There is a chance that the first full-length collaborative album from Royce Da 5’9 and DJ Premier, as PRhyme, will be under-appreciated. That it will be too artistic. That the skill displayed in both its lyricism and production will go over people’s heads. That an album that can be played all the way through and celebrated for its true Hip-Hop makeup is too much of a throwback for today’s 120-character absorbed music lover. But sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. 

Johnson Barnes (born April 15, 1983), better known by his stage name Blu, is an American West Coast rapper and producer from Los Angeles, California[1]. Following the major success of his 2007 debut album, Below the Heavens, Blu was named HipHop DX's "Rookie of the Year" [2]. Since then, Blu has become one of the most prolific underground artists in the Los Angeles area, releasing "six full-length albums, and countless other projects and mixtapes" since his emergence on the rap scene [3] . Blu has also become as proficient a producer as he has a rapper. In September of 2011, Blu released his commercial album Open, his 4th solo project [4] which features tracks all produced by the West Coast emcee.
Contents  [hide] 
1 Early Life
2 Music Career
2.1 2003
2.2 2004-08
2.3 2009-10
2.4 2011 and Warner Bros.
3 Current Projects
4 Discography
4.1 Mixtapes
4.2 Instrumental Tapes
4.3 EPs
4.4 Independent Albums
4.5 Produced Albums
5 Guest appearances
6 References
7 External links
Early Life

Johnson Barnes was born on April 15, 1983 in San Pedro, California. Raised by his mother and stepfather who was a pastor, Barnes was highly influenced by gospel and Christian rap when he was growing up.[1] However, Barnes' was also influenced by gangsta rap that he received from his father, contributing to his delivery of conscious yet raw lyrics. In his early days in the music business, Johnson worked as a hype man for underground rap and soul artists such as Slum Village, Steve Spacek, Platinum Pied Pipers, and Emanon.[1] However, taking influence from Common, Barnes began turning from freestyle rhyming to crafting songs.[1] In an interview with HipHopDx, Barnes talks about what it was like to listen to Common's 1994 song I Used to Love H.E.R.:
"When I heard it, it really changed my life. I felt like I had heard Hip Hop for the first time. It made me change my content and my whole approach. It made me serious about writing and wanting to say something."[5]
[edit]Music Career

2003
Some of the earliest tracks by Blu can be found on the 2003 mixtape Bruised Brothers, done with fellow L.A. emcee Blacc also known as Jac Spade[6]. Spade is also a producer and has worked with the likes of Planet Asia and Charlie Tuna.
[edit]2004-08
Blu signed to L.A. independent label Sound in Color in 2004, choosing the label ahead of other big name companies such as Interscope Records and Death Row Records.[1] After Blu was introduced to Los Angeles based producer Exile by Aloe Blacc[5], Blu released his debut album Below the Heavens in August of 2007. New York weekly newspaper The Village Voice called the album "one of the most thoughtful indie-rap releases in some time"[7]. Following the album's success and Blu being named as Rookie of the Year by HipHopDX[8], the rapper began working with Detroit rapper-producer Ta'Raach, releasing the collaborative album The Piece Talks under Tres Records in April 2008. In September of that same year, the company released Blu's collaborative album Johnson&Jonson with producer Mainframe [9]. In an interview with HipHopDX, Blu talked about his work in the underground scene and what motivated him to continue writing:
"The game in 2008 is not perfect and people complain and complain about how wack music is, but there's so much dope shit out there if you just turn the radio and TV off. I find ill shit all the fucking time and I'm like there's way too much music out there"[2].
Following the reception of Johnson&Jonson, Blu and Mainframe formed their joint company New World Color. In celebration of the move, the two released their EP E.Q.E.P.; featuring rappers such as Gonjasufi and Dirty Paper[10]. Aside from these commercial projects, Blu also released his second solo project (So)ul Amazing.
2009-10
In 2009, Blu released his third solo album entitled HerFavoriteColo(u)r. Although the album was originally released as a free mixtape, the tape was re-released as in album in conjunction with Nature Sounds in 2011[11]. The album is known for its jazz, neo soul feel as well its samples of artists such as Billie Holiday and Jimi Hendrix and Curtis Mayfield. During this year, Blu also released his mixtape (So)ul Amazing II with DJ Heat. The tape features a wide variety of artists including Talib Kweli, Will.i.am, Kid Cudi, Evidence, The Alchemist, and Co$$.
In 2009, hip hop magazine XXL named Blu as one of their Top 10 Freshmen of 09'[12]. That same year, Blu also began experimenting with production, releasing his 8 track instrumental NoSleepForADay. The year also found Blu signed to major label Warner Bros.[13].
The following year, Blu released his lyrical/instrumental full length LP theGodleeBarnes[3].
[edit]2011 and Warner Bros.
2011 has been one of the biggest years for Blu thus far in terms of music production. In January, Blu released And If You See The E Drop Em, a title taken from a line on his first track on Below the Heavens [3]:
Blu has proliferated highly in terms of commercial releases this year, producing three albums titled Jesus, NoYork!, and Open with Nature Sounds; the latter of which features a variety of artists with tracks all produced by the emcee. While the album Jesus was released independently under New World Color in July, NoYork!, a project that was supposed to be Blu's major label debut, was not. Initially planned for release under Warner, Blu later dropped from the label in October[14], deciding to release it for free over the internet instead.
Current Projects

