[Bino Rideaux](https://www.instagram.com/binorideaux/?hl=en) is here to make sure The Marathon Continues. Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, the West Coast rapper came up as a close friend and frequent collaborator to Nipsey Hussle, even creating an entire project together titled _No Pressure_. Now, the 27-year-old delivers his own rendition of hip-hop and R&B catered to the streets and where he’s from — and fans are loving it.
Real name Brandon Rainey comes from humble beginnings. It was his standout single “100 Days 100 Nights” that he wrote dedicated to his late friend KP that caught the attention of Nip, eventually collaborating together in the studio. Records “The Field” and “Clarity” were born, paving the way for the dynamic duo to thrive.
With Nipsey’s passing, Bino released a tribute track titled “PRIDE 2 THE SIDE.” In January of this year, Bino inked a deal with Def Jam and recently released his highly-anticipated debut mixtape _Outside_. The title itself is fitting for the world’s current state amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flaunt caught up with Bino via FaceTime to discuss the release of _Outside_, his favorite songs, fatherhood, and more!
**Congrats on the release of _OUTSIDE_! How are you feeling?**
Thank you, I appreciate it. It’s lit, that shit’s doing what it does. I appreciate all the love, all the support.
**How long did it take to put together?**
A lot of the songs are a year, 2 years old for real. I got with Def Jam like “alright, let’s put a tape together.” I already had 80 songs sitting so it was narrowing it down. Took us a few weeks to come up with a good rollout and execute it.
**Did you feel like releasing during quarantine was an issue?**
Yeah, it’s sus to drop during quarantine. It’s sus as fuck, I can’t go and set up a show. I can’t set a tour up, but it was necessary. The fans appreciate it.
**What was your decision in naming it _OUTSIDE_? That definitely speaks to the times right now.**
_OUTSIDE_ is in that narrative. I had a whole nother name for the project, but I’m not going to say it. \[laughs\] As time went on, as quarantine got deeper, we switched it to _OUTSIDE_. 2 things: we aren't allowed to go outside, but outside, the presence is felt in the music. Especially right now, I just dropped. You go outside, you’re going to hear _OUTSIDE_ somewhere. That’s the vibe I was on, I ran with it. Own my move.
**What are you most excited for with this project?**
The fact that it was a success for real. It’s my first Def Jam release, so it exceeded a lot of expectations. I’m happy with it.
**What expectations did you have?**
I thought it was going to do cool. It’s my first time being up here, I’m still taking it day by day.
**What was your decision to sign with Def Jam?**
Really it’s the history. I have a lot of respect for Def Jam. I came up understanding and appreciating them as an entity. I met with a lot of labels but this was the most comfortable. Shout out my dawg DJ \[Mormile\], he signed us. It feels like a family atmosphere. I’m happy where I’m at for sure.
**Talk about putting Mozzy on the intro. How’d that record come about?**
I made that song at James Harden’s house a year ago, randomly. He had a studio in his pool house, so we made that shit. I was sitting on the record then putting the tape together, we’re thinking who to put on there. When I made the record, I always said “yo Mozzy would kill this. Mozzy will murder this.” We ended up executing, he was fucking it. Shout out Mozzy, real solid n\*\*ga. One of my favorite songs, one of my favorite verses on there.
**What other songs mean the most to you on the project?**
“HOLD IT IN.” Second verse, I shout out everything that’s close to me. Everyone from the block, everyone from the hood. It’s pain in the melody, but you can feel the rose growing from concrete. That song’s wicked to me, I hold that song close to me for sure.
**Gabe C was putting me on BlueBucksClan. What does it mean to put local acts on your project?**
BlueBucks is the next n\*ggas. Out of LA right now as far as rapping goes, BlueBucks is going crazy. We’re in the studio a lot, building off each other. We have 3 songs, we have more records to come. They got a bright future, I’m fucking with BlueBucks.
**Ty Dolla $ign is such a staple in music. How did “Blue Feet” come about?**
Man Ty, that’s big bro. I made that song a year ago, not long after Nip passed. When I was playing it on my story, Ty DMed me saying “send me this.” I sent it to him, he told me to pull up to his house. I go to his house, here we are cooling. He knocked the verse out in 15 minutes. Ty’s somebody that tapped in early on me. I got ultimate respect for Ty, I always appreciate him.
**You have a lot of unreleased Nipsey, what was your decision to keep him off of your debut?**
Because I want to do it right. The way we put our music together, they’re albums. I want to release it exactly as he’d release it. If I was to have him on something, it wouldn’t be a mixtape. It has to be an album. It has to be structured and constructed the right way. We got a lot of music, on God.
**How are you coping with his death still till this day?**
It’s in my face everyday. Poker face, trying to stay numb through it. I’m trying to carry that weight, trying to pick up and really really finish what we started. That’s the motivation getting me through all this shit honestly.
