Has any other emerging artist in hip-hop had a rookie year as chockfull of material and schizophrenic artistic direction as Blu? While the LA-based rapper seemingly scored the most points with the underground hip-hop head demographic with his collaborative debut with producer Exile,Below the Heavens, he’s since been cranking out albums at an alarmingly rapid pace – his release with Ta’Raach as C.R.A.C., The Piece Talks hit stores months later, and now his latest project with producer Mainframe, known as Johnson&Jonson collectively, is set to be released. The self-titledJohnson&Jonson record drops on September 23, just a year and one month after the whole album cycle began.
The guys over at The Exactly have just released a dope mix tape titled “Your New Favorite Mixtape” featuring C.R.A.C. Knuckles, Cool Kids, & Pacific Division and many more. Quoted… “From its inception, the mixtape had to be something that represented what I felt the blog stood for, sharing DOPE SHIT with everybody! I didn’t want it to be a West Coast mixtape, underground Hip Hop mixtape or mainstream, I merely wanted to put songs that I thought were dope together in a package for people to bang. The process of putting together this mixtape has had its setbacks and delays, but I persisted and I can finally give it to ya’ll.” Big shout out to SamIAm.
This is my anthem! Turn this shit up, it’s the weekend!
Blu is the leader of West Coast Hip-Hop. Since the days of Pharcyde, Freestyle Fellowship, and Jurassic 5, there have been few wordsmiths that have grasped the attention of listeners worldwide. Introduced to NWA and Public Enemy by his father, Blu later was captivated by the likes of Black Star, The Roots, and Common, creating a unique balance that is displayed in Blu’s personality and music.
Blu’s first full length LP, “Below the Heavens” pairs Blu with producer Exile on the Sound in Color imprint. His first single, “Narrow Path” has rocked stages across the world, as fans begin to feel the impact of Blu’s music. His delivery flows flawlessly, while the content reflects the joy and pain of working class youth everywhere. Since the release of “Narrow Path,” Blu has performed alongside Slum Village, X-Clan, Platinum Pied Pipers, Lyrics Born, DJ Houseshoes, and many others, while participating in 3 high-profile nationwide tours alongside musical family members: Ta’Raach, Aloe Blacc, and Exile.
The buzz has fans salivating for new music. Worldwide, people are looking to put hope into the ‘next’ emcee that will give them the same feeling when they first heard Black Thought, Common, or Slum Village. Blu fulfills this need, but maintains something that is entirely new, while not recycled.
Right now Blu is my favorite emcee hands down. He’s taking Hip-Hop to a new level with clear influences from the Golden Age and Dilla, but more than anything, himself.
