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
Boyz N The Hood
Blu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the village we just happened to roam
Knuckleheads, bad to the bone
And every single snotnose had an addict at home
I drunk Vodka and juice with the fatherless youth
Everyday in between the hours of two we ate taco's and hoot
Every now and then somebody would shoot
They hit that younging with a stray while he was tying his shoe
And nobody said a word about the body on the curb
Hit the homie Flacko, that's the vato with the herb
I mean he probably cool, but his posse full of herbs
Got a Chronic from the 'burbs
Around the same time I was trying to learn
How to pick a lock with a hanger, load shots in the chamber
Get loaf from the cops and the neighbors
Boys in the hood
Born and raised in killa Cali, dreaming one day the city's ours
Young niggas hopping fences looking chilly [?]
[?]
Young kids wearing Nike's sharing bikes, tearing mics up
Kept a nice cut in the fades
Never affiliated, but my niggas bang getting paid
Shouts to my grandma, still in the J's
Coco ave. fo-fo mag tucked away when the po-po's pass
Walked to the stove, but don't step on the old folk grass
A 80's baby like thrifty's and [?]
Wear the wrong colors might as well dig your grave
Ditch your school to throw hands, stick and move
Bagging chicks at five tails like shit was cool
Dipping dudes, go by a set of different rules
We obviously ain't got shit to lose, boys in the hood
I got the old 3 sitting on my neck for my set
Big B sitting on my chest for the best
Headed to the East, raised in the West
In them streets I think you need a cage and a vest
Ducking strays on my way to church, on my way to work
Blazed trying to lace a verse so I can pay the first
Blu be copping chains, shopping days 'til my pockets hurt
Rob a purse if she see me in a soggy shirt
But on the turf niggas flipping work, chickens chirp
On a flirt, nonsense, no smirk, jerkface, tell the jerk
Burgers in a shank
If she think she worth what she work she need a break
Pissing off the city with a silly cigarette on my BMX
With my Rollie on and my Holy text
Telling Moses "you can lead us through the sea"
But you can't keep seas out the streets
Boys in the hood
After school niggas eating Cheeto's by the tether-ball
Tony Starks had me fiending for them leather clarks
5-0-1's, I'm [?]
Niggas going chesting, we watched Darwin duck
Bad niggas rocking duck tails, thermos with the lunch pail
Taking trips to Cadeline and niggas swear we upscale
Puff ails, OE cans and Mickey
Real Venice before they're turning shit to [?]
That pass is in me skating through that 818
Homies out the pen like Ray Lewis gaining weight
It ain't for play
Thought you know them boys that banging the whole hood
Shook, just soft of [?]
[?] Domino, my uncle bumped the Commodores
Humping on the sub and just be done before their mama home
Reminiscing with these poisonous goods
Dopeboy, get that dope, boy, boys in the hood
Lost in promiseland milking honey's
Feel the dreams, this the city of angel
Set your neck on the line, that shit'll get strangled
What you expect? Besides connected, the culdesac counsil
Starterjacks [?] and it sort of pass
Fresh from court, no ward in pass
Pour more with a taller glass
Monetary support towards some college class
A wealth of knowledge, hustle mania
Game became placed to make power
Sitting on the stoop like a substitute, solid
Chopping it with the barbers [?]
Sipping a chalice in childish comfort
The colors got colored improper
Shuffling shuckers, cool suckers, cards for audit
The song "Boyz N The Hood" by Blu speaks about his experiences growing up in the rough streets of California. He describes his love for the block and the constant danger he and his friends faced. The lyrics talk about how they would drink vodka and juice with fatherless youth and eat tacos and hoot between the hours of two. They would also learn how to pick locks with hangers, use guns, and avoid the police. Blu talks about how his friends would get into trouble with gang members, and sometimes innocent people would get caught in the crossfire. Despite the dangers, Blu and his friends still called the block "home" and tried to survive in their harsh environment.
Blu's lyrics paint a vivid picture of the reality of growing up in the hood. He speaks about young kids wearing Nike's and sharing bikes, trying to make the best of what they had. They would ditch school to throw hands, stick and move, or even bag chicks. Blu talks about how he still sees himself as an 80's baby and how he wears the wrong colors at his own risk. He expresses his love for his grandma and describes how she still lives in the J's. Blu is proud of where he comes from and cherishes the memories he has of growing up in the hood.
Overall, the song speaks about the harsh realities of growing up in a neighborhood where violence and gang activity are a part of everyday life. It sheds light on the difficulties that young people face in these environments and the ways in which they try to survive amidst the dangers.
Line by Line Meaning
I was in love with the block, call it the avenue Jones
I had a deep connection to my neighborhood, which I referred to as the avenue Jones.
Through the village we just happened to roam
We wandered around the neighborhood aimlessly.
Knuckleheads, bad to the bone
There were some tough and troublemaking individuals around.
And every single snotnose had an addict at home
Even young kids had to deal with drug addiction in their homes.
I drunk Vodka and juice with the fatherless youth
I drank with young kids who didn't have fathers present in their lives.
Everyday in between the hours of two we ate taco's and hoot
We hung out and ate tacos and had fun between 2 PM and whatever time we wanted.
Every now and then somebody would shoot
Occasionally someone would shoot a gun around us.
They hit that younging with a stray while he was tying his shoe
Someone was shot and hit by a stray bullet while tying their shoe.
Let if off then they hopped in the coupe
They quickly drove off in their car after the shooting.
