Daily Discovery is a feature that highlights a new or recently discovered artist who we’re excited about. See the rest of our Daily Discoveries here.
It's become increasingly apparent over the past few years that location now has very little impact on getting your music heard. Artists from all over the world are gaining listeners thanks to curious ears, internet cosigns, and related tracks playlists. Korea, Sweden, Japan, and even Iceland have all experienced a hip-hop boom recently, with artists putting their own spin on what's becoming a universal language—rap.
Enter Busu, who—alongside his group Europagang—is putting a distinctively Swedish spin on hip-hop. His songs are often colorful, crisp, and uniquely European. Unlike fellow Swede Yung Lean—who was initially influenced by sad, hazy, Southern rap—Busu's output sounds rich and uplifting. With his latest track, "116 RIP," Busu has found the perfect spot with his music, balancing his distinct approach with accessibility in a way that promises an exciting forthcoming debut album.
Produced by Haydn, "116 RIP" is an infectious showcase of Busu's talents. As boundaries crumble and technology advances, Busu is striking at the perfect time.
![Can you introduce yourself?
Hi I'm Busu from neostockholm. I just dropped "116 RIP" video. [The] video is directed by my friend Natan Gullström and the track is made by me and Haydn.
When did you first start making music and what is it that got you into it in the first place?
I've been making music for like over ten years now. I've probably been doing it cause you can do it by yourself with your friends and some gear. I'm not good with authority and always wanted to do stuff mine and the gang's way, you know.
There's a rich history of outsider pop stemming from Sweden. Is there anything from this lineage that really inspired you to create your unique take on pop music?
I'm not really a pop artist, and I don't really care what anybody else does. I only listen to my gang's tracks these days to be honest. Haydn and Yemi got this song ready to drop any day now, it's going to be crazy. I'm also pretty done with inspiration, I got songs to write and people to feed, I don't have the time to wait for inspiration.
I make hip-hop, I have always been making hip-hop and I will always be making hip-hop. I just make hip-hop from my perspective, some people don't see that at first, but give em' a sec and they'll recognize. I'm one of the first truly European rappers. There’s no conflict, no better or worse we are just evolving on another path, we are equals. We are like the Russian brown bear and the grizzly. Different names, different behavior, and different continents but the same species.](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UZaQW2x23JM/mqdefault.jpg)
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Can you introduce yourself?
Hi I'm Busu from neostockholm. I just dropped "116 RIP" video. [The] video is directed by my friend Natan Gullström and the track is made by me and Haydn.
When did you first start making music and what is it that got you into it in the first place?
I've been making music for like over ten years now. I've probably been doing it cause you can do it by yourself with your friends and some gear. I'm not good with authority and always wanted to do stuff mine and the gang's way, you know.
There's a rich history of outsider pop stemming from Sweden. Is there anything from this lineage that really inspired you to create your unique take on pop music?
I'm not really a pop artist, and I don't really care what anybody else does. I only listen to my gang's tracks these days to be honest. Haydn and Yemi got this song ready to drop any day now, it's going to be crazy. I'm also pretty done with inspiration, I got songs to write and people to feed, I don't have the time to wait for inspiration.
I make hip-hop, I have always been making hip-hop and I will always be making hip-hop. I just make hip-hop from my perspective, some people don't see that at first, but give em' a sec and they'll recognize. I'm one of the first truly European rappers. There’s no conflict, no better or worse we are just evolving on another path, we are equals. We are like the Russian brown bear and the grizzly. Different names, different behavior, and different continents but the same species.
There's been a lot of newfound attention on hip-from outside the U.S. of late, why do you think that is?
I think the reason that the international scene for hip-hop is growing is a combination from how the previous generation made hip-hop a worldwide thing, us being connected through the web so the industry can't spoon feed us entertainment anymore (or at least not as much), and that hip-hop is so easy to make compared to other genres.
I'm not saying it's simple, just that you don't even need an instrument, just a PC and some software you stole. And just the same as I could relate to American rap when I was a kid, they can relate to my tracks now. But the main reason is that we new artists drop crazy shit you know. Hip-hop is all about that new new.
Could you perhaps tell me a little more about Europagang?
Europagang is Teo Sweden, Yemi, and me. Europagang been in the making since forever. It was always going to be us making music, you know. I love them more than I could love a sibling, we are kin. We grown so much and now we got a whole team with us, of course we got Hadyn but we also got Alexius, Natan Gullström, Jonas Spark, Isabelle Minou, Gud, Fili, Marius Mane and so much more. I guess I been blessed by somebody, ain't many kids this lucky in neo-Stockholm.
"116 RIP" is quite the departure from your other stuff going through your SoundCloud, what prompted this shift?
You think? I think the feeling is much the same but I've been listening to my own unreleased things lately so that might give it more context. Swear when you hear the rest is all going to be clear. I always wanna show everybody a lil' sum of what's drop next but you're gonna have to wait on it.
Do you have anything bigger you might be working on for the future?
I been working on my debut album with Teo Swe, Haydn and Yemi. I also might drop another project but we will see bout that. Don't worry I can promise you I'm going to keep releasing better and better music. Got your wedding track in the making. Shoutout J <3. I'm sorry and couldn't have done any of this with out you.
