BREAKING BREAD WITH: BIG BODY BES
The day before the BLS Hafnia & Blonde New York City pop-up, our Co-founder Besnik spent the afternoon moving through Uptown Manhattan with NYC legend Big Body Bes, a figure who embodies the raw, unfiltered energy of the city itself.
The day served as a deep dive into the cultural fabric of the city, moving beyond the typical tourist paths. What unfolded wasn’t a tour of New York, but an immersion into the raw energy, personalities, and different communities.
Who is Big Body Bes?
Besnik E. Sadikaj, better known as Big Body Bes, has carved out a unique place within New York’s hip-hop landscape.
Proudly representing both his Albanian roots and his Lindenwood upbringing, Bes became a cult figure through his close collaborations with Action Bronson, Meyhem Lauren, The Alchemist, and Harry Fraud.
His larger-than-life presence and unmistakable personality have also made him a natural fixture within New York’s fashion and creative world, appearing in projects with brands like Aimé Leon Dore and KidSuper.
His influence exists far beyond music alone; he embodies a version of New York that can’t be manufactured.
A day in the life
The day began downtown on Mulberry Street, linking with Bes who had just gotten back from a photoshoot, Hennessy in hand, surrounded by smoke, noise, and the kind of controlled chaos that feels unmistakably New York.
From there, they drove uptown toward Dyckman, block by block, the atmosphere shifted, music pouring from passing cars, crowded corners alive with conversation, storefronts buzzing, and the streets carrying the unmistakable rhythm of Uptown Manhattan.
Rather than chasing landmarks, the afternoon centered around the places and people that actually shape the city’s identity. The group stopped at an Albanian-owned pizzeria tucked into the neighborhood, the kind of local spot found only through those who truly know the city. The rest of the afternoon was spent hanging around street corners, the quintessential New York pastime - talking, laughing, and watching the neighborhood move.
Albanien heritage
Later, the crew headed to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx for a proper Albanian burek. Hidden among old-school Italian markets and family-run bakeries, the neighborhood still carries a sense of tradition untouched by time.
Sitting down there served as another reminder of how deeply immigrant cultures continue to shape and sustain the identity of New York City, something both BLS and Big Body Bes naturally connect through.
Reppin BLS in the streets of NYC
While breaking burek, Big Body Bes wore the upcoming BLS T-shirt featuring a chrome double-headed eagle, a symbol deeply rooted in Albanian heritage and reinterpreted through a distinctly New York lens.
The graphic also nods to the cultural legacy of Dipset, reflecting the intersection of identity, music, and street culture that continues to influence the city today.
Breaking burek with Big Body Bes wasn’t about sightseeing. It was about tapping into the real New York through the people who live it every day.
Through hidden spots, raw conversations, neighborhood energy, and larger-than-life personalities. BLS stepped directly into the cultural fabric that continues to give the city its enduring soul.
