Blu

Biography

Johnson Barnes III (born April 15, 1983), better known by his stage name Blu, is an American rapper and record producer from Los Angeles, California. He performs as one half of the duo Blu & Exile, which was formed in 2007 and who released their debut studio album, Below the Heavens in July of that year. He is also the forefront member of the California-based collective, Dirty Science. He is recognized for his collaborative albums with record producers Mainframe, Ta'Raach, Bombay, Damu the Fudgemunk, Madlib, Nottz, and Union Analogtronics. Since his debut, he has had a productive standard of releasing multiple albums.

Musical career

By age 19, Blu was selling out local shows at the Knitting Factory, House Of Blues, and headlining once a month at the Rumba Room on Universal City Walk. Back then, he recorded with various rap groups such as the Ill Flava Crew, Infinite Legacy crew, The Untouchable Mob, Glory For The People, The LA Metro Crew and the Bridgetown Steel Crew. He was also a contestant on the MTV game show, "Who Knows The Band" and won. Grammy award-winning producer Megahertz had flown Blu out to New York to sign him to his new label after producing hits for Jay-Z, R Kelly, P Diddy, Busta Rhymes, and Nas but eventually walked away from the deal. At age 20, he had started negotiating a record deal with Death Row Records but decided to independently release his first solo album titled California Soul×California Soul1 January 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Intro1:512Let It Bang4:063Pimp Strutt5:284Feel Good Music5:295Soul Sista3:546Hey DJ3:247Body Language4:488California Soul4:489Hold Up4:0610Its a Shame4:2211I Used to Love Her Too4:5712My Warm Heart Turns Cold4:3913Somebody Else4:5414One Day5:12 (which would be re-released onto streaming platforms on January 1, 2024). It was produced by early collaborators L's and Bombay, and featured Bridgetown crew members Donel Smokes (Black Spade) and Miguel.

2005–2008: Below the Heavens, C.R.A.C. and Johnson&Jonson

After doing a feature for the group Science Project, Blu was introduced to Aloe Blacc, who was also featured on the album. Aloe Blacc said he had heard a lot about Blu and said he should work with the DJ/producer of his group Emanon, Exile. Exile came out to a Blu show, and afterwards invited him to be on his new compilation album entitled "Dirty Science" on Sound In Color Records. After hearing Blu on various compositions throughout Exile's album, "Sound In Color" signed Blu to a one-album deal and immediately began to feature him on various releases for the label. After working with Oh No, and reaching out to J Dilla and Madlib for production on his own album, Blu decided to have Exile produce his entire LP for Sound In Color. By the time the album was done, Blu had completed two other full-length albums, one with Detroit hip-hop rapper/producer Ta'Raach and with Sound In Color/Operation Unknown producer and CEO, Mainframe.
In 2006, Blu pressed up the Lifted EP and mixtape premiering various productions with Exile and songs with J Dilla and KRS-One. While an opening act on a tour with Seattle-based LifeSavas and Dallas-based Strange Fruit Project, Blu discovered all three of his unreleased but fully completed full-length albums had leaked. The leak grew and crowds already knew his songs as he debuted them at each show for the rest of the tour. These three albums began to build a huge buzz online and caught the attention of Okayplayer, as well as other sites like HipHopDX and Nah Right, who all named him "Rookie Of The Year". The Exile-produced album was eventually released in 2007, entitled Below the Heavens. However, since the label Sound in Color were almost bankrupt, only 7,000 copies of the album was pressed on CD, with no vinyl other than the single for the album, "The Narrow Path×The Narrow Path7 August 2007 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1The Narrow Path5:112Party of 23:223The Narrow Path (clean)4:434Party of 2 (clean)3:235The Narrow Path (instrumental)4:436Party of 2 (instrumental)3:23", which was also released in 2006. The label went bankrupt a few months later following the release.
In 2008, Blu & Ta'Raach released the album titled The Piece Talks under the moniker C.R.A.C. (or C.R.A.C. Knuckles). It was completely produced by Ta'Raach and featured Shawn Jackson, Noni Lomar, and Jazmin Mitchell. Originally sold on tour in 2005, the album included their hit single, "League Leaders" (The Friar cover) and the 6 inch single, "The King".
During that same year, Blu's album with Mainframe was released under the group name Johnson&Jonson. It was produced by Mainframe with rapping by Blu (alongside some occasional rapping from Mainframe), as well as features from Gonja Sufi and Miguel. It was promoted with a mixtape called Powders & Oils, which consisted of a few more exclusive songs. All of Johnson&Jonson's music consisted of only loops and raps.

