I can hear it now, “Has Eric gone crazy? He never posts any hip-hop. What’s going on here?”
Well, I’m taking another cue from Kevin over at So Much Silence and his remarkable ear for great hip-hop. A few weeks back he posted about Ohio native Blueprint. While I’m not much of a hip-hop guy, reading that Blueprint has worked with the likes of RJD2 (they have worked together as Soul Position) and Aesop Rock made me take a notice and download the tracks Kevin posted.
“His lyrics and flow, which changes up with each song. There are times when he comes off with confidence, other times it feels like he’s opening his heart and pleading in a vulnerable manner, at the same time knowing that the motivation to rap that way is merely for you to effectively decipher his messages, which are as clear as day.
[As a producer] he compliments the words with beats that perfectly go hand in hand. While it can be a challenge to produce for others and hope that they will compliment your production skills, it is a bigger challenge to do both and be able to execute it and make it work. Blueprint knows himself, so Blueprint makes beats for Blueprint’s lyrics, and Blueprint rhymes in a manner that also puts Blueprint’s music on a higher level.” – Rap Reviews
All I know is that this is some great “back-in-the-day” sounding positive hip-hop that is a fitting tribute to “the beats, breaks and themes of possibly the most revered year in Hip Hop, 1988, and the great hip-hop pioneers that set the stage for today.
This is good stuff and Blueprint’s latest 1988 is out now on Rhymesayers.
MP3 | Blueprint – Trouble On My Mind 1988
MP3 | Blueprint – 1988 1988
Sah-weet! This guy is great, and seems truly appreciative of the roots of hip-hop. Soul Position is coming to Phx soon. I must go.
Blueprint rulz.