Interview: Blu

A little over five years ago, a still unknown rapper named Blu teamed up with Emanon producer Exile to release his debut album Below the Heavens, a record that captivated the hip-hop world and is still recognized as one of the few modern rap classics. Fueled by his sincere storytelling ability and a certain way with words, the Los Angeles rapper soon became a West Coast legend, landing a spot in XXL’s 2009 Freshman Class, teaming up with esteemed producers like The Alchemist and Madlib, securing a deal with Warner Bros. before defecting back to the more welcoming underground, and delivering two of the most thought-provoking verses on The Roots‘s How I Got Over. Along the way, the mysterious-yet-highly-respected poet and wordsmith also found himself experimenting with a lo-fi and experimental sound, stepping away from the soul-filled boom-bap beats he came up on and tackling work from experimental producers like Flying Lotus.

Despite such a star-studded resumé, Blu has remained much of an enigma for most mainstream audiences, while still becoming one of the most celebrated lyricists of all time, as well as my own all-time favorite rapper. To get a glimpse into his life and his artistry, I spoke to Blu over email and asked him about the many projects he’s currently tackling including the Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them release with Exile due out September 4th, the Bombay-produced solo album Good to be Home, and even reflected on Below the Heavens and j e s u s.

First off, you and Exile will be releasing the remastered Give Me My Flowers very soon. How are the studio dynamics between you two nowadays?

Well, we just cut a great tune last week, so great I wish it made the album but it will most likely be on my upcoming solo record. Right now, we are gearing up to hit the road. It’s been a while since we killed the road last and we are looking forward to a chance to do that again.

Below the Heavens recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. How do you feel about it looking back? Do you ever think of revisiting the Below the Heavens sessions? I know you told Complex you had around 75 songs recorded.

Evil politics behind those sessions, I wish I was the me aster behind those masters!

Bombay will be producing your new solo record Good to be Home and I haven’t been able to find much information about him. Can you give us an idea of how the album will sound production-wise?

Dope, phat, like a phat tape, phat soul, big.

What about lyrically? What themes are you aiming for this time around?

Cali man, so much inspiration there; it’s a record mirror the album I ever made called California Soul, an underground tape.

Are you interested in pursuing another record deal with a major in the future?

Yeah possibly, but right now it’s fun running shit down here!

How about those films you were planning on releasing?

Soon, come June.

Your recent single “Kiss the Sky” had a Lupe vocal sample on it and he once called you “the only emcee in the game that scares me.” Have you kept any contact with him? Will we ever see any new material from All City Chess Club or has that project already been abandoned?

Most likely, we talk every now and then but Lupe is killing the electro-rock sound and we killing that lo-fi soul map, so it’s like whenever we get on the same page, we will be definitely making something special. Jesus!

You, Sene, and ANTHM recently teamed up for “Young Leaders”. You’ve worked with both artists individually, is anything else in the works?

Yeah, we got a group called “RakimKRSOne&Chuck” — of course ANTHM is Chuck.

It sounds like you’re extremely busy with new projects right now. Can we expect a full RælBlz project in the future?

Yes, titled GRO produced under the moniker, GODleeBarnes. SD cassette shit!

You’ve also mentioned a new solo record with The Alchemist. Could you speak about that?

No.

Fair enough, what’s your songwriting process like?

I use a pen.

What happened to the No York band?

They fell off, and Todd finally got a girlfriend.

Your father is a reverend and you talk about your views on religion quite often in your music. From “A Man”, it appears you disagree with the institution of organized religion. What do you think needs to change? Do you and your father agree?

No, but yes. He sees me clearly, better than any fan would, coming from a more divine perspective, respectively, and I respect him to the utmost for upholding some high morals and values in Christianity and his faith.

How does the j e s u s LP play into this? Can you explain the “j e s u s” song?

It’s what I felt like telling “Jesus” in 2011 bro. I may make another song to him next year, GOD willing!

What constitutes success to you?

Respect.