2008–2011: Production moniker GODlee Barnes and Her Favorite Colo(u)r

Blu used the production techniques he learned from working on albums with Exile, Mainframe, and Ta'Raach and began to produce beats. He started working on a what was intended to be a self-produced follow up to Below the Heavens. However, Blu's hard drive crashed, and the master files were lost; the album was eventually released in an unmixed and unmastered form, as a continuous mp3 file, in January 2010 under the title theGODleeBarnesLP. Blu also showcased his production on a albums including the collaboration with Brooklyn rapper and actor Sene entitled A Day Late & A Dollar Short and the instrumental album Open, which was later turned into a rap compilation of the same name, with various artists who rapped over the instrumental version of this album. Furthermore, Blu produced an album titled Her Favorite Colo(u)r for himself, which was initially released for free download online after breaking up with his girlfriend. The album was officially released in 2011.

2009–2012: Sire/Warner Bros, York, Jesus, and Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them

In 2009, Blu signed an artist deal, an independent film deal, as well as a label deal for his company, New World Color, with Tom Whalley at Warner Bros. Records. He then began working on a movie and album called No York. The album would feature production from Los Angeles×Los Angeles12 July 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks154th1:432The Land3:433Los Angeles3:044Three Wheel Motion4:015LA Tourists3:566LA Traffic3:357The Cold3:458Hell3:319Heaven2:4910Wish You Were Here2:1511Lights at Night3:1212Wild Wild West2:4013The LA2:35 beat scene heavyweights such as Flying Lotus, SA-RA Creative Partners, Daedelus, Madlib, Knxwledge, Samiyam, and others. The film was to be written by Blu and directed by Khalil Joseph. Eventually, labelmates began to leave the label and all the A&R representatives began to lose their jobs. Then Tom Whalley was fired and the entire label was bought out. This took place over a year and a half and brought complete stagnation to any Warner Bros. releases. Def Jam presidents and A&R's were hired by Lyor Cohen, and Kyambo Joshua became Blu's A&R representative and creative director. After so much stagnation and no one being paid for contributions, Kyambo eventually helped Blu leave the label and release his music independently. However, promo copies of No York were pressed.
Blu then released a mixtape in celebration of his independence titled Jesus×Jesus26 July 2011 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1New Shit0:552What If I Was4:083On the Porch1:234Lucky4:335DMV1:516Burgundy1:4874 U2:238Doo Whop2:559Birdz n Beez1:4810Jesus4:2811Do the Knxwledge1:25, which was released under his imprint New World Color, in conjunction with Nature Sounds Records. This album was recorded in two days, produced by Blu, and featuring production from Madlib, Alchemist, Knxwledge, Hezekiah and Rome, as well as guest appearances from Planet Asia & Killer Ben of Durag Dynasty.
During Blu's stay with Sire/Warner Bros, he was given 50 beats from Exile. Blu didn't feel the production would fit his No York album, but found a bunch of old songs he wrote that had no beats. Blu recorded about 25 songs in two weeks to the Exile beats, which were later leaked online and eventually officially released under Dirty Science/Fat Beats, as Blu & Exile's Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them. The album featured guest appearances from Fashawn, Dag Savage, and Homeboy Sandman. An instrumental version of the album was also released.
The demo songs for "No York" were released as an album titled York through New World Color. Recorded in New York and Los Angeles; and initially leaked in 2011, the album featured exclusive and previously released production from Flying Lotus, SA-RA Creative Partners, Daedelus, Madlib, Knxwledge, Dibia$e, Samiyam, and Exile. It also featured vocals from U-God, Edan, Theophilus London, SA-RA, J*Davey, Andy Also, Pac Div, UNI, Tiron, and Ayomari. York was toured along the West Coast with the live band, Koochie Monsters replaying all the songs from the album. A group with Ken Beats, co-producer of York, also spawned off under a group called Neu Ngz. They performed live but never released any material.

