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
Atlantis
Blu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turn me up!
A son of God
A virgin with a gun
Another song makes it to number one
Everybody's rich
Nobody wants to die
Airplanes in the sky
A hardworking mom drops her kids off at school
The world stop today on the evening news
Turn your cells off
The gas prices fell
I was just a kid
Some days, it's hard to tell
Hotel, motel, holiday vaycay
New year, wedding anniversary, birthday
Lunchtime, dinnertime, breakfast
Another man got up today legless
Let us be grateful for eggs and mother's milk
Does a body good like wearing silk
We chilled out, rolling trees on the balcony
Gold teeth, living free in the South
Atlantis
Folks that don't lie
Dreams and bowties
Magazine wroter was dope, but young lady did a coke line
Clothes on her clothesline
Nobody's at home
Just a kid at the liquor store
A dollar twenty-five
Any prize at the bottom is mine
Close your eyes
Make a wish
Six minutes 'til showtime
The politician fumbled his lines
I changed the channel
There's a window in my living room
I like to travel
Tags on the Metro
The girls in the bathroom
The White Lauryn Hill
The new D'Angelo album
Cincinnati hits the tree
I write a leaf to a beat on repeat
First class, switch seats
The [?] grips the heat
His chain [?]
The game is tied up
The world needs a savior
I'm looking at my Gucci
It's about that time
One glance at the gods and earths
Priceless
Atlantis
Hundred and forty-four thousand
Public housing in Hugh Hefner's state
Riker's Island
Django when the stars' spangle
My chain dangles
City of the lost angels
Attica, attica
The bugs in the attic
Static
Rap classics
Black magic
Fear of a black planet
The aircraft landed
I'm Anderson Cooper and everybody's English
Jim [?] young
[?]
A man without a tongue
The weight of two tons
One gun
The benefiters of world peace everyone
Einstein, Edison, the presidents, medicine, medical cards, free health care benefits
I switched my plates
Moved to a new residence
I never got lost
Atlantis
The lyrics to Blu & Nottz's song "Atlantis" touched on various societal issues and themes while also giving a glimpse into the artist's personal life experiences. The song highlights the stark contrast between the privileged and the disadvantaged, the powerful and the powerless, and paints a picture of a world where everything is not as it seems. The opening lyrics, "A son of God, a virgin with a gun, another song makes it to number one," introduces the central themes of power, religion and music as depicted throughout the song.
The lyrics then delve into the daily realities of life, including the struggles of a hardworking mother, the monotony of work, the constant barrage of news about traumatic events and the timeless desire for a better life. A very important line in the song “Let us be grateful for eggs and mother's milk, Does a body good like wearing silk” sheds light on the importance of simple joys and pleasures in life. The song then moves to a different perspective, the artist's personal anecdotes, such as his love for traveling and music, his experiences with drugs, the impact of media on social perceptions and his admiration of cultural icons like Lauryn Hill.
Overall, the song is an insightful commentary on the complexities of life, highlighting the societal issues and mundane daily affairs that shape our world while also encouraging gratitude for everyday pleasures of life.
Line by Line Meaning
A son of God
An individual filled with divinity
A virgin with a gun
A person who is untouched by violence
Another song makes it to number one
Another popular song received top recognition
Everybody's rich
Everyone has achieved financial success
Nobody wants to die
No one desires to end their existence
It's a new day
The beginning of a fresh day
Airplanes in the sky
Aircraft taking flight in the sky
A hardworking mom drops her kids off at school
A mother who is dedicated to her children's education
The world stopped today on the evening news
Global events which captivated public attention
Turn your cells off
Electronic devices should be shut down
The gas prices fell
Falling fuel prices
I was just a kid
Referring to a youthful period of life
Some days, it's hard to tell
On certain occasions, life becomes confusing
Hotel, motel, holiday vaycay
Places to stay while traveling
New year, wedding anniversary, birthday
Dates of personal significance
Lunchtime, dinnertime, breakfast
Different times of day to consume food
Another man got up today legless
A person who has lost a limb
Let us be grateful for eggs and mother's milk
Express gratitude for food and nurturing
Does a body good like wearing silk
A nourishing substance, like a comfortable fabric
We chilled out, rolling trees on the balcony
Relaxing and smoking marijuana
Gold teeth, living free in the South
Ornamental teeth and living freely in the southern states
Folks that don't lie
People who speak honestly
Dreams and bowties
Aspirations and formal attire
Magazine writer was dope, but young lady did a coke line
The quality of the writer is exceptional, yet a young woman snorted cocaine
Clothes on her clothesline
Garments hanging on a clothesline
Nobody's at home
No one is present in the house
Just a kid at the liquor store
A minor purchasing alcohol
A dollar twenty-five
A specific amount of money
Any prize at the bottom is mine
Whatever at the bottom is claimed
Close your eyes
Cover your eyes
Make a wish
Make a request for something
Six minutes 'til showtime
A few minutes until a performance begins
The politician fumbled his lines
A politician stumbled when speaking
I changed the channel
Switched to a different TV program
There's a window in my living room
A window in a room within the home
I like to travel
Enjoys the act of journeying
Tags on the Metro
Markings within a metropolitan area
The girls in the bathroom
Women present in the bathroom
The White Lauryn Hill
A prestigious artist
The new D'Angelo album
A newly released album by an important artist
Cincinnati hits the tree
A significant event in a particular location
I write a leaf to a beat on repeat
Creating a similar melody multiple times
First class, switch seats
Trading seats in a luxury section
The [?] grips the heat
An action of holding a firearm
His chain [?]
