Multi-faceted hip-hop artist Born I  recently released his sophomore album AMIDA, a conceptual body of work that centers around Buddhist philosophy, Lofi elements, and Eastern modalities while exploring vulnerability, self-compassion, and the spiritual path.

This culminates in the release of two singles “The Hundreds” featuring Toof Ady and “Sunyata”

“The Hundreds” featuring Toof Ady and Miiiself starts off with a rich sitar riff that slowly builds into a sombre and mellow backdrop that serves as the perfect canvas for the rappers to share their thoughts on their daily struggles and how they came out of the doldrums. The lyrics tackle self-doubt and take listeners on a journey of self-discovery. The chorus has a soul-gripping feel and help tie the theme with an eternal question that focuses on finding one’s true North.

“Sunyata” takes inspiration from Sanskrit, signifying the Buddhist concept of Emptiness and it’s made up of a solemn string and moody pads with sparse percussions. Here, Born I delivers a soul-gripping stream-of-consciousness performance ripe with profound reflective lines like “I am my mum and my dad, I am a song when it’s sad/I am the joy of a child, I am King Kong when he’s mad/I am the death and rebirth, I am the pleasure and hurt, one day we all will be free, one day I will never return“. He takes listeners on a journey through his deepest thoughts and shares with us his perspective on the duality of nature itself. He also adds in quotes and vocals from revered Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh to help buttress his message.

AMIDA offers listeners a reflective, sometimes fierce and soul-baring musical experience.

Keep up with Born I | Spotify: Facebook: Twitter: Website: Instagram