2013–2016: Good to Be Home, Bad Neighbor and various projects with producers

After a lack of recently recorded albums in two years, Blu released a double album titled Good to Be Home×Good to Be Home19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Home4:182The Return4:543Back Home Again1:524Boyz n the Hood4:155Whip Creme (Part One)4:336The West2:467The 50z3:178The LA3:509Summer Time2:5510The Summer / Angel Dust5:15Disc 21Rap Dope3:282Dre Day1:493Red & Gold4:184Child Support3:125Well Fare3:126He Man4:227Brown Sugar5:008Bobby Brown3:139Can't Stop, Won't Stop6:4910The West (Part Two)2:33 in 2014, produced entirely by one of his earliest producers, Bombay. Released on Nature Sound Records, the album was inspired by Blu connecting back with his West Coast roots after touring the world; and features guest appearances from Prodigy, Planet Asia, Strong Arm Steady, Step Brothers, Chace Infinite, Imani, LMNO & 2Mex from the Visionaries, MED, Oh No, Fashawn, Pac Div, Co$$, Definite Mass and many others.
Blu followed up with a collaboration album with MED, produced entirely by Madlib called Bad Neighbor with features from Stones Throw alumni MF Doom, Aloe Blacc, Dam Funk, Anderson .Paak, Mayor Hawthorne, Frank Nitt and Oh No, as well as Hodgy Beats (Odd Future), AMG, and Phonte. The album was promoted by a video and single for "Burgundy Whip" with Jimetta Rose back in 2013, and followed up with the single, "The Buzz" b/w "Peroxide" featuring Dâm-Funk. The album was also released as instrumentals.
In 2013, Blu teamed up with infamous Virginia producer Nottz for the EP Gods In The Spirit which featured Homeboy Sandman, Aloe Blacc, Dag Savage, and many others. The EP was followed up in 2016 with another EP, Titans in the Flesh which featured Skyzoo, Torae, Bishop Lamont and many others. Both EP's were released under Coalmine Records, with the 2018 re-release Gods in the Spirit, Titans in the Flesh compiling both EPs into a full-length album. Other projects from 2016 included Crenshaw Jezebel with Ray West, Cheetah in the City with French production duo Union Analogtronics; and Open Your Optics to Optimism with Fa†e. Blu also released 45's with Alchemist and The 45 King.
In 2017, Blu & Exile celebrated the 10th anniversary of Below the Heavens at Regent Theater in Los Angeles, California, with a performance in its entirety with a live band.

2018–2022: The Blueprint, A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night, For Sale and The Color Blu(e)

