Hotel, motel, Holiday Innnnnnnn?
Nope, it’s the Hotel BPM — the borough’s, and perhaps the world’s, first hip hop hotel.
“It’s sleek, trendy and sexy, just like me,” said Bijal Panwala, also known as DJ Bijal, the visionary behind the six-story, 76-room getaway on 33rd Street in Greenwood Heights.
The 29-year-old mix master, known for his work on Sirius Satellite Radio, named his lodge after the phrase “beats per minute” — the pace count of a song — and it’s undeniably a rapper’s delight.
There’s a Bijal-crafted playlist ringing out in the halls, a green-and-black color scheme (even the facade has green streaks), and a stash of Vibe, The Source, Rolling Stone, and SPIN magazines in each room.
When guests make reservations, they also make track requests so that they’ll hear their favorite Biggie jam in the bathroom’s speakers. Don’t worry, the mirrors are steam-proof in case guests want to bump the whole album in the bathroom.
The beat don’t stop, but thankfully the rooms are soundproofed.
Hip hop experts say it could be the next big hotel — if it can attract the right mix of old-school events.
“Hip hop culture is already dominating the world,” said James Bernard, a Park Slope resident and founder of hip hop mags The Source and XXL. “I’d like to see this work, but you’ll need to have more than just magazines, murals, and music in the hallway.”
To wit, the young deejay would have to cater to the older generation of hip hop fans who have money and still love old-school parties, according to Bernard.
DJ Bijal, who’s collaborated with the likes of Akon and Che’Nelle, says he’s ready to take on that challenge.
And Brooklyn’s the perfect place to give it a go, according to the turntable wiz.
“I figured what better place to start my career than Brooklyn,” said DJ Bijal, who lives in New Jersey but graduated from Long Island University in Fort Greene. “It’s about music, arts, fun, and being who you are — and so is this hotel.”
Indeed, Brooklyn has been home to some of hip hop’s finest, including Jay-Z, Mos Def, who now goes by the name Yasiin Bey, and the Notorious B.I.G. — natives of Bedford-Stuyvesant.
DJ Bijal said that he opted for Greenwood Heights, however, because it offers respite from the hustle and bustle of the borough’s better known rap hot spots.
“In the words of Jay-Z, ‘You could’ve been anywhere in the world, but you’re here with me,’” said DJ Bijal. “‘I appreciate that.’”
Rooms at Hotel BPM start at $139 for a king bed.
Hotel BPM [139 33rd St. between Fourth and Third avenue], opening May 1. Visit, www.hotelbpmbrooklyn.com.
Reach Kate Briquelet at kbriquelet@cnglocal.com or by calling her at (718) 260-2511.
