Blu took part in a very informational, entertaining interview with blog Quality Control. During the course of the interview, Blu gave some insight on which projects that he's currently working on now such as his next solo project Good To Be Home along with producer Bombay, the re-release of his & Exile's Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them, his forthcoming joint album with The Alchemist, past project & even more. To read this interview, click below. Note: The Quality Control interview is in Spanish, so you may have to translate it. If that will be a problem for many of you, I included various highlight snippets of some of the interview after the jump.
Read: Interview with Blu (Johnson Barnes Knowing. Part II)
Read: Interview with Blu (Johnson Barnes Knowing. Part II)
Blu: Hi everyone out there, I'm Blu and I'm doing fine thank you. As of now i am in my hometown writing and recording for my upcoming solo project titled "good to be home". It is entirely produced by my brother from another, Bombay!
Your second album with Exile is coming September 4th through Fat Beats, this time finished, mastered and with new tracks. Did Exile get mad when you drop it on bandcamp last year?
No he didn't, he was aware of my motives, he knew it would be out soon, I was just as excited as the fans when i found out what he was doing to the record for the physical version, or as i like to call it, the "Exile version".
You revealed earlier this year there were 75 songs (or maybe it was 45) recorded for “Below the Heavens”. Are any of those on “Give Me My Flowers…” ?
No.
What’s the meaning behind the album title?
The title was created last year, before the band camp release. I chose the title, me & ex had a few different titles, but in the end i thought this was the most fitting, due to the climate of music the year of the release. There were quite a few unexpected deaths, as if God decided to play rush & roulette w a loaded gun on innocent peoples lives. We don't know why all these young people were killed, and with all the pressure we felt obligated to say something. Hince, the title.
Are you going to release any music video for this new album?
If Ex is down. I like the novelty of the project. Its like a vinyl lovers exclusive.
Are you still planning to drop a solo album at the end of the year? You said it’s called “Good to be Home “, is that the one produced by Alchemist?
No, the Alchemist project is a secret.
In what album is “Kiss The Sky” on?
Where are you living right now? Tell us about Johnson Barnes daily routine.
Im in cali, the best weed, weather and women like Kendrick said. We are the west, we are the best! I wake up everyday and thank God for my fortune then i go outside walk thru it all day.
You dropped TheGodleeBarnes LP on 2010 , that was a dope piece of work , great rhymes and beats, but the quality was low. What thappened to the originals of that tape? Are you planning to release a mastered version? I hear you lost the masters. You have to remake that album ,we need that shit..
Bro, that album is gone! It was so much love and enjoyment put into the record. That was the first record i created on my own, out of the love i found from Hip Hop.It was "leaked" twice by myself for my "followers", not so much for the masses. Maybe one day.
Tell us your 5 essential albums.
Nas "Illmatic"
Boogie Down Productions "Criminal Minded"
Common "Like Water For Chocalate"
Common "Ressurection"
Ice Cube "Death Certificate"
Best album you’ve listened this year.
This year would have to be..Nas "Life Is Good"
Hey man! thanks for posting this. The interview is in english please edit that! The only part in spanish is the introduction to the interview!
but the questions and answers are IN ENGLISH.