He devoured the mic like he hadn’t eaten a meal in days and the only thing that could satisfy his appetite was the crowd’s responses to his disses of some random white guy that decided to enter the open mic battle at Flamingo Cantina back in the mid to late 90’s. That was the first time some saw Bavu Blakes aka Voo step in the Austin Hip Hop Scene.

As the millennium approached, another first for some was at the end of a long smoky tunnel, some intimately remember as “the original” Mercury where Hip Hop Humpday was created. The “other” Mercury above Jazz was christened by the Hip Hop Humpday crew (by then nicknamed H3.) and brought a new spectrum of hip hop listeners to the intimate local scene as it grew and flourished. “We realized this was our micro market and went from there”, Bavu reminisces on his observations during the Hip Hop Humpday era. Long gone but nevertheless cherished, Hip Hop Humpday was just that, a micro market where local emcees (both male and female), singers, musicians, promoters, artists and bboys/bgirls made themselves known and marketable. That era marked the end and the beginning of many projects, friendships, collaborations and contributions to the Hip Hop culture in Austin, Texas.

Bavu Blakes was now ready to take his art out of the micro market he had grown accustomed to in Austin, Texas, his home away from home, and take it to the rest of the region. After experiencing the dynamics and pitfalls of working with the likes of Element, Tray God Shekhem, Florinda Bryant, D-Madness, Tee Double, Garyson, Piper, DJ Phyfteen, DJ Massive and many other musicians on the stage at Mercury, his stage presence needed to be noticed in other parts of Texas. There were other artists out there to jam with, build with and as Voo says, “think out of the box” with.

After releasing marginal material since 2000, “Create and Hustle” marked his new motivation towards accruing his 50,000 fans and bridging the gap in musical and lyrical collaborations with an array of Texas and nationwide talent. Working on collaborations with musicians/emcees like V-Zilla, D.O.S, Strange Fruit Project, Nick Nack, K-Otix, Hydroponic Sound System, HeadKrack, D-Madness, Paul Wall, DJ Baby G and Rapid Rick as well as old members of H3, he found himself yearning for more than just a solo album. “As a musician, I do what I want to be fluent.. Miles Davis did it, Stevie Wonder did it...” With the release of Choice Cuts Vol. 1, a collaboration with Hydroponic Sound System and an exclusive overseas release of “Distractions”, it’s obvious that Bavu has more than just a solo album to focus on. “My solo album is just my solo album… It can’t be ‘bout my album cuz there is too much more to do.” So maybe Bavu isn’t as selfish as some might think.

With songs such as “Play the Role” and “Too Selfish” at the forefront of his solo releases, “people have different perceptions of me based on a song, when they are only lyrics. I don’t change, only the beats change. The approach changes but my flow doesn’t change.” Not only has that mentality kept him hustlin’ as an emcee but it’s the basis by which Bavu stays “nowhere near the box” in his vision to “broaden the scope and horizon” of himself and others in the Word 4 Word (W4W) Music production, performance and publishing family so that it can give them “leverage to reach a national audience.”
Inaugurating the release of a chain of mixtapes on W4W, “Blazing Saddles” with DJ Baby G is the first of four mixtapes that will showcase how different approaches are a breeze for Bavu Blakes’ consistency as a wordsmith. Each mixtape has its own distinct vibe, from the chopped and screwed “Blazing Saddles” bonus CD where Bavu sings “U need me on the Mic” ala Nate Dogg over a Memphis Bleek beat, to the old soul vibe of Jeff Kuryak and Big Jay’s production on the upcoming “Gold School Mixtape” (3rd installment of mixtapes). Bavu emphasizes that the mixtapes will build up to the release of “Too Selfish” the album later this year, so “in the meantime there will be plenty of $10 stuff out there.” All part of the 50,000 fans plan.

All the while, Bavu has been touring the Texas region and then some, gaining a new fan base outside of Austin and letting people know that the hunger he had on that stage at Flamingo Cantina almost 10 years ago is the same hunger he has for the mic now, just a little more refined. “They [fans] wouldn’t know about all the development.” They may not know what it took to get to where he is now, but anyone who sees Bavu perform knows he ain’t slackin and that’s why… you need him on the mic!

Check out Bavu's website at www.bavublakes.com (Editor's note) Special thanks to Bavu for the opportunity for the interview, and such. This man has been one of Mofoz Visualz first supporters, and we truly appreciate it.)

VINYL DISCOGRAPHY
[aug/sept 2005]
10.deloach
labor of luv feat. bavu blakes, fetus
+ s1 remix, oneself remix
counterflow
9.hydroponic soundsystem
choice cuts vol 2
+ 50k, live from b-boy city
swedish brandy (hydro "mixtape mentality" album coming
soon
8.bavu blakes
nobody leavin
+ who knows, play the role liquid soul, play the role
statewide
nataural high
__
[summer 05]
7.hydroponic sound system
choice cuts vol 1
+ play the role (bzzz mix), distractions ft. myone/sfp
swedish brandy
__
[04]
6.strange fruit project
eternally yours
+ remember the face
black son
5.hydro
hydro soundclash
+ play the role (bzzz mix)
alternate take
4.hydro
delrium/disconnect 7"
alternate take
__
[02]
3.hydro
synthesis ep
+ play the role (orig)
bomb hip hop
__
[01]
2.nicknack
re:construction
+ real life
crowd control
__
[00]
1.soundscape
listeners
+ die in your sleep, truth ft. poetree
crowd control