**I loved seeing everyone pull up to Mel's Drive-in for the album listening!**
That shit was lit. Shout out Mel’s, it was a vibe. Everybody came out, shout out Def Jam. It was smooth man. That’s my first time really coming outside type shit. It was a vibe, we needed that for sure.
[](https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlZQ4EjSR7/)
[Talmbout my daughter when I put Gucci on my baby .💙 OUTSIDE OUT NOW . 📸: @jenjphoto](https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlZQ4EjSR7/)
**How was it having your daughter there? She was running around in Gucci.**
Exactly, I didn’t even know she was going to pull up for real. She pulled up, she’s walking now. \[laughs\] That was perfect timing.
**How’s fatherhood going?**
It’s excellent, this quarantine is a perfect excuse to see her and spend time with her. I’m not on the road, I’m not going out of town. We locked in and I’m loving it.
**Your shows sell out like crazy. Have you been itching to get back on the stage?**
Right! Itching. I’m talking about I can’t wait to get back on stage, especially with this new music. Oh my God. That’s one thing I love about this shit, I love performing. Being up close and personal with my fans. I definitely miss performing.
**You and BLXST create fire music together, talk about the relationship you guys share.**
Me and BLXST, it’s automatic. “Brand New” was one of the rare situations where we’re in the studio together. On _SIXtape,_ we were rarely in the studio together. We sent records back and forth. “Brand New,” we pulled up at Paramount \[Studios\]. He played a few beats, I said “yo let’s knock this out.” I tell him “go in there bro, knock the hook out. You already know what to do.” We went back and forth, fed off each other. It was a vibe.
**That’s crazy he started out producing for you, now he’s singing.**
Yeah, I didn’t even know he was a singer until he had sent me “Savage.” He sent me “Savage,” and this n\*gga’s singing! I’m like “who’s this singing?” He goes “that’s me bro.” What the fuck? Damn, that shit’s crazy. BLXST is hard.
**You got a cute little dance for “Bozo,” I feel like your fans went crazy for that.**
Facts, that shit became a challenge. We dropped some behind-the-scenes footage, we were chillin’ really. I was doing my salsa and it went viral. Everyone started doing it, hitting their shit. It was hard. We kept doing that shit. That’s me, in my zone. I hear the beat in the studio, I start doing the salsa. It’s hard to see everyone doing that shit.
**Did you think the video would go up like it did?**
Nah. Honestly I make music for the streets, so I wasn’t expecting that at all. It’s crazy for people to gravitate to that song. “Bozo” wasn't my favorite song that I did. It’s the song that picked up the tractions so of course, we ran with that one. I’m doing this for the streets for real.
**What were you going through when you recorded that one? You talk about a lot of real shit.**
Not long after Nip died, I put out a record that I owed to bro. I put out a song that’s going to shed light on the city. Make people smile, make people dance. Make people feel good, feel like we can still get through this. I dropped “Bozo,” it did exactly that. Everyone started dancing, that’s hard.
**What are some goals for yourself at this point of your career?**
Shit man, getting to that top tier. I want that #1 spot like everyone else of course, but I want ownership. I want investments. I want community health, generational wealth. Everything Nip used to preach about, I want all that shit.
**What’s going to take to get to the #1 spot?**
That hustle and resilience. That willingness, that longing for it. That’s it.
**How was giving free donuts away at Randy’s Donuts?**
It was a vibe. It was smooth. Everyone came out. You say my name, you get a free blue donut. I pulled up, dabs and pounds. Showed love to the fans. I love doing shit like that where you pull up and see it’s love. I fuck with you all like you all fuck with me.
**What did it mean to have it in such a prominent spot in Inglewood?**
Def Jam actually chose that because it’s such a staple in the city. It’s crazy to have my shit there. Growing up, I’ve seen that shit my whole life.
**How are your peers responding to your growth? Are you parents proud?**
Everybody sees it. They have their own experiences of it going on. They tell me stories that they see happened, what they hear people saying. Everybody’s real proud. I was one of those n\*ggas who weren’t supposed to make it out of nothing. They’re happy to see me making it.
**How would you say you would describe your fashion sense?**
It’s experimental for sure. \[laughs\] I be trying shit, but it’s me. How I’m coming, I like to be different. I came up on all types of shit: different genres of music, different types of entertainment. I was working at Diamond Supply warehouse, so I love fashion. I used to go and kick it on Fairfax. I worked at Trap House on Fairfax. I used to love fashion, that’s what I wanted to do other than rap. I was always into skate culture.
**Do you still skate?**
Nah, I’d probably bust my ass if I tried now. I used to be straight though, I used to be cool. Back when Terry Kennedy started, n\*ggas could skate.
**Can we expect merch or a fashion collab from you?**
Hell yeah, all the above. You can expect merch. You can expect a little line. I’m not going to say too much though, but expect a flagship store.
**Anything else we can look forward to?**
There’s a lot of shit. \[chuckles\] _Sixtape 2_ on the way!
.jpeg)