In an interview with Above Ground Magazine, Blu expressed his future intentions with music, specifically on his notion of retiring from rap.
“I’ve never seen myself rapping after 30,... I’ve always seen myself doing film. I have like three films I would love to shoot. But I would need a budget for it.”[14]
The rapper is currently working on several projects, one of which includes another link up with producer Exile on Memoirs, which was later released as Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them, a record which was released at the end of 2011. Ucla is another tape in the works, set to be a collaborative album produced by critically acclaimed LA producer Madlib.
Discography

Mixtapes
(So)ul Amazing (2008)
E.Q.E.P. (with Mainframe as Johnson&Jonson) (2008)
(So)ul Amazing II (2009)
Powders & Oils (2009)
Untaped (2010)
ParieArtNommee (2010)
And If You See the E Drop ‘Em (2011)
Heavy(LightYearsBehind) (TBA)
[edit]Instrumental Tapes
Open (theInstrumentalLP) (2009)
NoSleepForADay (2009)
The Norman Rockwell Beat Tape (2011)
EPs
Bruise Brothers (with Jack Spade) (2003)
Lifted (2006)
The Narrow Path (2006)
BeSene (with Sene as Patch Adams) (2008)
IntoBlu EP (2010)
Amnesia (2011)
ar r ie mx a ll pink r ep (2011)
Independent Albums
Below the Heavens (with Exile) (2007)
The Piece Talks (with Ta'Raach as C.R.A.C. Knuckles) (2008)
Johnson&Jonson (with Mainframe as Johnson&Jonson) (2008)
theGODleeBarnes(lp) (2010)
HerFavoriteColo(u)r (2009)
j e s u s (2011)
NoYork! (2011)
Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them (with Exile) (2011)
ucla (with Madlib) (TBA)
TBA (with MED) (TBA)
[edit]Produced Albums
ADayLate&ADollarShort by Sene (2009)
Open (2011)
Guest appearances

Year	Album Artist	Album	Song
2007	Move.Meant	The Scope Of Things	Git It Now (also featuring Trek Life)
2008	Shingo Suzuki	The Abstract Truth	Hi(gh) Music
Evidence	The Layover EP	For Whom The Bell Tolls (also featuring Phonte & will.i.am)
Presto	State of the Art	Pour Another Glass
DJ Cadik	Basic	Hard Times
Freddie Joachim	In With Time	Mars (Remix)
2009	Bembe Segue & Mark de Clive-Lowe	The Politik	Moonlight
J.Period & Q-Tip	The [Abstract] Best	Jazz (Tribute Remix)
Dela	Changes of Atmosphere	Vibrate
Atmosphere Airlines Vol. 2	Mars
Sepalot	Red Handed	Surrender
Blame One	Days Chasing Days	Wonder Why
The Grouch & Eligh	Say G&E!	Old Souls (also featuring Flying Lotus)
Keelay & Zaire	Ridin High	The Times
J Dilla	Jay Stay Paid	Smoke
Waxolutionists	We Paint Colors	Steel Remains
Tanya Morgan	Brooklynati	Morgan Blu
Fashawn	Boy Meets World	Samsonite Man
The Alchemist	Chemical Warfare	Therapy (also featuring Evidence, Talib Kweli & Kid Cudi)
Andy Allo	Unfresh	DreamLand
2010	All City Chess Club		I'm Beamin' (Remix)
TiRon	MSTRD	The Richers (also featuring Asher Roth)
The Roots	How I Got Over	Radio Daze (featuring P.O.R.N. & Dice Raw)
The Day (featuring Phonte & Patty Crash)
Mumbles	Transformations/Illuminations	Never Ending
2011	Dela	Translation Lost	Lucy's&looseleafs
Dela	Translation Lost	Whatuwanna
Co$$	Before I Awoke	Born Again (featuring Sene)

