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 Summer
Blu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let’s fly out to wherever, with shades and sunny weather
Come on, just quit the show
Been waiting for this moment, when everything is golden
Wait what’s happening, no
Road tripping on news right now
The streets are closed
Things are taking a turn
It’s time for you
Who’s with me
We heading to the beach
Burning with the city
We about to start a siege
Back off
‘Cause you’ve crossed the line
Time’s ticking, that’s right
Tonight, tonight
It’s fun and games ‘till you take over everything
That’s right, that’s right
Someone call the referee
If we don’t get to enjoy this time then summer’s out
Time out, time out, time out
Summer’s out
Someone call the referee
You better not come disagree now
Time out, time out, time out
Summer’s out
Curtains closed sanitizers on the floor
Only way to make me feel alive is
Spraying my vintage perfume
It feels like I’m in Waikiki
Day by day getting freaky freaky
Watching those heads, making my palm sweat
We’re losing it
Who’s with me
We heading to the beach
Burning with the city
We about to start a siege
Back off
‘Cause you’ve crossed the line
Time’s ticking, that’s right
Tonight, tonight
It’s fun and games ‘till you take over everything
That’s right, that’s right
Someone call the referee
If we don’t get to enjoy this time then summer’s out
Time out, time out, time out
Summer’s out
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We’re all losing it
My mind (my mind, my mind)
It’s fun and games ‘till you take over everything
That’s right, that’s right
Someone call the referee
If we don’t get to enjoy this time then summer’s out
Time out, time out, time out
Who’s with me
We heading to the beach
Bit nervous, yeah lowkey
Who’s with me
We heading to the beach
Time out time out
Summer’s Out
The song "The Summer" by Blu talks about the anticipation of summer, the excitement of traveling to new places and enjoying sunny weather with friends, but suddenly being hit with the news that summer has been canceled overnight. The lyrics describe a rebellion against this cancellation and a determination to make the most of the time despite the restrictions that have been put in place. The song emphasizes the importance of enjoying life and making memories with the people we care about, and how summer represents that opportunity for us.
The first verse of the song suggests that the singer and their friends are on the verge of setting out on a road trip, but things suddenly take a negative turn. The second and third verses paint a picture of the group's defiance, asserting that they will not take the cancellation of summer lying down. The chorus repeats the idea that enjoying the summer is paramount, and the bridge conjures up images of resorts and relaxation, despite the turmoil happening in the world around them.
Overall, "The Summer" is a message of hope and resilience, inspiring listeners to find joy and beauty in the world even when things seem bleak.
Line by Line Meaning
Pack your clothes, let’s go
Let's leave now and travel wherever we want
Let’s fly out to wherever, with shades and sunny weather
Let's travel to a place with warm, sunny weather
Come on, just quit the show
Let's leave everything behind and go on this trip
Been waiting for this moment, when everything is golden
We've been anticipating this vacation for a while and everything seems perfect now
Wait what’s happening, no
Something unexpected is happening
Road tripping on news right now
We are currently learning about news while on a road trip
The streets are closed
The roads are blocked and not accessible
Things are taking a turn
The situation has changed suddenly and unexpectedly
Summer’s been canceled overnight
The summer we were anticipating has been canceled abruptly
It’s time for you
Now is the time for action
Who’s with me
Who is ready to follow me on this adventure?
We heading to the beach
We are going to the beach
Burning with the city
Feeling the summer spirit alongside the hustle of city life
We about to start a siege
We are about to have an exciting and fun time
Back off
Stay away from us
‘Cause you’ve crossed the line
You have angered us and we won't tolerate it anymore
Time’s ticking, that’s right
We don't have much time but we will make the most of it
It’s fun and games ‘till you take over everything
We are having a great time until someone interferes and ruins it all
Someone call the referee
We need someone to control the situation and make sure things are fair
If we don’t get to enjoy this time then summer’s out
If we can't have fun on this trip, then the summer season has been ruined for us
Time out, time out, time out
We need a break from everything
Curtains closed sanitizers on the floor
Taking precautions to stay healthy
Only way to make me feel alive is
The only thing that makes me feel alive is
Spraying my vintage perfume
Using a nostalgic scent to feel good
It feels like I’m in Waikiki
I feel like I am in a tropical paradise
Day by day getting freaky freaky
Getting more and more adventurous each day
Watching those heads, making my palm sweat
Feeling nervous and excited at the same time
We’re losing it
We are becoming crazy with excitement
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
An expression of enthusiasm and excitement
My mind (my mind, my mind)
My thoughts and emotions
Bit nervous, yeah lowkey
Feeling a little anxious but trying to hide it
Summer’s Out
The summer season is over and our trip has ended
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Jisoo Song, Lucy Kim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
El Capchador
Se parece un poco a Summer Madnes /kool and the Gang
Elyvation
it is, they sampled it
Mario P.
sticky fingaz all nite long... u know