Besatree

LA rapper, snapback salesman, and scraggly beard aficionado, Besatree is world premiering his new video with us. And it's weird.

I first heard Besatree aka Jon May at some Inland Empire show where he was going all party boy on the mic with fellow rapper K-Serious as the creatively-named duo Besatree and K-Serious. Two skater-type white dudes absolutely slaying the verbal gymnastics routine like prepubescent, ribbon-twirling Chinese girls. I was impressed. It was the kind of music that plays super well at a bar or party, but it was never something I wanted to straight up bump. You guys should know by now my brooding ass prefers the dark side of life. I like my musics sad and angry and heartbroken and sad.

Besatree and K-Serious have both broadened their horizons and matured musically. I reviewed K-Serious' new more grown-up sound as he got all rap's Tom Waits with his release: Bury Me In Public.

Besatree partnered up with fellow CloudMaker (a rap collective including but not limited to Thesis, Rokem, Noearth, Adversity, and Joe Mas) Kid Presentable to create THEHAZE. THEHAZE released a darker record that among other things just seemed all growed up. And I loved them for that. It's one of my favorite things about being around music so much: you get to see artist develop and push themselves and experiment with what they are capable of offering listeners. And Besatree is a great example.

For example, now, the page turns. Besatree is moving literally (as in changing addresses) and figuratively (musically) and he wants us to come along. We jock each other so hard that we decided to run a mini-interview to get to the bottom of what's up with this new video:

Our interview with Besatree starts now:

SYFFAL: This video premiere coincides with your moving day. Why are you moving, where are you moving to (Tacos?), and what does that have to do with this new video?

BESATREE: I'm moving because my spot is too big and pricey. I lived here with my ex and her kid, so I was playing family man for a few years. That went south a year ago but I really liked the pad so I just been illing. The balance has shifted now though and I need and want something practical. I'm trying to stay in the Long Beach area, I really like it out here. 


The move out and the video for sure coincide with one another, my last day here is the same day the video drops. Initially I was really bummed about moving but knew it needed to happen... I really struggled with it at first though. A lot of my recent years in that relationship were crash-coursing on being a dad from age 0-5 years old. For me, it's about that too. I don't miss the ex, but I do miss the relationship I had gained being a "stepdad".

SYFFAL: Are you planning on doing more art-house style instrumentals, or was this a one-off?

BESATREE: I can see myself definitely doing more of these. This one kinda ended up just happening and then sidelining me (idea-wise) so luckily Gadzooks/Alexa were down to get involved and it really just materialized really quickly. I can't thank the both of them enough.

SYFFAL: Who is this girl (the one in the video) and will she marry me?

BESATREE: That's Alexa/SupremeNeckProtecta.... and nah dawg, get in line boi.

SYFFAL: I noticed the Forgetting Sarah Marshall sample. How can Jason Segal be such a dork and so fucking cool at the same time? How can we all be more like Jason Segal?

BESATREE: Good question... maybe because he's goofy but will still whip out that dick when need be?

SYFFAL: The ability to whip one's dick out always triumphs. List each member of the CloudMaker family and what kind of candy each would be.

BESATREE: 
Joe Mas - Pop Rocks, 
Rokem - Jawbreaker, 
Imok - Rock Candy, 
Adversity - Warhead
z, Kserious - Necco, 
Erage - Fun Dip, 
Kid Presentable!!! - Tic Tac, Thesis - that gum with juice in the middle, 
Noearth - Sour Patch Kids, and 
(Me) Besatree - Lemonheads.

SYFFAL: Has K-Serious left us all for a dog named Flower?

BESATREE: He has, but also for a nicer spot in San Francisco with homies and a better job.... aka my new crash pad.

SYFFAL: A tree dedicated to George Harrison in Griffith Park has been killed by…wait for it…a beetle infestation.

What is the most ironic way to take down a Besatree?

I was thinking maybe an infection stemming from someone tattooing their love of all things Limp Bizkit in the trunk with thier dirty pocket knife, only to have the tree cut down and turned into those cheap Walmart skateboards with the big wheels and rail guards still.

The sads, bro.

BESATREE: You actually NAILED it... that's increds bruh.

SYFFAL: What's next after this? And how can I be down?

BESATREE: Of course you can be down, I need people to come help me move!! Haha nah...what's next is find a place to live... I'm supposed to be out of here in less than a week and circumstances haven't worked out thus far... "The Dissolve" is indeed very real for me right now.

Hope you all enjoy the video/song. Thank you a millbills to Brandon/SYFFAL.

SYFFAL: I'm in for the pizza and free beer!