Hip-hop artist BG the Boy Genius is on the come up, and with fame comes people pretending they’re closer to you than they really are. This phenomenon and the confidence that comes along with his new life that he has made for himself is the basis for his new single, “I Knew You When”, which “is a reflection of that growth and new understanding of self,” he describes.
His rhythmic flow is made of clever lyricism and rhymes over a glittery backing track, truly showcasing his talent. “And when they finally do me in / Everybody gonna say, ‘Ayo I knew him when’” he raps the chorus. “But you don’t even know me now ‘cause you only knew me then”.
While from New York’s capital, “Smallbany”, in 2021 BG decided it was time for a change, so he made the leap and moved to Tampa, FL. “I spent 28 years of my life in the same place, doing the same things, with the same people,” he says. “In the time since I have left, I have learned so much about myself, and have grown a lot along the way. For the first time in my life I feel like I have a true understanding of who I am, and where I am headed.”
No matter what, he makes sure to stay grounded: “I love my new life, but I will never forget where I came from, and the people who loved me and helped me grow,” he says. “I feel like Albany was in a sense a cocoon, that I needed to break free from in order to evolve and reach my true potential.”
Newly relocated rapper, BG the Boy Genius (now based in Tampa), takes time with his new single “I Knew You When” to both reflect on his journey to this new place and let his new community know that he’s not here to play.
Originally from Albany, New York, BG struggled with the mundanity of everyday life saying, “While where I am from is the “capital” of New York, it is very small compared to most other major cities which is why we call it “Smallbany”. I spent 28 years of my life in the same place, doing the same things, with the same people. Until 2021 when I decided to make the leap and move to Tampa, FL. In the time since I have left, I have learned so much about myself, and have grown a lot along the way. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have a true understanding of who I am, and where I am headed.”
With slick rhymes and rhythms that keep a cool flow, BG says that “I Knew You When” is a reflection of that growth and new understanding of self. I love my new life, but I will never forget where I came from, and the people who loved me and helped me grow.” It’s a tough lesson to learn, that perhaps your hometown is more of a stopping point than a place to grow roots. But, through his music, BG treads new ground that more confident than ever, full of potential and ready to take on the world.
“I can only hope that the listener is able to internalize my message and apply it to their own life and walk away inspired to work towards their own growth and hopefully provide them with enough courage to take their own leap of faith so that they can have everything their mind and heart desires…whatever that may be.”
“I Knew You When” is available now on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Find this and more exciting new music on our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown Playlist on Spotify.
Emma Page, a recent Journalism graduate of The George Washington University, possesses a passion for music journalism and storytelling in all its forms. Originally from Baltimore, MD, when she is not writing, she can be found at a local concert or making music of her own.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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