10 years after Blu and Exile released their magnum opus Below the Heavens, the California duo have reunited to release 14 tracks from the original 2007 sessions. In the Beginning: Before the Heavens contains rare songs and unreleased gems – the best of the best chosen from over 40 songs in the vault. Their third collaboration follows 2012’s Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them, and is slated for an October release.In The Beginning: Before the Heavens is made of up songs that are raw and untouched, keeping the authenticity of Blu and Exile’s creativity at the time. The album has guest appearances from familiar names like Dr. Oop, Donel Smokes, Aloe Blacc, and Blame One. Listen to the album below, download the album on iTunes, order the cd, or pre-order the vinyl !
Blu and Exile’s critically acclaimed 2007 album Below The Heavens was a monumental release from the west coast and still resonates with rap fans to this day. In commemoration of their groundbreaking project — ten years later — the duo will give fans some unreleased tracks from the studio sessions on their forthcoming “prequel” album, In The Beginning: Before The Heavens. Premiering on VIBE.com, we give you their latest single, a homage to hip-hop’s golden era — a song titled “On The Radio”.
The track is a rap purist’s anthem where Blu unloads fire over Exile’s rich production. “On The Radio” pays homage to unrefined lyricism and drives home the fact that they want real music with substance projected to the masses.
“This song was our attempt to make a radio song exactly stating how we feel about the radio. Our way of keeping it true and not selling out even for the album. This is one of the songs that helped me get more open with writing the rest of the album. One of Exile’s oldest beats, he pulled that from deep out the vault. I was like oh, that’s me.” -blu
Blu also explains that his outlook on the culture and genre has changed after making “On The Radio” and says hip-hop’s younger generation has the key to the future.
“I used to look at the game like it was in a drought and no one had direction of the future. Now i think the game is flooded with brilliant potential, it’s all about elevating the entire playing field. Now is the time. The children are the future. Blu & Exile are for the children!”
Blu & Exile’s In The Beginning: Before The Heavens will be available on all streaming services and digital markets everywhere on Oct. 20.
This week we’ve been reflecting on the paradigm shift that occurred in hip hop ten years ago. The year 2007 was the year Kanye outsold 50 Cent and the rap game changed forever. But Graduation and Curtis were not the only significant releases of 2007. That was also the year of Shop Boyz’ “Party Like a Rockstar” and Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat” and Hurricane Chris’s “A Bay Bay” and UGK’s “International Players Anthem.” And then, amidst all that, an unlikely masterpiece leaked onto message boards from somewhere in California: Blu and Exile’s Below the Heavens.
Ten years later the San Pedro MC and the Orange County producer —currently in the midst of 42-date 10th-anniversary tour—are now announcing the October 20 release of a new project: In The Beginning: Before The Heavens, the prequel to their 2007 underground classic Below The Heavens.
Comprising unreleased tracks from the original Below The Heavens sessions, In The Beginning picks right up with that same energy, and features appearances from Aloe Blacc, Co$$, Donel Smokes, and Blame One.
“We planted the seeds of creativity and grew about 40 plants,” Exile says of the release. “We picked the ones that we thought were the best for an album, but that didn’t mean that the other flowers weren’t beautiful. I’m super happy to re-release [In The Beginning] to people and have it actually get some attention that it definitely deserves. It’s amazing.”
I hope your all excited as we are for this Album! Check the first single “Constellations” below:
The last time the DS crew got together was one of the best Hip Hop shows to bless Los Angeles in a long time. With appearances by Fashawn, Aloe black, Blu , Exile, Choosey , Dag Savage, Dilated Peoples, Dom Kennedy, Everlast of House Of Pain, and the Goat himself, Nas came out to truly make this a memorable moment. Shout out to Mass Appeal! Once again Art Don’t Sleep and Dirty Science is bringing you yet another future classic event in celebration of one of Hip Hop’s most classic albums, Blu and Exiles: Below the Heavens, in it’s entirety with a live band!
July 27th at the Regent theater 448 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
tickets tinyurl.com/BTH10YR
It’s our great pleasure to present, Blu and Exile’s 10 Year Anniversary celebration of Below The Heavens! Exile got the entire Dirty Science crew together to celebrate, along with some very special surprise guests. Grab your early bird discount tickets while limited quantities last.