In March 2018, Blu released a mixtape exclusively on his Bandcamp titled The DS Dumbstyle Mixtape, Volume One; which served as a compilation of songs Blu produced for various artists including Homeboy Sandman, Sene, Roc C, ScienZe, Young RJ and MED. This was then followed up a month later by the album The Blueprint×The Blueprint20 April 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks1BANG ST A1:2521 9 8 31:503RED HOT L.A.2:434C.O.L.O.R.S.3:495GANG ST A4:016L.A. L.A.3:537SOUTH L.A.0:558FAKE ST AZZ2:069MY FAV COLO(U)R3:1110BLOCK ST HOOD1:47112 LIVE N DIE N L.A.3:3312RAY RAY (THE BLUEPRINT)4:1313THE COLO(U)R BLACK3:2514B.S. (THE RETURN)4:0215G.U.N. (CLAP CLAP)4:0716THE TOOKIE MONSTERS3:3117WHO SIDE ARE YOU ON?4:2318GANG ST A (remix)3:06191 9 5 31:1420OUTS0:2821B.U.M.S.1:3222ME AGAINST THE WORLD1:21, which was entirely produced by Shafiq Husayn. His project with Nottz titled Gods in the Spirit, Titans in the Flesh, was also released the same year. In 2019, Blu teamed up with rapper/producer Oh No to release A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night, which served as a concept album based on underground life in Los Angeles×Los Angeles12 July 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks154th1:432The Land3:433Los Angeles3:044Three Wheel Motion4:015LA Tourists3:566LA Traffic3:357The Cold3:458Hell3:319Heaven2:4910Wish You Were Here2:1511Lights at Night3:1212Wild Wild West2:4013The LA2:35.
2021 saw Blu not only release the Sirplus-produced EP For Sale×For Sale11 June 2021 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Intro1:412Homemade2:013Funkorama3:164Let It Shine3:385Starcastle2:486Golden2:447Outro2:13, but also his first multi-produced project since 2013's York: The Color Blu(e); which was released on September 24, 2021. Preceded by the singles "People Call Me Blu(e)" and "Because the Sky is Blu(e)" and featuring production from Exile, Sirplus and J57, the project serves as a concept album that celebrates and reflects on Blu's creative journey, with the word "Blu(e)" being featured in every of the album's song titles.

2023–present: Projects with various producers and streaming reissues

In September 2023, Blu released Bad News, a collaborative album with producer Real Bad Man, which featured guest appearances from C.L. Smooth, Planet Asia, Cashus King, Donel Smokes and Definite. This was then followed up three months later by the album Afrika, which was entirely produced by Nottz, and served as a concept album based on the diasporic connection between African Americans and Africans.
The beginning of 2024 saw Blu reissue a number of projects onto streaming platforms, including his first project California Soul, his unmastered self-produced album God is Good×God Is Good1 January 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks1The Innocent1:452Azulito The Great2:333Glory Us Delux3:354Never Dream (produced by Exile)*4:455The GODs & Me3:236Grandma's Kitchen2:427Difficulties4:428Spanish Winter3:369Be GO(o)D!3:5310The Run Out1:4411It's Okay4:2012On Mars With The Stars2:2913Smoking @ 6 N The Mo'1:3514City Of Los(t) Angel(e)s4:4515All The King's Men2:3416A World Gone Blind4:3017Mello Sunshine2:0518'Til We Die3:0819Crown4:0320Outro (Open Mind Dead)1:5921(Bonus) My Boy Blu!3:4222Benevolent Offering & Benediction2:42 and his producer compilation album Open. He also released a series of extra projects, that acted as accompanying bonus material to some of his albums, including God is Good (The Bonus Songs), Back Home Again×Back Home Again5 January 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Birthday2:432The Heat2:553My Hood2:154On the Block1:265Let’s Take a Walk3:076My Crown2:197Watermelon0:518Lo‐Fi Low Ride1:079Charles Barkley1:3110In the Dry3:1211The Loop2:1212Air Jordan2:4613ETC2:3114Boats2:54 (a compilation of outtakes from the Good to Be Home×Good to Be Home19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Home4:182The Return4:543Back Home Again1:524Boyz n the Hood4:155Whip Creme (Part One)4:336The West2:467The 50z3:178The LA3:509Summer Time2:5510The Summer / Angel Dust5:15Disc 21Rap Dope3:282Dre Day1:493Red & Gold4:184Child Support3:125Well Fare3:126He Man4:227Brown Sugar5:008Bobby Brown3:139Can't Stop, Won't Stop6:4910The West (Part Two)2:33 sessions) and Other Shades of Blu(e)×Other Shades of Blu(e)14 June 2021 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Blu(e)s3:092The Blu(e)st Blu(e)3:513Blow Your Horn4:024Gangsta Blu(e)s3:355B-L-U Spells Blu(e)2:306Don’t Make Me Blu(e)3:267Blu(e)s On My Mind3:258Out of the Blu(e)3:129Blu(e) Heaven3:0310Goodbye Blu(e)s3:44 (a compilation of outtakes from The Color Blu(e)×The Color Blu(e)24 September 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1I Am Blu(e)4:032Everyday Blu(e)s3:213People Call Me Blu(e)4:124Because the Sky is Blu(e)4:015You Ain't Never Been Blu(e)3:186I Was Born to be Blu(e)3:377Blu(e)r than Blu(e)4:118We Are Darker Than Blu(e)3:339Mr Blu(e) Sky3:2010Mr Blu(e)4:1311Blu(e) World5:16 sessions).
A month later, on February 9, Blu released his first official project of the year Royal Blu, which was entirely produced by underground producer Roy Royal. On March 29, Out of the Blue, which was produced by Shafiq Husayn and was a follow up to their mixtape The Blueprint×The Blueprint20 April 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks1BANG ST A1:2521 9 8 31:503RED HOT L.A.2:434C.O.L.O.R.S.3:495GANG ST A4:016L.A. L.A.3:537SOUTH L.A.0:558FAKE ST AZZ2:069MY FAV COLO(U)R3:1110BLOCK ST HOOD1:47112 LIVE N DIE N L.A.3:3312RAY RAY (THE BLUEPRINT)4:1313THE COLO(U)R BLACK3:2514B.S. (THE RETURN)4:0215G.U.N. (CLAP CLAP)4:0716THE TOOKIE MONSTERS3:3117WHO SIDE ARE YOU ON?4:2318GANG ST A (remix)3:06191 9 5 31:1420OUTS0:2821B.U.M.S.1:3222ME AGAINST THE WORLD1:21, was released. His third project of the year, Los Angeles, was produced by rapper/producer Evidence, and was released on July 12. His fourth project of the year is the Blu & Exile album entitled Love (the) Ominous World, released on September 20, 2024.

