Blu is a master of revisiting his roots, proving that repeated examination of a subject can yield profound, divergent results. Just over two years after the release of Los Angeles, his kinetic collaboration with Evidence, the veteran rapper has returned with LA. This time, he has teamed up with Oakland-based producer Sndtrak to craft a project that feels like a bright, technically demanding inversion of classic Angeleno house party aesthetics.
âWhen me and Ev finished making Los Angeles, I felt like I had more to say about the city,â Blu explains. While his previous work often leaned into metallic, industrial soundscapes or explored the darker, abstracted histories of gang politics and urban violence, LA finds him operating in a space that is both broadly accessible and deeply virtuosic. The album showcases his ability to manipulate rhythm, particularly on tracks like âWelcome,â where he navigates complex, inventive flows.
This commitment to nuance extends to his writing process. âI tried to write the same verse over and over, but in a different way every time,â he notes. âIf you listen to the album, thereâs, say, 20 verses. If I do 20 verses, probably ten of them end with the word âL.A.ââ
As one of the most dedicated hip-hop historians to emerge from the region, Blu has spent years dissecting the sonic DNA of his home. To celebrate the release of his latest project, we asked him to curate a list of his ten favorite L.A. rap albumsâthe records that, in his view, truly define the landscape of the city.