There are 2 artists with the name Blu:
1. An American rapper and produce… Read Full Bio ↴There are 2 artists with the name Blu:
1. An American rapper and producer from Los Angeles, California.
2. An ambient drum and bass musician located in the United Kingdom.

(1) Johnson Barnes (born April 15, 1983 in Inglewood, California), better known by the stage name Blu, is an American rapper and producer. In 2007 he released his debut album, "Below the Heavens", which was produced entirely by Exile, one half of Emanon. Since then he has collaborated with Mainframe under the name Johnson&Jonson, and with Ta'Raach under the name C.R.A.C. Knuckles. He has also released several solo albums, most notably "HerFavoriteColo(u)r" (2009), "j e s u s" (2011) and "No York!" (2011). Furthermore, in 2009 he produced the Sene & Blu album "ADayLate&ADollarShort" and in 2011 he released a second album with Exile, "Give Me Flowers While I Can Smell Them".

Blu is definitely a leader in the new school of Los Angeles emcees. His presence is undeniable, while his music captivates audiences regardless of race, class, and gender. He has been credited with taking LA hip hop back to the place where Freestyle Fellowship, Jurassic 5, and The Pharcyde left off.

With his cool-headed SoCal demeanor and everyman charisma, Blu was championed at the onset of his recording career when he collaborated with Emanon DJ/producer Exile for the highly acclaimed LP Below the Heavens (2007). Born Johnson Barnes in Inglewood, California, Blu, whose stepfather was a pastor, was very influenced by gospel and Christian rap when he was developing his MC skills in middle and high school. His musical turning point came when he first heard the Common classic "I Used to Love H.E.R." (1994), as well as the Chicago MC's third album, One Day It'll All Make Sense (1997). From then onward, Blu abandoned his schoolyard freestyle frame of mind and dedicated his abilities to crafting well-written songs. As he started doing live performances, he paid his dues working as a hype man for several underground rap and soul artists, including Slum Village, Steve Spacek, Platinum Pied Pipers, and, of course, Emanon. His relationship with Exile and newfound mindset in making music pointed him toward signing with L.A. independent Sound in Color in 2004, which for the young MC meant brushing off interest from Interscope and Death Row.

Subsequently, he cut a few records for Exile's Sound in Color album, Dirty Science (2006), recorded features for other L.A. artists, and self-pressed his Lifted EP in 2006. When Below the Heavens first hit shelves in August 2007, Blu and Exile were virtual unknowns in underground hip-hop, but Blu's deft songwriting and Exile's soul-drenched, Jay Dee-influenced production quickly amassed them a national audience. Below the Heavens ended up on many critics' year-end lists and, particularly, launched Blu into the public hip-hop eye. Remaining independent, Blu later turned to Sound in Color labelmate and L.A.-via-Detroit MC/producer Ta'Raach (formerly known as Lacks) for the collaborative project C.R.A.C. Knuckles. Over the next five years, Blu released a total of seven albums and mixtapes, including 2011's Open and Blu & Exile's Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them in 2012. The previously unreleased albums Her Favorite Colo(U)r and NoYork! also finally saw proper release in 2013. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

The underground Los Angeles-based duo of MC Blu (b. Johnson Barnes) and DJ/producer Exile (b. Aleksander Manfredi) earned widespread acclaim right out of the gate with their debut album, Below the Heavens (2007), which critics crowned as the seemingly perfect marriage of Blu's everyday-struggle raps and Exile's Pete Rock- and J Dilla-inspired production. Blu, struggling to make ends meet at the time, first crossed paths with Exile in the early to mid-2000s, while the rapper earned gigs as a hype man for various soul/hip-hop outfits like Slum Village, Platinum Pied Pipers, and Exile's own duo, Emanon. In fact, Blu knew the other half of Emanon, MC/singer Aloe Blacc, who then introduced the two to each other. Deciding to sign to L.A. independent label Sound in Color, Exile's label home, in 2004, Blu began cutting a few records with the DJ/producer and assisted him with his solo LP, Dirty Science (2006). Blu was still trying to break into the industry, but Exile was enjoying production credits for the likes of Jurassic 5, Kardinal Offishall, and Mobb Deep. The release of the soul-entrenched collaborative effort, Below the Heavens in August 2007, put them both in the limelight and had fans of the alternative rap scene buzzing; however, it specifically garnered Blu many "Artist to Watch" features in various magazine and online publications throughout the year and into 2008. During subsequent years, they worked apart more than together; nevertheless, 2012 brought another co-billed LP, Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

