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
Therapy
Blu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, yeah
Hmm, are you listening?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
When my mental drives me crazy
It makes me feel whole
It puts me in the zone
Being vulnerable to the world's harder than you think
Sometimes I wanna hide
The way I feel inside
But I gotta give it
I gotta give it
I've been put on this mission
To heal the world beyond my reasons
You think I chose this for me
I use this for therapy
Sometimes I get scared
Cause it's all I got left in me
When my mental drives me crazy
Music's therapy
It's makes me feel whole
It puts me in the zone
Being vulnerable to the world's harder than you think
Sometimes I wanna hide
The way I feel inside
But I gotta give it
Now we in session
This my confession
After prone to indiscretions
Relationships had me stressing, uh
Been through depression
Scared of rejection
So I hid all of my talents
I was aiming for perfection
Heard a lot of talk
I had to learn it the hard way
Instead of choosing me
I done ended up with heartache
I done grew from adolescence
And now I got the message
And I came out even stronger
And now I'm in my essence
Protected who's in my presence
Good energy's my obsession
If you don't fit you out the session
Pay attention to first impressions
So if I've been hiding from this world
My music's my possession
I hope you learn from me
And now you look at your reflection
Don't give up, stop making other people rich
Make dreams professions
Please don't look back
You going the right direction
Cause music is my injection
I had to heal my infection
Since I healed now
I'm teaching the lesson
When my mental drives me crazy
Music's therapy, This is our session
It makes me feel whole
It puts me in the zone
Being vulnerable to the world's harder than you think
Sometimes I wanna hide
The way I feel inside
But I gotta give it
In "Therapy," Blu expresses the power of music as a form of therapy for his mental health struggles. He emphasizes the importance of being heard and understood, as he questions if anyone is truly listening to him. The song highlights the difficulties of being vulnerable in a world that can be harsh and judgmental, but Blu recognizes the necessity of opening up and expressing his emotions.
Blu feels a sense of purpose in his mission to heal the world through his music, even though it scares him at times because it feels like his only outlet. He confesses his past tendencies to hide his talents and aim for perfection, which led to struggles with depression and fear of rejection. However, he has grown from those experiences, gaining a stronger sense of self and a focus on surrounding himself with positive energy.
Line by Line Meaning
Hmm, are you listening?
I'm asking if you are paying attention to what I'm about to say.
Can you hear me?
Can you truly understand and comprehend my thoughts and emotions?
When my mental drives me crazy
When my mind becomes overwhelmed and chaotic
Music's therapy
Music serves as a form of healing and solace for me
It makes me feel whole
Music brings a sense of completeness and fulfillment into my life
It puts me in the zone
Music helps me enter a state of deep focus and concentration
Being vulnerable to the world's harder than you think
Opening up and expressing my true emotions to the world is more difficult than one might imagine
Sometimes I wanna hide
There are moments when I desire to conceal my inner feelings
The way I feel inside
The emotions and thoughts that reside within me
But I gotta give it
Nevertheless, I must share and express myself authentically
I've been put on this mission
I have been entrusted with a purpose or calling
To heal the world beyond my reasons
My mission is to bring healing and positivity to the world beyond my personal motivations
You think I chose this for me
You may believe that I pursued this path solely for my own benefit
I use this for therapy
In reality, I utilize music as a form of self-therapy
Sometimes I get scared
At times, I feel fearful and apprehensive
Cause it's all I got left in me
Because music is the only remaining source of strength and resilience within me
Now we in session
We are now engaged in a therapeutic session or discussion
This my confession
I am about to openly admit and disclose my inner thoughts and experiences
After prone to indiscretions
Having made mistakes in the past
Relationships had me stressing, uh
Romantic relationships caused me significant distress and anxiety
Been through depression
I have experienced the depths of sadness and despair
Scared of rejection
Fearful of being turned away or abandoned
So I hid all of my talents
I concealed and suppressed my abilities and gifts
I was aiming for perfection
My goal was to achieve flawlessness in everything I did
Heard a lot of talk
I have encountered a great deal of idle chatter and empty promises
I had to learn it the hard way
I had to gain knowledge and wisdom through difficult and challenging experiences
Instead of choosing me
Rather than prioritizing my own well-being and happiness
I done ended up with heartache
I found myself in a state of emotional pain and heartbreak
I done grew from adolescence
I have matured and developed from my youthful stage of life
And now I got the message
I have finally understood and internalized the valuable lessons life has taught me
And I came out even stronger
As a result, I emerged from these experiences with increased strength and resilience
And now I'm in my essence
I have tapped into my authentic self and found my true identity
Protected who's in my presence
I prioritize being surrounded by positive and supportive individuals
Good energy's my obsession
I am deeply focused on maintaining and cultivating positive vibes and energy
If you don't fit you out the session
If you do not align with a positive and nurturing atmosphere, you are excluded from my presence
Pay attention to first impressions
It is important to be attentive to the initial judgements and feelings we have about others
So if I've been hiding from this world
If I have been avoiding showing my true self to the world
My music's my possession
Music is my personal treasure and outlet
I hope you learn from me
I wish that others can gain wisdom and insight from my experiences
And now you look at your reflection
And now, I hope you introspect and examine your own actions and thoughts
Don't give up, stop making other people rich
Do not surrender or abandon your dreams and aspirations, cease benefiting others at your own expense
Make dreams professions
Pursue your dreams with full dedication and transform them into your career
Please don't look back
Do not dwell on the past or let it hinder your progress
You going the right direction
You are currently moving towards the correct path and making progress
Cause music is my injection
Because music serves as a powerful source of inspiration and motivation for me
I had to heal my infection
I had to address and overcome my emotional wounds and negative influences
Since I healed now
Now that I have found healing and inner peace
I'm teaching the lesson
I am sharing my experiences and life lessons with others to guide and inspire them
This is our session
Together, we are engaging in a therapeutic and transformative experience
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Deonna Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@orr971
This beat is one of the reasons Alchemist is the best there is.
@militantmarxman5275
Top 5 def.
@mtombler
alc's loops are always the sickest! calmly smoke was in my head for months
@wm2922
Same here, magical sounds ❤
@PKSkyler
Where do we go when we're losing our minds...?
This is our therapy
@tubby140793
DAmn.. Listened to this song the first time i went to the USA-- It really gives me great memories! This beat NEVER gets old. Jammin in my head 24/7<3
@HoodPsychoP3dia
My fav version og cudi no lie the hiphop hooks with vado and cam,
Lloyd banks
This
List goes on he got hidden gems 💎
@MaxBeamer
one of the realest beats of 2010 i been jammin this track since the day it came out that guitar never gets old
@BatmanBeyondBelief
I’m back after years and it stills slaps
@Scummydickdouglas
been stuck on blu ever since I heard this shit... Godly cross breed between spike god n bruce