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
The Feeling
Blu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace, Yellow Evisu...you know I need you
I got this yellow dripping all over my brown skin features
I know you see me looking shinny like the sky in Ibiza
With my Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace
Versace yellow too, looking better than you
So all you haters back off, I aint cut from that cloth
I ain’t tryna act funny, but I don’t fuck with y’all
I’m Looking Good, I’m feeling Good
I know you see me in my...
Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace, Yellow Yeezy...I make it look easy
I got this yellow dripping all over my high heel sneakers
I know you see me looking shinny from the nose bleed bleachers
So all you haters back off, I aint cut from that cloth
I ain’t tryna act funny, but I don’t fuck with y’all
Because I’m feeling Good, I’m feeling Good
I’m Looking Good, I’m feeling Good
I know you see me when I’m hopping out of that Benz, Popping out of that Porsche
You know who we are looking yellow like a star
Racking up on them M’s like Labron up on the court
You know who we are looking yellow like a star
(You ain’t fresher than I am)
I know you see me in my...
Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace, Yellow Yeezy...I make it look easy
I got this yellow dripping all over my high heel sneakers
I know you see me looking shinny from the nose bleed bleachers
So all you haters back off, I aint cut from that cloth
I ain’t tryna act funny, but I don’t fuck with y’all
Because I’m feeling Good, I’m feeling Good
I’m Looking Good, I’m feeling Good
In "Lemme Try Some," Blu & Exile rap about their confidence, success, and their fashionable yellow clothing. The song is an anthem of self-love and self-affirmation, with the artists expressing their happiness and pride with their current state of being. The chorus repeats the lines "I'm feeling good, I'm looking good," emphasizing the positive energy that the artists are exuding.
The lyrics highlight the artists' love for designer fashion, particularly yellow ones, and the life they've built for themselves. They are aware of the attention and admiration they receive and revel in it by confidently boasting about their success. They refuse to entertain negativity and drama, and instead, focus on living their best lives while exuding good energy.
Overall, the song is a reminder to celebrate oneself and to stay positive, letting the haters fall away while embracing love and good vibes.
Line by Line Meaning
Lemme Try Some
The singer is about to brag about their style and appearance.
Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace, Yellow Evisu...you know I need you
The singer is wearing high-end designer clothing in the color yellow, and feels they need these clothes to express their style.
I got this yellow dripping all over my brown skin features
The singer is proud of their yellow clothing, and thinks it complements their dark skin.
I know you see me looking shinny like the sky in Ibiza
The artist thinks their yellow clothing makes them stand out and look shiny, like the sky in a tropical vacation destination.
With my Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace
The artist is continuing to show off their designer clothes in yellow.
Versace yellow too, looking better than you
The singer thinks their Versace clothing looks better than whoever they are addressing in this line.
So all you haters back off, I aint cut from that cloth
The singer is telling off any detractors and confidently asserting their fashion sense.
Because I’m feeling Good, I’m feeling Good
The artist is feeling confident and good about themselves.
I’m Looking Good, I’m feeling Good
The artist is continuing to assert their good looks and confidence.
I know you see me in my...
The artist is about to list more of their designer clothes.
Yellow Louis, Yellow Versace, Yellow Yeezy...I make it look easy
The singer is wearing more yellow designer clothing, including Yeezy, and thinks they pull off the look effortlessly.
I got this yellow dripping all over my high heel sneakers
The artist is proud of their yellow clothing, down to their shoes.
I know you see me looking shinny from the nose bleed bleachers
The singer thinks their yellow clothing makes them stand out, even from far away.
So all you haters back off, I aint cut from that cloth
The singer repeats their earlier sentiment, telling off any detractors.
I ain’t tryna act funny, but I don’t fuck with y’all
The singer is not trying to be confrontational, but does not have time for negativity or criticism.
You know who we are looking yellow like a star
The artist and whoever they are with are dressed in yellow and think they look like stars.
Racking up on them M’s like Labron up on the court
The artist is making a comparison to LeBron James, implying they are making a lot of money and successful.
(You ain’t fresher than I am)
The singer is bragging about being fresher (having better fashion sense) than whoever they are addressing in this line.
Because I’m feeling Good, I’m feeling Good
The singer repeats their earlier assertion of feeling confident and good about themselves.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Aasia Scott, Feleshia Thornton, Jarell Edmonds, Marcus Thornton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D!PS
The feeling is gone, couldn’t even pen a good song
I had to let it go, and ask God to direct my flow
My life was blessed, even times when my life was less
I kept faith, and God kept me in a good place
I faced adversity before, not saying it was worse
I’m really saying now it’s even more
But I can’t let it put me underground
I have a kid to live for, I got to find a way to make him proud
Especially when there’s police killing children
And you got the nerve to try and ask me how I’m feeling
My n-, I’m a black man, not trying to turn this to a racist thing
'Cause worldwide, we can see that it’s a racist thing
I think you’ll understand if I explain it like a man
But just being honest yo, I don’t have the plan
All I got is two hands, to touch what is real
And honestly, I stopped giving a fuck how you feel
The feeling
Aye yo they robbed me for everything I have
So all I ever worked for was thrown in the trash
They took all my equipment and the masters to my records
They took away the biggest part of my child’s investment
Questioned, but no I wasn’t given back a dime
'Cause I didn’t have insurance, all they're sure of is the crime
And the fact that I’m broke, and my life is on the ropes
But I got good health, trying to buy high hopes
But you never know
Some people lose a lot more, and can’t get it back
And that’s why I’m torn
I have a huge love for making music to encourage
But now I can’t afford to record no more
I got warrants for fighting and that made my life a lot harder
Not to mention I’m too poor to support my daughter
But they’ll never know so I just keep on killin’ it
Whether or not I’m even feelin’ it or fulfillin’
The feeling
Yo, the feeling is true, real, something you can feel
The feeling is deeper than any rapper’s record deal
The feeling is the healing, not the killing
The feeling is one of the reasons I’m still living
But I don’t got it brother, all I got now is God
And my will that all of me and mines survive
I’m trying to let it go, though I never thought I would
I kept it so deep inside, I never thought I could
Not sure if it returns, or if it just burns
But I learned, the feeling is something that’s confirmed
Though it’s not eternal, and it’s not deep as love
I know back then I felt it like blood
I can hug, I can kiss, I can even get dissed
But all I know is the feeling will surely be missed
I felt you, and yeah it almost felt like I held you
The real is the only thing that can replace the feeling
The feeling
Teo Cioffi
The most slept on hip hop duo of all time
Aaron Johnson
That’s a fact
AVG Recordings
💯
Sarah Lou
What a beautiful song wow. Blu is my fav lyricist ever !
aquariuscheers
Word 👍🏾
soggy Britches
Artist!!
Brandon Coetzee
Same here ❤
Bounty Rogue Cinemax
Beautiful.. sad this album got slept on. So much crap on the radio. This album made me feel better.
Carmelo Fuentes
Album of the year easy.
A lot of our favorites fell off, but Exile is not only one of the illest, but most consistent ever period. Everybody know bar for bar, Blu one of the GOATs.
Miles Away would definitely be a dope next single/music video.
Thank you.
deenorectah
album of the year in hh:
1. Ra Rugged Man - All My Heroes....
2. Blu + Exile - MIles Davis
3. RTJ4