Download: Hodgy Beats – Untitled EP

Odd Future‘s Hodgy Beats just released his previously announced Untitled EP, a free nine-track EP from the steadily improving rapper with production from industry legends like The Alchemist and Flying Lotus. You can grab the entire thing on Odd Future’s store or through this direct link. For a quick preview, you can hit up the three MP3s below.

MP3: Hodgy Beats – “Bullshittin’ (produced by Juicy J)”
MP3: Hodgy Beats – “Samurai (produced by Jonti Danimals)”
MP3: Hodgy Beats –  “If Heaven Is A Ghetto (produced by Thelonious Martin)”

Next up for the California rap collective is their second group compilation, OF Tape Vol. 2, which will be out March 20th via Odd Future Records.

Untitled EP Tracklisting:
01. Bullshittin’ (produced by Juicy J)
02. Cookie Coma (produced by The Alchemist)
03. Lately (produced by Flying Lotus)
04. Samurai (produced by Jonti Danimals)
05. In A Dream (produced by The Alchemist)
06. Ave. (produced by Thelonious Martin)
07. Lamented (produced by Flying Lotus)
08. If Heaven Is A Ghetto (produced by Thelonious Martin)
09. Higashi Loves You

Odd Future Release Tracklist and Covers for OF Tape Vol. 2

Odd Future‘s second collective album, OF Tape Vol. 2, will be out March 20th via their own Odd Future Records and today we get our first look at its 18-track-long tracklist and its four covers (shown above). Featuring no outside guest verses, OF Tape Vol. 2 includes new material from every Odd Future member except for Earl Sweatshirt, who recently made his long-awaited return home from Samoa.

Before that album drops however, we’ll first get new material from the gradually improving Hodgy Beats, who just announced that his new Untitled EP features production from Flying Lotus, the Alchemist, Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia, and Thelonious Martin and will be out this Friday.

OF Tape Vol. 2:

01 Hi.
02 Bitches [ft. Domo Genesis and Hodgy Beats]
03 NY (Ned Flander) [ft. Hodgy Beats, and Tyler, the Creator]
04 Ya Know [ft. the Internet]
05 Forest Green [ft. Mike G]
06 Lean [ft. Hodgy Beats and Domo Genesis]
07 Analog 2 [ft. Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, and Syd tha Kyd]
08 50 [ft. MellowHype]
09 Snow White [ft. Hodgy Beats and Frank Ocean]
10 Rella [ft. Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis, and Tyler, the Creator]
11 Real Bitch [ft. MellowHype and Taco]
12 P [ft. Hodgy Beats and Tyler, the Creator]
13 White [ft. Frank Ocean]
14 Hcapd [ft. Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats, and Tyler, the Creator]
15 Sam (Is Dead) [ft. Domo Genesis and Tyler, the Creator]
16 Doms [ft. Domo Genesis]
17 We Got Bitches [ft. Tyler, the Creator, Taco, and Jasper Dolphin]
18 Oldie [ft. Odd Future]

Track: Curren$y & Alchemist – “Scottie Pippen (feat. Freddie Gibbs)”

Track: “Scottie Pippen (feat. Freddie Gibbs)”
Artist: Curren$y & Alchemist
Release Date: April 20, 2011
Label: Jet Life Recordings/Warner Bros.

This cut, taken from Curren$y‘s fifth studio album Covert Coup, features Curren$y and Freddie Gibbs trading verses over a dark, moody backing track courtesy of The Alchemist. Although only two verses long, “Scottie Pippen” is a nonstop showcase of both rappers’ lyrical and technical talents. Curren$y’s distinctive New Orleans drawl opens the track, bringing in a few basketball references and his signature punch lines before allowing Freddie Gibbs to take over the mic — and take over he does. Gibbs’s verse highlights the rapper’s incredible flow and rhymes, with the Indiana-based rapper spitting perhaps the strongest verse on the entire album. Seriously, is it even allowed for a feature to go this hard on a track?

“Scottie Pippen (feat. Freddie Gibbs)” is from Covert Coup, out now via Jet Life Recordings/Warner Bros. You can download it for free here.

Rating: 9/10