http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16138676&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.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 Indieen720Sun, 6 Dec 2009 21:46:32 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16138676&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.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://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141359&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie Rap/Hip-Hop Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141359 tra.16141359 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Simply Amazin' (Steel Blazin') tra.16141359 278000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141359&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141359&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141364&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141364 tra.16141364 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true First Things First tra.16141364 230000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141364&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141364&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141365&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141365 tra.16141365 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Greater Love tra.16141365 254000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141365&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141365&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141362&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141362 tra.16141362 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Blu Collar Worker tra.16141362 270000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141362&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141362&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141357&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141357 tra.16141357 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true My World Is... tra.16141357 220000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141357&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141357&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141363&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141363 tra.16141363 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Dancing In The Rain tra.16141363 265000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141363&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141363&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141369&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141369 tra.16141369 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Below The Heavens Pt. I tra.16141369 266000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141369&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141369&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141358&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141358 tra.16141358 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true The Narrow Path tra.16141358 309000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141358&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141358&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141366&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141366 tra.16141366 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Good Life tra.16141366 323000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141366&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141366&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141361&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141361 tra.16141361 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true In Remembrance tra.16141361 243000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141361&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141361&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141371&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141371 tra.16141371 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true I Am... tra.16141371 443000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141371&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141371&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141370&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141370 tra.16141370 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Below The Heavens Pt. Ii tra.16141370 229000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141370&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141370&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141367&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141367 tra.16141367 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Soul Rising tra.16141367 209000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141367&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141367&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141368&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141368 tra.16141368 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Cold Hearted tra.16141368 192000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141368&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141368&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141360&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss West Coast Indie Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Blu & Exile on Rhapsody Online 16141360 tra.16141360 Blu & Exile art.16138676 0.99 Below The Heavens alb.16139204 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/8/6/7/4/1094768_170x170.jpg 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 2007-08-07 00:00:00.0 true Juice N' Dranks tra.16141360 224000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141360&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.16141360&variant=data&rws=%2Fblu-exile%2Ftop-tracks.rss