Studio albums

California Soul (2003; officially re-released in 2024)
Below the Heavens (with Exile, as Blu & Exile) (2007)
The Piece Talks (with Ta'Raach, as C.R.A.C.) (2008)
Johnson&Jonson (with Mainframe, as Johnson&Jonson) (2008)
A Day Late & A Dollar Short (with Sene) (2009)
TheGodleeBarnesLP (rereleased in 2021 as God is Good) (2010)
Her Favorite Colo(u)r (2011)
Jesus (2011)
Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them (with Exile, as Blu & Exile) (2012)
York (2013)
Good to Be Home (with Bombay) (2014)
Bad Neighbor (with M.E.D. and Madlib) (2015)
Cheetah in the City (with Union Analogtronics) (2016)
Gods in the Spirit, Titans in the Flesh (with Nottz) (2018)
The Blueprint (with Shafiq Husayn) (2018)
A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night (with Oh No) (2019)
Ground & Water (with Damu The Fudgemunk) (2019)
Miles (with Exile, as Blu & Exile) (2020)
The Color Blu(e) (2021)
Bad News (with Real Bad Man) (2023)
Live from the End of the World (with Fatlip) (2023)
Live from the End of the World (Deluxe) (with Fatlip) (2023)
Afrika (with Nottz) (2023)
Royal Blu (with Roy Royal) (2024)
Out of the Blue (with Shafiq Husayn) (2024)
Los Angeles (with Evidence) (2024)
Love (the) Ominous World (with Exile, as Blu & Exile) (2024)
Forty (with August Fanon) (2025)
God Takes Care of Babies & Fools (with Myka 9 and Mono En Stereo) (2025)
Time Heals Everything (with Exile, as Blu & Exile) (2026)
LA (with Sndtrak) (2026)