A piece of jewelry owned by a man
The game is tied up
A sports contest is even
The world needs a savior
A call to action to rescue global concerns
I'm looking at my Gucci
Observing a high-end fashion item
It's about that time
A significant moment has arrived
One glance at the gods and earths
Acknowledging an important concept
Priceless
Invaluable
Hundred and forty-four thousand
A specific number
Public housing in Hugh Hefner's state
Subsidized housing within a particular area
Riker's Island
A prison complex
Django when the stars' spangle
Making a reference to a popular film
My chain dangles
A piece of jewelry sways back and forth
City of the lost angels
Location of people who are lost in life
Attica, attica
The name of a prison uprising
The bugs in the attic
Insects inhabiting a particular location
Static
Unstable or unclear communication
Rap classics
Timeless songs in the hip-hop genre
Black magic
Mystical practices rooted in African and Afro-Caribbean traditions
Fear of a black planet
Distress about an abundance of black people
The aircraft landed
An airplane has arrived on the ground
I'm Anderson Cooper and everybody's English
An impersonation of a prominent journalist
Jim [?] young
Reference to a possible person or entity
[?]
A line with no clear meaning
A man without a tongue
A man missing a vital organ for communication
The weight of two tons
An amount of significant heft
One gun
A singular firearm
The beneficiaries of world peace everyone
People who would gain from global harmony
Einstein, Edison, the presidents, medicine, medical cards, free health care benefits
Various aspects of science, politics, and healthcare
I switched my plates
Altering a motor vehicle's identification
Moved to a new residence
Relocating to a different home
I never got lost
Avoiding confusion and misplacement
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Johnson Barnes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lmj55freedom17
One of my favorite Gents Scents reviews to date, not because of the product, Ash, you handled this disaster so well. Congratulations. Loved it....
@phoenixfire83
This is why I follow you Ash. All they had to do was pay off a couple of fragrance YouTubers, and now they got frag heads eating out of the palm of their hands. So glad I didn’t buy into the hype.
@bh7984
You handled the awful experience well, Ash.
Imaging the folks at Blu Atlas right now saying: oh oh…. “Rapid unscheduled disassembly”
@fishfan2
😂 lol nice reference
@jtfragrance
Truly quality at its finest😂 Jokes aside, i truly appreciate how transparent Ashton is, hard to come by these days with paid influencers
@xERRRAHx
I appreciate your review of this. I am a big fan of Blu Atlas hygiene products as all natural body wash / deodorant / shampoo condition ... and HUGE FAN of their skincare products, sure a somewhat pricey brand.. but very high quality natural ingredients... having said that I was curious where some these fragrance experts for lack of better term, stood on the alantis cologne, as someone who likes higher end designer and niche fragrances, I understand this is more of an entry level simple safe bet, thought maybe use it as a safe gym fragrance.. I may pass on it, and got to higher quality colognes.
@tomschroeder784
Now that’s the honest review of Blu Atlas Atlantis I have been looking for. To celebrate you being such a stand-up guy, I’m wearing 8 sprays of Blue Ridge on this fine spring morning, from its bottle fearlessly picked up by the cap and having the perfect pressurized atomizer. Everything seems right in the world right now.😊
@van-khalidmcgee9881
Lmbooo
@aviationenthusiast238
I fell for the hype a few months ago but tbh I think it lived up to it. Its my go-to office scent. Unique, fresh, not too loud but noticable.
@shellroc21
Ash, you're the best reviewer in the game. This video is evidence of that. You handled it very well and still broke (literally) it down for us. I also thought it was all just hype.