And nobody said a word about the body on the curb
No one spoke up about the body that was left on the street.
Hit the homie Flacko, that's the vato with the herb
One of our friends named Flacko, who sold marijuana, was shot.
I mean he probably cool, but his posse full of herbs
Flacko might be a decent guy, but he hangs out with foolish people.
Got a Chronic from the 'burbs
We got marijuana from the suburbs.
Around the same time I was trying to learn
During that period, I was attempting to figure out how to do something.
How to pick a lock with a hanger, load shots in the chamber
I was learning how to pick locks with a hanger and load a gun.
Get loaf from the cops and the neighbors
I was figuring out how to steal from the cops and the neighbors.
Born and raised in killa Cali, dreaming one day the city's ours
I was born and raised in California, with a dream of taking over the city one day.
Young niggas hopping fences looking chilly [?]
Young black guys were jumping fences and looked suspicious.
Kept a nice cut in the fades
Our fades were trimmed neatly and looked nice.
Never affiliated, but my niggas bang getting paid
I never joined a gang, but my friends were earning cash from illegal activities.
Shouts to my grandma, still in the J's
Shoutout to my grandmother who still wears Jordans.
Coco ave. fo-fo mag tucked away when the po-po's pass
I hid my gun when the police came by Coco Avenue.
Walked to the stove, but don't step on the old folk grass
I walked around the neighborhood, but was careful not to trample the seniors' grass.
A 80's baby like thrifty's and [?]
I was born in the 80s and liked shopping at thrift stores and [something unclear].
Wear the wrong colors might as well dig your grave
Wearing the wrong colors could lead to getting killed.
Ditch your school to throw hands, stick and move
Skipping school to fight, then immediately leaving after was a common occurrence.
Bagging chicks at five tails like shit was cool
Acting cool while flirting with girls was common, even at a young age.
Dipping dudes, go by a set of different rules
Being ruthless and following different rules than the norm was commonplace.
I got the old 3 sitting on my neck for my set
I have a tattoo representing my gang on my neck.
Big B sitting on my chest for the best
I have another tattoo with a 'Big B' representing my gang on my chest.
Headed to the East, raised in the West
I'm moving to the East side of town after being raised on the West side.
In them streets I think you need a cage and a vest
Being out in the streets is dangerous and you need to protect yourself.
Ducking strays on my way to church, on my way to work
I have to avoid stray bullets while going to church or work.
Blazed trying to lace a verse so I can pay the first
I'm smoking marijuana while trying to write lyrics to make money.
Blu be copping chains, shopping days 'til my pockets hurt
I'm buying expensive chains and shopping excessively until my pockets hurt.
Rob a purse if she see me in a soggy shirt
I will mug a woman if she sees me in a cheap, wet shirt.
But on the turf niggas flipping work, chickens chirp
On the streets, people are flipping (selling) drugs and revving their engines loudly.
On a flirt, nonsense, no smirk, jerkface, tell the jerk
Flirting and saying questionable things without cracking a smile, I called out the rude guy as a jerk.
Burgers in a shank
I had food (burgers) while carrying a weapon (a shank).
If she think she worth what she work she need a break
If a woman thinks she deserves payment solely based off of her looks, she needs to reevaluate.
Pissing off the city with a silly cigarette on my BMX
I'm irritating the city by smoking a cigarette while riding my BMX bike.
With my Rollie on and my Holy text
I had my expensive Rolex watch and the Holy Bible with me.
Telling Moses "you can lead us through the sea"
I jokingly spoke with Moses, urging him to lead us like he did the Israelites through the sea.
But you can't keep seas out the streets
Even though Moses led his people through the sea, he can't protect us from the violent streets.
After school niggas eating Cheeto's by the tether-ball
After school, we ate Cheetos while hanging around the tetherball court.
Tony Starks had me fiending for them leather clarks
I was obsessed with getting the same leather shoes as rapper Tony Starks (Ghostface Killah).
5-0-1's, I'm [?]
I'm not sure what this line means, possibly referring to Levi's jeans.
Niggas going chesting, we watched Darwin duck
People were acting tough and getting into fights, but we avoided physical altercations.
Bad niggas rocking duck tails, thermos with the lunch pail
Tough guys had particular hairstyles and brought thermos lunch pails to school.
Taking trips to Cadeline and niggas swear we upscale
We traveled to a certain location that made people think we had more money than we actually did.
Puff ails, OE cans and Mickey
We smoked cigarettes and drank OE and Mickey's Malt Liquor.
Real Venice before they're turning shit to [?]
We knew the real Venice before it changed into something else (possibly gentrified).
Homies out the pen like Ray Lewis gaining weight
Friends who were incarcerated, like Ray Lewis, were gaining weight while locked up.
It ain't for play
Our lifestyle wasn't something to be taken lightly.
Thought you know them boys that banging the whole hood
You might think you know the guys that have taken over the entire neighborhood.
Shook, just soft of [?]
You're scared and not quite as tough as you thought you were.
[?] Domino, my uncle bumped the Commodores
I'm not sure what this line means, possibly referring to a game called Chicken Foot and/or sharing music with family.
Humping on the sub and just be done before their mama home
We would have sex on the subway and finish before our mothers got home.
Reminiscing with these poisonous goods
Reflecting on the dangerous items (weapons, drugs) we carry with us.
Dopeboy, get that dope, boy, boys in the hood
We're drug dealers, getting money by selling drugs, repping our neighborhood.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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