Singles

"The Narrow Path×The Narrow Path7 August 2007 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1The Narrow Path5:112Party of 23:223The Narrow Path (clean)4:434Party of 2 (clean)3:235The Narrow Path (instrumental)4:436Party of 2 (instrumental)3:23" (2006)
"Lemonade" (2011)
"Cellnl's" (2011)
"Amnesia×Amnesia14 February 2011 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracksA1Amnesia (Original)A2Amnesia (Instrumental)A3Amnesia (Remind)A4Amnesia (Rewind Instrumental)B1Since (Original)B2Since (Instrumental)B3Good Morning" (2011)
"The Buzz" b/w "Peroxide" (2013) (with MED and Madlib)
"The Clean Hand×The Clean Hand27 August 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1The Clean Hand2:592The Clean Hand (instrumental)2:593The Clean Hand (acapella)2:594Lemonade2:575Lemonade (instrumental)2:576Lemonade (acapella)2:57" (2013)
"The West" (2014)
"The Return×The Return22 June 2015 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1The Return4:532The Return (instrumental)4:533Rap Dope (Haz Solo remix)3:044Thriller3:485Thriller (instrumental)3:486Thriller (Triller)3:52" b/w "Thriller" (2015)
"Kiss the Sky×Kiss the Sky22 May 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Kiss the Sky3:43" (2015)

Guest appearances

Deep Rooted – "From the Heart" from D.E.E.P.R.O.O.T.E.D (2009)
Tanya Morgan – "Morgan Blu×Morgan Blu7 July 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Morgan Blu4:482Morgan Blu (instrumental)4:503So Damn Down (Keelay & Zaire remix)3:58" from Brooklynati (2009)
J. Dilla – "Smoke" from Jay Stay Paid (2009)
Alchemist – "Therapy" from Chemical Warfare (2009)
Fashawn – "Samsonite Man" from Boy Meets World (2009)
The Grouch & Eligh – "Old Souls" from Say G&E! (2009)
The Roots – "Radio Daze" and "The Day" from How I Got Over (2010)
Exile – "When Nothing's Left" from 4TRK Mind (2011)
9th Wonder – "Piranhas" from The Wonder Years (2011)
MHz Legacy – "Yellow & Blue" from MHz Legacy (2012)
Danny! – "Misunderstood" from Payback (2012)
Pac Div – "Cross-Trainers" from GMB (2012)
Oh No – "Jones's" from Disrupted Ads (2013)
Roc Marciano – "Cut the Check" from Marci Beaucoup (2013)
Statik Selektah – "My Hoe" from Extended Play (2013)
Slum Village – "Let It Go" from Evolution (2013)
CunninLynguists – "The Morning" from Strange Journey Volume Three (2014)
Black Milk – "Leave the Bones Behind" from If There's a Hell Below (2014)
Homeboy Sandman – "Loads" from Hallways (2014)
Skyzoo & Torae – "Rediscover" from Barrel Brothers (2014)
Step Brothers – "Tomorrow" from Lord Steppington (2014)
L'Orange & Kool Keith – "This New World" from Time? Astonishing! (2015)
Elliterate – "Games" from Charlie Russell (2017)
The Funk Junkie – "As Live As It Gets (Games Redux)" from Moondirt (2017)
Nolan The Ninja – "Lei$ure" from YEN (2017)
Tope ft. Abstract Rude – Faithful (2018)
Vic Deal ft. Catt – "Changing" from La Costa Nostra (2020)
Logic – "Orville" from Vinyl Days (2022)
Open Mike Eagle – "The Wire S3 E1" from Another Triumph of Ghetto Engineering (2023)
Strange Dust – "Mood" from Strange Company (2024)
Heems – "Porches" from Lafandar (2024)
McKinley Dixon – "Could've Been Different" from Magic, Alive! (2025)
Po3 – "Déjà Vu" (2026)