[TI-TAN] one that is gigantic in size or power | one that stands out for greatness of achievement
Tough, titan-like exteriors, we see it often. Perhaps more so in hip-hop than any other genre. Figuratively speaking, does a tough exterior hold weight if your internal wiring isn’t Godly, or atleast leveled? Blu & Nottz embody holy spirits. A Godly force, who overall have payed endlessly and have demonstrated such through their joint craft(s) since 2013. If you’re not familiar with either of their catalogues, you may be questioning our use of words here or thinking it’s just over-hyped nonsense for the sake of another publishing. That, ladies and gentleman, would be far from the truth. Roll one up and do your research if necessary.
Blu, one of the left coasts sharpest “underground” emcees (yeah, we said that), has a God-given nack for aligning himself with a producers canvas – and not just aligning for the sake of another half ass release. It will be in full effort and carefully chosen. To be specific, his releases, say with Exile, are truly flawless. They leveled the lane for fans to understand what he can do with one producer, in focus. Not many emcees can release entire bodies of work with Exile, Nottz, Ray West, Bombay and MED – all the while displaying flexability, refreshing versatility and most importantly levels of chemistry.
Three years ago hip-hop graciously welcomed ‘God’s in the Flesh‘, Blu & Nottz’ debut EP. It was short. It was left open-ended. It was beautiful. Hip-hop heads wanted more. They made us wait three years, but man was it worth it.
We’re not looking to exhaust you with another boring, run of the mill album review. With that being said, you can listen to it yourself and draw your own opinion. The Coalmine Records release invites guests from Torae and TriState to J57 and Dj Revolution. Considering the follow-up is short in length, the features could overwhelm a die-hard Blu fan – wishing to hear nothing but Blu over Nottz production. But, they’re tasteful and fit right in. To counter that point, a die-hard Blu head will understand this is not a new formula throughout his discography. He packs in features, which almost always seem right.
When does Nottz not come correct? This man gives his all to every damn piece of art he’s ever created since the late 90’s. He bleeds a true definition of an iconic, seasoned beatsmith (new jacks: please take note of his work ethic – we don’t think this man sleeps). Nottz has a perfect batch ready for almost any relevant emcee, and it will make sense. Him and Blu’s chemistry is more than noteworthy, and seems to have an even stronger connection this time around with TITF. We think he’s a scientist of sorts.
Interestingly enough, Blu just sat with HipHopDX to discuss his favorite collaborative hip-hop records. Gang Starr, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and Madvillian were mentioned. We reference this list for various reasons, one being the evident influence that was drawn from these hip-hop giants. Not so much to compare, but to note the underlying push and influence on his music today. Do you new school cats get it yet? We pray so. Throw Blu & Nottz’ collaborative efforts in the mix of contemporary excellence. TITF and GITS are going down in hip-hop history, whether you like it or not.
That’s enough out of us. We hope you enjoy the new record and share the good vibes with your uncles and friends. Let’s get into this interview – peace and love:
RESPECT.: Before we set it off, thank you for your time. You and Nottz did it again. The good responses have been rolling in already. Are you personally satisfied with the body of work?
I love this follow up piece. It’s the completion of the series, and to me it turns both EP’s into a hard hitting, classic LP. We actually did much more for this EP but we churned it down to the most action packed jams to properly fit the title, Titans In The Flesh.
RESPECT.: Gods in the Spirit, Titans in the Flesh. Do you mind talking about the concept of the records and what that concept means to you? We’d love to hear your interpretation.
This is our version of modern mythology. Just as the Greeks and Romans did, we blended stories from reality to help properly tell stories of our supernatural talents that get us through day by day. That’s why the title fits. It’s all about being Gods and Titans, instead of human beings sometimes.
RESPECT.: Nottz provides the canvas, you provide the paint. It’s no secret that your chemistry together is top tier. What has your experience been like working with Nottz?
Working with Nottz is a dream come true man. Since I was in high school banging the shit out the Busta Rhymes songs he produced I would have never thought I would make it far enough into the game to actually make music with this OG. But the creation process we have is all natural, supernatural at this point. Not many people can say they have two EP’s produced by Nottz.
RESPECT.: The question of all questions, and probably the most annoying: will there be a third installment or any future work with Nottz? Heads do want to know.
We have been trying to convince each other to start a new record, but since this last EP is the completion, we are kind of kicking back letting the music create a staple. Don’t get it twisted tho, we do think about cracking them over the head again, and again, and again.
RESPECT.: You recently listed your favorite collaborative hip-hop records with HHDX. Now RESPECT. wants to know, if Blu was trapped on an island with two albums of any genre what would they be and why?
Nas “Illmatic”, to get my lord of the flies on, and Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto’s first record together, so I can cry over “Girl from Ipanema” everyday.
Coalmine Records: Twitter | Instagram | Official Site
Titans in the Flesh: iTunes | Amazon | Google Play | Fat Beats (Vinyl)
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