Album Review: Bktherula's 'Love Black' and Exclusive Interview

Bktherula will be a star, and there is no denying that anymore for the haters out there. Bk, also known to friends and family by Brooklyn Rodriguez, is one of the most prominent up-and-coming artists out of Atlanta right now. She is recently coming off her latest album Love Black and the ONE37pm music team even caught her at a show in Brooklyn, New York, where we got an exclusive interview with the budding artist. 

We previously wrote a profile on Bktherula for those unfamiliar with the buzzing artist. We talk about her viral success on TikTok, her progression as a musician, and what makes her stand out in the music industry. Be sure to check out the article below if you haven't already.

Album Review

Bk is coming off her latest album Love Black, a sixteen-track project that dives into respect, love, and Bk acknowledging her evident accomplishments. There are a lot of different elements that help mold this project as a whole, breathing piece of work. 

The album's opening track, "LETS GET IT," puts Bk's brand and confidence in herself on the pedestal. She does this by dropping lines such as "How do I plan to spend all of my racks?" and "No, you can't look like me, huh (No)." The album's third song, "SANTANNY," was previously released as a single in May 2021 and has attributed to her having a big year, gaining over six million streams as a single. The production on this piece is a brisk and energetic trap beat and what works so well with this song is Bk's raw vocals. Her aggressive delivery has sent shockwaves throughout the music scene, with flocks of new fans coming to hear this unique style that Bk is crafting. If you haven't listened to this track before, tune in below! 

On the fifth track, "PLACEMENT," which contains the only feature, Bk is joined by Matt Ox, a 16-year-old star out of Philadelphia. The song opens up with some real lyrics from Bk, preaching that she doesn't care what others think of her. She raps, "F**k yo' critic s**t. Tellin' me what's for me, I ain't ask it." This theme will be prevalent throughout the remainder of the song and on additional tunes on the album.

Furthermore, she even tells listeners to stay away from the social norms in this song, preaching that she realizes her power and grip of her career and life because she is unique and herself. This is the coming of age song for Bk, and it makes perfect sense why she would include a young artist such as Matt Ox on it. Be sure to tune in below! 

In "ADVANCED," Bk talks about her level up as a musician and person. In the opening line, she raps, "B***h, I know my mom proud of me, I know these n***** doubted me." In a past interview with Our Generation Music, Bk noted that she was sick of doubters overlooking her as an artist, which was the fuel that created Love Black. Bk even raps that just because she's making deals now doesn't mean she'll fold herself or her career to be controlled by others. She solidifies this with the lyrics, "Just 'cause I signed a piece of f****** paper, they not running me." This type of attitude is necessary to make it as a musician because with inauthenticity comes a lack of trust from fans, so hearing these lines is reassuring for the listener as Bktherula continues to jet past her haters in a surefire lane to success. 

The next song, "HIDE YOUR HOE," features bass and synth-heavy beat. This track continues to demonstrate Bk's confidence within the title vouched by the lyrics. This is Bk's conviction anthem with herself and is a must-listen. Then Bk eases into "WATCH ME," a slow and soulful beat produced by MexikoDro and Percy3k. Bk then sings on the song backed by accompanied filtered vocal chops and keys. Going from "HIDE YOUR HOE" to "WATCH ME" really shows Bk's versatility as an artist. 

The track "NAH," the second last song on the project, features Surf Gang's EvilGiane and Harrison production. The beat's striking 808 and ear-catching melody. While the song has a short run time, Bk wastes no time getting to the subject matter at hand, that she doesn't care what you think. In it, she raps, "Nothing you say to me matter. Nothing you say, I don't get." Be sure to tune in below! 

The album's final song, "IDK WHAT TO TELL YOU," is a perfect closer for this project. Bk samples an airy sample from Mac DeMarco's 2017 song "On The Level." Bk takes the sample, slows it, and makes it her own. In the ballad, Bk shows how diverse and talented she really is. You can expect a slower love tale that can strike a chord in any listener. She also released the music video for this, be sure to watch it below!

Show Recap

On Tuesday, October 26th, the ONE37pm team went to Baby's All Right to cover Bk's show in Brooklyn, New York. Additionally, we interviewed Bk, which we will talk about below. Special shoutout to Move Forward Music for having us out at the show. Be sure to follow them on Instagram to stay up to date with emerging artists and local shows!

If you are unfamiliar with Baby's All Right, it is a very intimate venue that can fit around three hundred people. Hu Dat, Bk's DJ at the event, lit up the atmosphere, who got the crowd hyped up with anthems such as "Earned It" by Chief Keef. Hu Dat continued to play bangers for around an hour or so before Bk's set began. 

Before Bk came on, there was a lot of anticipation from the audience. People were crammed as close to the stage as possible. Finally, when Bk came out, the crowd went wild. The set opened with a robotic voice informing the masses of fans what they're about to endure, with it ending by saying, "welcome to the experience, Love Black." Following the message, the album's opening song began to play, and the crowd went wild. From there, Bk started to perform her album in order of the tracklist. 

Overall, the concert was spectacular. Not only did Bk bring energy, but she brought mosh pits as well. It's safe to say that her fans are loyal and love to range when it comes to Bk's performances and should be noted for those looking for a good event with good music. 

Interview

We also spoke with Bk about her collaborations on the album, favorite tracks, and a sample from a Mac DeMarco song. Tune in below!

Tyler: How did you come together with Matt Ox on "PLACEMENT?"

Bktherula: It was actually random as fuck, me and Matt fuck with each other. I was just like "get on this song." So I sent it to him and he fucked with it, he got on it, BOOM.

Tyler: On "IDK WHAT TO TELL YOU," talk to us about the Mac DeMarco sample. How did that come together? Do you like Mac DeMarco?

Bktherula: I fuck with Mac DeMarco, hard. The song is sampling his song called "On The Level," I basically slowed it down and added some twists at the end. He was fucking with it and cleared it, everything was cool, and we put it out there for everyone to love and enjoy. It's pretty cool and amazing to even be working with Mac DeMarco. 

Tyler: The music video came out today…

Bktherula: Yes, that shit was really cool. It took 4 days to shoot. It was the most hectic hell shit, but it was also amazing, my first time acting. I fuck with the whole team making it, it was very comfortable. They were more like friends making it rather than a business, so it was fun and very cool. 

Tyler: On "NAH," what was it like working with EvilGiane and Harrison from Surf Gang?

Bktherula: Oh my god, I love Surf Gang! Shout out to Surf Gang! Literally all of Surf Gang, I love them. They're really down-to-earth, really cool, really chill, and really about their team and their family. Even creating with them was like working with friends. I developed a relationship with a lot of the people in Surf Gang. The shit that we make is dope. 

Tyler: What is your favorite track on the album, if you have one? 

Bktherula: It is probably "SHE CHOOSE ME" or "ARE WE DONE." "ARE WE DONE" is top 5, and "SHE CHOOSE ME" is right under it. 

If you're unfamiliar with Bk, you need to tune in. This album is a culmination of anthems that do nothing but prove that Bk is a force to be reckoned with. Be sure to stay up to date with her moves on social media and Spotify!