to fake it so I just stopped, took a break, and focused on my family and my businesses.

You considered giving up music last year and even stopped listening, why is this and what pulled you back into the scene?
My momentum in my career was going crazy and everything just came to a halt. For a while there I didn’t even want to listen to music anymore let alone create it. It was very depressing for a while because nobody in the world knew how long it would last or how deadly the virus really was. But towards the middle of the pandemic, there were signs showing that the virus was bad but not as bad as they first made it out to be. It kind of gave me a second wind and I knew that I had to be prepared with new content and be ready to go all in once the world opens up again.

And you’re back with “All In” talk us through your production process and your mindset going into the single?
For the first time in months since the pandemic, I met up with Thom Genius, who not only produced “All In,” but is a good friend. We were in his garage, which he calls “The Dungeon” smoking on some really good Babylon’s Garden weed and just catching up. I mentioned to him that I was thinking about not making music anymore. He was really upset and reminded me about all the things I have accomplished and how close I was to really breaking through. We debated for a little but ultimately we decided to record another song. He played me a couple of fire beats that he had made during the lockdown and I instantly fell in love with one. That same night we started writing and soon we recorded “All In” right there in his garage in San Diego. It was a different style of music than most of my previous music but it felt right and it made sense for me. I took the track home and played it for my wife who said she didn’t like it. But when I heard her singing the hook later that night from a different room, I knew I had something! Turns out that it has become one of her favourite songs of mine!

The video is super cool as well, what was filming it like and working with Damien Sandoval?
Damien Sandoval has been at the top of my dream list of directors for quite some time so I asked my manager to reach out to him and send him the track. That same night I got a call from him and he said he loved the track and wanted to direct the video for it. He came up with some treatments and we chose one, set a shoot date, and made it happen! Damien and his crew are very professional and outstanding at what they do. We had about forty people on the set between the crew and actors and it felt like we were making a movie! I can’t say enough about how pleased I am with how the video came out and I look forward to working with Damien again and again! We are actually planning another video right now so stay tuned!

It’s definitely a mix of pop and hip hop, why did you choose to go for this sound?
We didn’t really choose to make “All In” a pop-sounding record when we started working on the single. We just were vibing out and the lyrics and melodies just came naturally. I never like to choose a genre before the song is done because that takes away from the creativity. We just make the music, put it out, and let the people tell us what it sounds like to them.

What message did you want to convey with the video?
The message I wanted to get across in the “All In” video is that in your journey you will lose. There will be all kinds of obstacles along the way but if you persevere through them and truly go all in with everything you have, then you will eventually win! It takes more than money to win. You have to bet on yourself with your blood, sweat, and tears.

You’ve had three albums out so far and you’re about to drop your fourth, how would you describe your growth over the years?
I started out rapping in 2013 and made an album called C.E.O.G. about my life and businesses. I was a young and successful Chalden entrepreneur living in San Diego and enjoying the party scene, making money, and having fun with crazy girls. My next album was a collaboration with Josh Franks and we made #HipHopNdance which featured both a hip hop sound mixed with an EDM sound because at the time we were just having fun in the club scene and making music for the clubs around the world. Later I got back into the cannabis business and I made a trap sounding album called The Greenprint. My newest project is going to be called Coronado California and it’s about my life today and how I want it to be in the future. I’m not in the clubs partying like I used to. I am more of a family man and businessman who likes to travel to exotic destinations, enjoy the finer things in life, still have fun, and at the same time motivate people to follow their dreams. I don’t really have a word to explain what genre of music that is but I know it’s dope and people are loving it!

And what can we expect from the upcoming album? What are you most excited for?
After I release Coronado California I expect to ride the wave I created in the West Coast and the Pacific Ocean all the way to the East Coast where it’s gonna collide with the Atlantic Ocean inevitably creating a tsunami that I can surf across the continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia and into the Indian and Arctic Ocean’s before crossing a few more continents and coming back to the Pacific again. The people I meet and the experiences I share with my loved ones along the way is what I am most excited for!