4 u
Blu Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Light myself on fire just to please
Doing all these things it's just to fit your needs
And I can't stop, I can't miss a beat
Like a feedback loop I'm running on repeat

I'm always on, can't take a break
Wake up early, running late
Here tomorrow, gone today

There's gotta be a better way
Tell myself that it's alright
And I'll give this another try
Here in the morning, gone tonight
Don't you dare put up a fight

Enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you
I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you
I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you
I think I've had enough of you, enough of you
Enough of you

And I don't wanna let this go
I put on a smiling face, it's just for show
The more you learn, the less you know
Give me space, I need room to grow

I'm always on, can't take a break
Wake up early, running late
Here tomorrow, gone today
There's gotta be a better way
Tell myself that it's alright
And I'll give this another try
Here in the morning, gone tonight
Don't you dare put up a fight

Enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you
I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you
I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
Enough for you

I think I've had enough of you, enough of you
Enough of you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Blu Detiger's song "enough 4 u" explore the frustration and exhaustion of constantly trying to meet someone else's expectations and never feeling like it's enough. The singer reveals their willingness to sacrifice their own well-being and identity just to please this person. They describe metaphorically "lighting themselves on fire" and "doing all these things" to fit the other person's needs. The singer is caught in a repetitive cycle, unable to break free and continuously striving to meet the impossible standards set by the other person.

The lyrics convey a sense of feeling trapped and on constant autopilot. The singer mentions being "always on" and unable to take breaks, constantly running late and feeling a lack of control over their own time. They question if there is a better way to live and hint at their longing for freedom and personal growth, expressed through the lines "Give me space, I need room to grow."

The chorus emphasizes the singer's realization that they will never be enough for this person. Despite their efforts and sacrifices, they will always fall short. They express a sense of resignation and finally admit that they have had enough. The repeated phrase "Enough for you" serves as both a statement of their own self-worth and a rejection of the toxic dynamic.

Line by Line Meaning

Light myself on fire just to please
I go to extreme lengths and sacrifice myself in order to make you happy

Doing all these things it's just to fit your needs
Everything I do is solely to meet your expectations and fulfill your desires

And I can't stop, I can't miss a beat
I feel compelled to constantly keep up with your demands and never make a mistake

Like a feedback loop I'm running on repeat
I find myself trapped in a continuous cycle of trying to please you without any end in sight

I'm always on, can't take a break
I am always available and can never afford to rest or take a pause

Wake up early, running late
I start my day early and constantly struggle to catch up and meet your expectations

Here tomorrow, gone today
I exist in your life one moment and disappear the next, feeling transient and replaceable

There's gotta be a better way
I yearn for an alternative approach or solution that could free me from this constant pressure

Tell myself that it's alright
I try to convince myself that everything is fine and convince myself to keep going

And I'll give this another try
In spite of my doubts and exhaustion, I convince myself to make another attempt to meet your expectations

Here in the morning, gone tonight
I am present in your life in the morning but vanish by the night, feeling temporary and unappreciated

Don't you dare put up a fight
I plead with you not to resist or oppose my actions, fearing the repercussions of your dissatisfaction

Enough for you, enough for you
I question whether my efforts are sufficient and satisfactory for you

I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
I recognize that no matter what I do, I will never meet your standards or expectations

I think I've had enough of you, enough of you
I have come to the realization that I have reached my limit with you and can no longer endure

And I don't wanna let this go
Despite my frustration, I am unwilling to walk away or give up on this relationship

I put on a smiling face, it's just for show
I pretend to be happy and content, but it is merely a facade to conceal my true feelings

The more you learn, the less you know
As I become more familiar with you and your expectations, I realize how little I truly understand about what you want

Give me space, I need room to grow
I beg you to provide me with the freedom and independence I require in order to develop and find my own path

Enough for you, enough for you
I question whether I am sufficient and satisfactory for you once more

I'll never be enough for you, enough for you
I accept that I will never meet your standards or be enough for you

I think I've had enough of you, enough of you
I have reached my breaking point with you and can no longer tolerate our relationship

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Blu DeTiger, David Macklovitch, Patrick Gemayel, Rex Detiger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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