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Meet Bgz
by DJ Erwin
Brandon Gash
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Brandon Gash, AKA Bgz, from Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a nineteen-year-old freshman here at Mars Hill College. In describing himself Bgz says "He is a laid back person, who doesn't mind helping others the best he can and is more or less an all around type of guy."
It is known that Bgz attends Mars Hill College because of the music program, the closeness to home, and the fact that he had been here for music competition and felt it was a good place to start a career.
He's got music in his blood. His mother "is a loving person who prides herself in the Lord and singing of praises." His dad on the other hand "can't sing as well, but is really funny, and, too, prides himself in the Lord." Of his brothers, the oldest, Ben, works at a TV station as a cameraman. He also loves to sing and has done a demo with a group. The second oldest, Bryan, also lives in Hendersonville and always gave Bgz the particular advice to follow his heart, words on how to feel the music, and "if you aren't touched emotionally or through a vibe don't touch it. Furthermore don't let anyone bring you down."
In tying this thing a little closer to hip-hop, Bgz says, "I like Tommy Hilfiger, big and baggy. If you wear a belt and people can still see your underwear, that's gansta."
So let's talk self-expression and in particular how MHC, DJ nights, and hip-hop have helped his self-expression. Bgz comments, "It has made me a more mature person. Patience has also improved." He said it was like "If the choir instructor wants the best, but gets aggravated, but is then patient, you work as hard as you can. Give hip hop a chance. There is a message, and the message might be different for one person than for you. You just have to find it."
Bgz comments that if he had the opportunity to change something about hip hop, it would be "some of the song lyrics, to reverse the negativism, having the understanding that this is self expression, and freedom of speech."
His favorite artist at this point in time is NAS, "because he is real he tells it like it is, and doesn't front. Thug Mansion, don't try to hate on people. If you try to get rid of them, you're taking someone's loved one. Violence is not the answer. Listen to the points. Decide why they are that way and be open to it as art."
If we were at an open mic session, and Bgz was given the opportunity to address MHC students and let them know what hip hop has to offer aside from self expression it would be, "just have fun, don't worry about what people think. You are there because you love it, not to obtain the approval of others. Just have fun.
"If hip-hop didn't exist, I couldn't see how people see things differently. I wouldn't see how this lifestyle is played out i.e. - drugs, alcohol, shootings, rampages. I wouldn't be able to function, because hip-hop gets me up and going. It wakes me up. It helps me go through the day, i.e. portable CD player, and it makes me feel good about life."
(Editor's note: In this article "Bgz" refers to Brandon Gash only, not to any recorded rapper who may have a copyright on that name.)
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