The hip-hop/rock duo BB Guns is made up of featured MC Bars Blackman and vocalist Lazy JP, who met while they were in high school.

According to JP: “We actually went to same elementary school. [Barz] was a year lower than me. We knew each other, we were cool and on good terms, but we were just in different circles being in different grades. But afterwards, I knew that he rapped and I was getting into hip-hop. I wanted to get more into it and knew he already [was], so we just hit it off.”

JP expanded on the challenge of combining rock and hip-hop.

“The relationships that rock and hip-hop have are not always known as critically the best things. Even though I still like that stuff, your Sublimes and your Linkin Parks. [That] stuff that doesn’t age quite as well, but [it] has merit in what they’re putting in there and the eclectic-ness of it.

We wanted to do it in more critical, indie way. A lot of rap-rock collaborations come off as cheesey. Gorillaz is a big inspiration. That approach of balancing things was a big guide-post for us”

BB Guns new release Thirst is out now. More information at their Facebook.