Album Notes

In the game of chess, the bishop piece is used to strategically corner its opposition and set up its offence for victory. In the church, the Bishop is known for his dedication to preserving the ideas and principles of his foundation. In the hip hop world, BISHOP combines the principles of both and masterfully puts it in rhythmic motion.

Jamar "BISHOP" Williams is a multi-talented hip hop artist whose unique blend of lyrical and musical diplomacy combines with raw energy to give him a sound that is definitively his own. The 23-year-old BISHOP, whose name is an acronym for Basic Instructions of Survival Help Optimistic People, separates himself from other rappers and hip-hop artists of his era. With positive lyrics and soulful musical compositions, BISHOP confidently invites listeners to enter his cross-dimensional realm of musical creations. After listening to songs like "Deep Space Mind" and "Untitled Love" you can easily recognize the brilliant palette of subject matter this Baltimore spawned musician brings to a diverse audience.

"I view my music and my poetry as my vessel," says BISHOP, "a vessel to share light and inspirations. I mix in just enough imagination to convey my perceptions and ideas; ideas that combine life lessons and a vision of the world as I see it."
BISHOP, who graduated in 2001 from New Jersey's William Patterson University with a degree in Business Management, performs all his own music. He will continue to integrate his business training with his skills in producing, composing, and arranging for himself and for other musicians with whom he works.

Of his hip hop leanings, BISHOP says, "I'm not a rapper I'm an expressionist. I try to use my personal and spiritual experiences to communicate a variety of musical influences in my life." Completely sample-free, BISHOP draws from an early musical environment first enriched by his father, Victor Williams, also a musician.

"My pops," says BISHOP, "has been one of the greatest motivators and influences in my life. His original musical concepts and know-how as a jazz percussionist opened up new concepts for me, and gave me the basic principles of music that help me create a different type of sound."

BISHOP incorporates these principles into all his music projects. In songs like "31st of June," "Cocoa Pecan," and "If We Only Had Drums" he conveys his uniqueness in a way that reflects his father's passion for percussion. The album, 1st Move, released in late 2001, is a poignant portrait of his many dimensions and the vitality of his art form. As this artist, who began composing music at 12 year of age, continues on his quest for excellence in his craft, BISHOP will no doubt continue to develop his extraordinary talent for musical expression, and make a huge impact in the music world for a long time to come.