Behind the Sound: Baha Bank$
Epidemic Sound’s artists make our company sing. Join Baha Bank$ for the fifth edition of our monthly series: Behind the Sound.
Epidemic Sound is a peerless soundtracking platform because of our artists. Together, we help everyone from newbie creators to world-famous brands find their voice — that’s worth shouting about.
Today, we’re heading into the fifth edition of Behind the Sound, in which we salute the musicians who’re taking Epidemic Sound to the next level.
This month, it’s Baha Bank$: the self-appointed Queen of Chicago, throwing everything from straight-up hip-hop, Jersey club, pop, hardcore rap, R&B, and more into her sound. Armed with a background in musical theater and classic soul, everything she touches has a flair for the dramatic.
Across collabs with icons like Chance the Rapper and DCG Shun, she’s smashing the barriers between commercial music and the underground, harsh beats and syrupy hooks.
Fresh from dropping her latest banger, Do It, Baha Bank$ sat down with us to unpick what makes her, well, her. Keep reading for her take on pre-party mixtapes, the Chicago scene, and more.
If your music had a warning label, what would it say?
Baha Bank$: “Caution — may cause ‘That Girl’ syndrome. The lyrics in my music are repetitive affirmations about being confident, loving yourself, owning who you are, and owning the room!”
What inspires you, besides music?
BB$: “Being a mother to my little girl is my biggest inspiration. She watches everything I do, and I want her to know that she can do anything and be multiple things throughout her journey in life.”
Are there any other unexpected influences in your music?
BB$: “Paul Partohap — P.S. I LOVE YOU is my song! I have an eclectic taste in music, but since I’m a girl’s girl, I gravitate toward songs about love and relationships.”
Finish the sentence: “Don’t invite me out unless…”
BB$: “...there’s hookah! I love a good time, and I get hookah in every country I visit.”
How did Chicago shape the way you move — your hustle, your sound, your whole aura?
BB$: “There are a lot of artists and talent in Chicago. My city drives me to stand out and encourages me to hustle harder, because there are so many successful artists from here doing what they love for a career. I knew I could, too.”
It’s pre-party energy, we’re about to hit the city — what’s blasting while the fit’s coming together?
BB$: When I’m getting dressed and putting together a look, I’m listening to artists like Rob49, Mariah the Scientist, JT, or Skilla Baby. [Skilla Baby] really makes the music for the girls. Like, [it] makes you feel good about yourself.”
What kind of confidence are you handing out to any girl, or anyone who presses play? Is it “Don’t text him back,” or “Run the whole room”?
BB$: “It’s both, depending on the girl and the situation — a baddie always keeps more than one play in the playbook. I’m handing out the kind of confidence that lets my listeners know their opinion is the only one that matters, no matter what their choice is.”
Which three words or emojis describe your energy lately?
Baha Bank$’s latest release, Do It, is available on all major streaming platforms. Her new EP, Bad, will drop on June 26.
Listen to Baha Bank$’s Epidemic Sound discography below, and keep an eye out for the next edition of Behind the Sound.
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