Chicago Emcee 

Check out more at www.furyhiphop.com .

Donwill makes music and you can hear it here.

Some recognize real talent. Others despise it. 
Eventually it does not matter. Music is meant to enjoy.

Martel X is a New School Producer and Artist with a fresh new wave of sounds.

Official Soundcloud for Society of Alumni Music Group : -  Featuring: BabySoul, Mula, iSee, Vels, Flewid, Mak, Bad Jay, Devante Vaughan, DJ Amari, King Royale & Jaspo Beats

Society of Alumni is a upcoming music and creative collective based in London, UK. We create music combining elements of 90's Hip Hop, Blues, Jazz & Soul, while sprinkling atoms of current affairs and trends.
As a movement we aim to inspire a generation of youth from all corners of the earth to become their own Alumni and empowering themselves to take control of their destiny, by creating their own lane and having ownership of their voice and ideas.

THE FATHER OF HIP-HOP SOUL “ D.V.ALIAS KHRYST NOW KNOWN AS GENERAL D.V. IS COMING” !!

THE MAN, THE MUSIC ,THE HISTORY !

Are you, a true hip hop connoisseur? If so you already know the name “D.V. alias Khryst” the originator of the hip hop singing style that’s being emulated by so many artist today. Akon ,Kanye West, T-Pain and Lil Wayne are all exceptional artists in their own right but where did that hip hop melody originate from? Who birthed the style that is dominating the airwaves today?

“D.V. ALIAS KHRYST” is the answer to the question and man behind the music. In the mid 90s Khryst was the youngest artist of The Next Level click along side Smoothe the Hustler and Trigger da Gambler and reached platinum success with the hit record “My Crew Can’t Go for. That” The hit single went on to feature on Def jam’s records Nutty Professor soundtrack. At the young age of 17 years old Khryst was the first singing hip hop artist signed to the label. Soon after an incredible anticipation for Khryst album was brewing within the industry as well as the streets but due to legalities with his label the album was never released and the music industry was cheated of a classic album.

Khryst continued to work throughout the late 90s and early 2000’s and can be heard on De La Soul’s Art Official Intelligence/Mosaic Thump album, on the smash record “Thru Ya City” which is in the video game “True Crime Story’s New York City” “Thru a city appeared in the movie. "MADE” starring P Diddy CEO of Bad Boy Records and it also played in the H.B.O. series Sexy in the City.

D.V.’s vocal skills are only a fraction of his true talents. D.V’s music has appeared on two major movie sound tracks, The Black Mask, with Jet Li and The Nutty Professor, with Eddie Murphy. D.V. has 
Appeared on records with The Cella Dwells, Adam F, Method Man, Scott Scorch, Johnny Blanco, DJ AP, BIG 48 Beats Compilation album out of Munich Germany, Barbata formally of (Stretch & Barbata), Ice T. He’s also worked with Clark Kent of Superman Productions who’s produced multi platinum records for The Notorious BIG, Jay-Z and many more.

In the late 90s D.V. was signed to Maseo of De La Soul new label Bear Mountain Records under the Tommy Boy Label. His video to the single “REJUVENATION” was released through all the major video shows. It had medium rotation on BET, MTV and again catapulted him to stardom but Bear Mountain lost its distribution with Tommy Boy which again put a strain on the coming of khryst .

The New Movement , The New Music , The New D.V.ALIAS KHRYST !

Reinvented and ready to take his just place in music today Khryst currently has three singles playing on stations across the country and is being featured on some of the biggest hip hop websites in the world allhiphop.com,hiphopgame.com,nahright.com and is 
dominating the net weekly with incredible singles featuring some of the games biggest artist who are all respectfully cosigning the next big artist out of the east coast. 

Martell X is following