Ben Reilly Embraces the Ebbs and Flows on ‘Osborn Park’

This single serves as one of the first tracks released from his forthcoming album, SAVE, which will pay homage to Reilly’s commitment to telling his story.

Photography by Banvoa

Ben Reilly makes it look easy to turn a diary-like entry into a song verse. And while it’s not, the rising Brooklyn-born, Atlanta-based artist breaks his own barriers by voicing the ebbs and flows of life in every song. Whether it’s self-doubt, perseverance, or loyalty, Reilly’s use of vocal distortion and lyrical cohesion shows us just how non-linear the journey can be. His latest single, “Osborn Park,” does just that. Reilly takes on his journeys of self-reflection, hardships, personal and artistic growth, and life-altering lessons in the three-minute track.

Osborn Street, which lies in his hometown of Brownsville, Brooklyn, stood as Reilly’s original stomping grounds. However, it wasn’t always a walk in the park. He was often exposed to street confrontations, all while trying to find himself and be understood in his community. “Osborn Park” peels the onion of both positive and negative events in Reilly’s life and deeply-rooted personal memories in his formative years. This single serves as one of the first tracks released from his forthcoming album, SAVE, which will pay homage to Reilly’s commitment to telling his story.

Being a passionate comic book collector as a kid, Reilly got his artist alias from his favorite superhero, Spider-Man. In the comic book and film adaptations, Ben Reilly’s character was Peter Parker’s clone in the Marvel Universe storyline. But it’s deeper than just a name; it embodies Reilly’s self-acceptance and how that often means going through different versions of yourself to know who you really are. He spoke with 1202 MAGAZINE on what this means to him through music, the many lives he’s lived, and the ones that are bound to be.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

When did you start making music, and what inspired you to do so? 

I started making music around 14 or 15 years old. I’ve always wanted to make music and be a part of hip-hop since I was a kid. My mother used to play me a lot of old-school music, and the storytelling always grabbed me. 

Walk me through the making of “Osborn Park.”

The creative process for “Osborn Park” was interesting. I wanted to pull from some of my life experiences that might’ve left me with scars and make a fun or triumphant song out of it. I probably recorded five or six different ideas for the concept of the song. Once I ended up with some semblance of what the song is now, I still worked through different versions of this one: rewriting verses, different intros, skits, and all. 

Overall, what is your creative process when making music? What emotions do you feel, what experiences do you relive, what's a routine that gets you into the right headspace for creating, and what are some obstacles and achievements you've experienced? 

When creating music, I often approach it in different ways. In terms of execution, I always try to envision how performing the song would go or what a music video would look like as I’m creating. It helps me become a bit more visual and a lot more simple in my approach to things like hooks or what beats to choose. However, in terms of my subject matter or where I pull from, I tend to pull from my experiences. Whether it be my joys or my traumas, I try to put myself into every song in the least overt way possible. However, my recent work has been narrative-driven, so I’m being more direct than I usually try to be. 

How do you balance vulnerability and relatability in your lyrics? What's your approach to connecting deeply with listeners? 

I’m always vulnerable in my music. My persona of Ben Reilly is an extension of my confidence, so a lot of times, I get my typical rapper energy off, but I sometimes let my true feelings and emotions peak through — more often than not. I like to pull from my experiences because as I’m going through these experiences and moments, I sometimes feel alone. Then, I’ll put it into a song and find out how many people actually share that experience or feel those feelings.

When making a track, do you start with lyrics, melody, or something else? And do you make your own beats or work with producers? 

When making a track, it can go either way for me; I would either start with lyrics or an overall concept, phrase, or idea of what I want to talk about and apply that to whatever beat I feel fits. Sometimes, I’d mumble or scat over a beat to find my flow and cadence and find the words for the melody. It’s a toss-up, really. It sort of depends on what feels right in those moments; I let the feeling drive me. 

How have Brooklyn and Atlanta, both rich in music culture, influenced your identity as an artist? 

Brooklyn and Atlanta are two of the most important cities in the world to me. I’ve spent equal parts of my life in both places, and the cultures of both cities shaped me into the man I am today. When it comes to my music, I feel like Brooklyn is where some of the greatest rap pioneers were born. They contributed to my approach to lyricism and fashion. I focus so much on what I have to say and how I say it because with New York Hip-Hop, what you say is so important, and how you look when you say it is just as important. On the other hand, with Atlanta being the birthplace of trap music and birthing legends that are so left-field, like everyone out of Dungeon Family, it makes me look for the right beats and instrumentation. It makes me tailor my cadences and melodies a lot more to make sure my music is a lot more musical. 

What do you think makes you different from other artists? 

My world-building, my content, my approach to the music, and my textures are buried in the sound of the music. 

Do you have any dream collaborations, either inside or outside rap, and why do they inspire you? 

Yeah! It’s a dream for me to collaborate with the likes of Jay-Z, Yasiin Bey, Lil Wayne, Andre 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Sade, Frank Ocean, Future, SZA, FKA Twigs, Yves Tumor, and Blood Orange. There are so many artists that I could go on all day. I think everyone I’ve named inspires me because they’re just so raw in being themselves and letting the life they’ve led serve as the textures for their stories. 

Are there any genres or styles you want to explore that you haven’t yet?

I would like to get into rock a bit more, actually. I’ve been tapping into blues and jazz a lot more these days, and I’ve been enjoying the color. 

What do you hope listeners take away from your music, especially with “Osborn Park?”

Authenticity. I want people to walk away from hearing ‘Osborn Park’ and all of my other music to understand the points and messages I wanted to convey. ‘Osborn Park’ is me trying to take the moments of getting jumped and reshaping it into something empowering. You win some, and you lose some, but you live to fight another day, and sometimes people ‘jump’ you because they feel and fear your power more than you understand.

What can fans expect from you in the future, and what are some of your goals?

SAVE.