For his latest project, Afrika (Nature Sounds), he reunites with iconic Virginia beatsmith Nottz (The Notorious B.I.G., Kanye West) to celebrate the rich history and culture of their ancestral homeland.
With a release date fast approaching, Blu and Nottz have shared the lead single “Marcus Garvey,"an exultant Afrocentric anthem featuring Kenyan-born, Canadian rap legend Shad and acclaimed Detroit emcee Quelle Chris.
“These are lyrics that I needed to express to those who support my music, so they can hold with them what I hold most important to who I am, African,” Blu explains of the album. “I hope this project inspires many others to speak on the father and home of humanity, Afrika.”
Afrika’s powerful message is reinforced by a legion of talented guests, including Quelle Chris, Mickey Factz, Shad, Ill Camille, Johaz of Dag Savage, Scienze and Eloh Kush.
Afrika follows several previous collaborative projects between Blu and Nottz, including 2013’s Gods In The Spirit EP and 2016’s Titans In The Flesh EP, which were later repackaged into 2018’s Gods In The Spirit, Titans in the Flesh album. Earlier this year, Blu released the collaborative album Bad News with Real Bad Man, earning high praise from the likes of Pitchfork and The Needle Drop.
ABOUT BLU
A prolific fixture of independent hip-hop for more than 15 years, famed Los Angeles emcee Blu has mastered the lost art of the album, imbuing each new project with unique themes and often recruiting a single producer to craft a cohesive sonic experience. This has led to full-length collaborations with the likes of Madlib, Exile, Nottz, Shafiq Husayn, Oh No, Damu The Fudgemunk and more.
ABOUT NOTTZ
With major credits dating back to the late 1990s, Nottz is a hip-hop production icon who has worked with Busta Rhymes, Kanye West, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, The Game, Pusha T, Scarface, Ghostface Killah, Slaughterhouse, Rapsody, Asher Roth, Little Brother, Talib Kweli, and many more. Dr. Dre has named Nottz as one of his favorite producers, recruiting him to work on his long anticipated and famously unreleased Detox album.
