http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16138676&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rssIn 2008, Los Angeles' Blu had established himself as one of the most promising young emcees in the West Coast underground scene. Over a 14-month span from 2007 to 2008, he managed to release three full-length projects. The first was his widely hailed project with LA producer Exile, <i>Below the Heavens</i>. Exile's work recalled the jazzy, lo-fi hip-hop of early Rawkus Records. Blu's rhymes, meanwhile, were introspective, personal and confessional. But unlike some emo-rappers, Blu rarely casted himself as the victim, preferring to relate his life in events and not emotions. It's the same formula formerly used by Common and Talib Kweli, and comparisons were even drawn to Nas' seminal debut album <i>Illmatic</i>. Blu followed this up in 2008 with C.R.A.C., a collaboration with up-and-coming producer Treech. Their self-titled album was more experimental, expanding the raw hip-hop palate of <i>Heavens</i> with forays into psych soul and touches of electro and rock. Blu's next project, Johnson and Johnson, found him teaming up with producer Mainframe. The album was a leftfield hip-hop masterpiece, with Mainframe's beats backing up rhymes by Blu that were looser and more freewheeling. - Sam ChennaultWest Coast Indieen720Tue, 5 Jan 2010 20:25:54 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16138676&variant=artist-playlists&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss In 2008, Los Angeles' Blu had established himself as one of the most promising young emcees in the West Coast underground scene. Over a 14-month span from 2007 to 2008, he managed to release three full-length projects. The first was his widely hailed project with LA producer Exile, <i>Below the Heavens</i>. Exile's work recalled the jazzy, lo-fi hip-hop of early Rawkus Records. Blu's rhymes, meanwhile, were introspective, personal and confessional. But unlike some emo-rappers, Blu rarely casted himself as the victim, preferring to relate his life in events and not emotions. It's the same formula formerly used by Common and Talib Kweli, and comparisons were even drawn to Nas' seminal debut album <i>Illmatic</i>. Blu followed this up in 2008 with C.R.A.C., a collaboration with up-and-coming producer Treech. Their self-titled album was more experimental, expanding the raw hip-hop palate of <i>Heavens</i> with forays into psych soul and touches of electro and rock. Blu's next project, Johnson and Johnson, found him teaming up with producer Mainframe. The album was a leftfield hip-hop masterpiece, with Mainframe's beats backing up rhymes by Blu that were looser and more freewheeling. - Sam Chennault http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28872070&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:08:02 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 28872070 ply.28872070 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28872070&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28364667&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:03:39 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 28364667 ply.28364667 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.28364667&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.23806902&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Tue, 9 Dec 2008 11:59:39 -0800 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 23806902 ply.23806902 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.23806902&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20932971&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:58:11 -0800 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 20932971 ply.20932971 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20932971&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20273588&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Fri, 4 Dec 2009 13:19:03 -0800 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 20273588 ply.20273588 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.20273588&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17816139&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Mon, 7 Sep 2009 09:54:25 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17816139 ply.17816139 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17816139&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17811209&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Thu, 21 May 2009 12:57:36 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17811209 ply.17811209 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17811209&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17758797&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:02:53 -0800 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17758797 ply.17758797 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17758797&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17752136&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Alt/Punk Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:01:59 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17752136 ply.17752136 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17752136&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17668781&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:51:03 -0800 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17668781 ply.17668781 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17668781&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17614485&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss Rap/Hip-Hop Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:10:01 -0700 Playlists Featuring Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 17614485 ply.17614485 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=ply.17614485&variant=play&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Fplaylists.rss