• Blog

    Blueprint, MTV, and “Selling Out”

    The Adventure

    I started working on Adventures in Counter-Culture 5 years ago.  At the time I started working on it I was fed up with everything around me; television and its stereotypical and harmful images, commercial radio, the stagnation of the music (even in the hip-hop scene that I’m a part of), and society in general.  To me, there had become too many rules, too much routine, too much recycling of ideas and concepts.  So as far as I was concerned I didn’t want to be a part of of that anymore, even if it meant that I had to challenge even the things that I’m known best for as an artist.

    That’s what counter-culture is.

    So as I took on this task of trying to destroy everything I knew musically and socially, I immediately realized that there would be risk involved, but I made the journey primarily for me so I didn’t care.  I had to do it for myself.  Make the music that I wanted to make, become the person I wanted to be, free of expectations and rules, so that I would know that I’m not just another artist playing it safe like everybody else, making the same boring record over and over again just because it makes them money.

    When this entire scene that I’m a part of began to pop off in the early 2000s, it was because the music was different and progressive.  It expanded and inspired many.  Unfortunately, there came a point where it began to recycle itself and became stagnant, depending on the same ideas, styles, and concepts to stay successful, but not growing.  That’s what I’m fighting against.  I realize that everybody may not be with me on that, or even understand my desire to distance my music from what I consider to be formulaic and boring, but there’s no turning back for me.

  • Blog,  Video

    Behind the camera: Cory Ring

    As my curiosity about the field of film & video increases, I find myself crossing paths with people are are really good at what they do. I love to chop it up with people about their craft, especially those far more advanced with me, soI thought it could be cool to feature these conversations about Film & Video here on printmatic.net and call it Behind the Camera.

    Well this first feature is on film student Cory Ring.  I found Cory through his fan-made video he made for a song of mine called “6 a.m” (from the Sign Language EP – buy it if you haven’t yet) and “Big Time” from the Latimore Platz Smokey Part Two EP.   There are a lot of fan-made videos out there, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that this might be the best one I’ve ever seen, and that it’s a huge compliment that my music was able to inspire such a creation.  Once I saw it I knew I had to interview Cory.

    Check out the video:

    Read the full interview with Cory here after the jump:

  • Song Lyrics

    Song Lyrics: “Next Generation”

    “I’m sayin’, a lotta things change

    fades and slang change, clothes and chains change

    Back in the day bangin Slick Rick and Dana Dane

    Airbrushed jacks, fat laces, name plates

    Gold done come and gone, now the platinum chains hang

    they deep with white tees, all rockin the same thang

    Gazelles and finger-waves to dreads and stunna shades

    went from G-Rap and Kane to Kanye and Lil Wayne

    I was a shorty then, I couldn’t even stay up late

    Still caught the bug when David Bowie sang of “fame”

    Went from Reganomics, pro-black in ’88

    to Dre and The Chronic, red and blue, the gang bang

  • News,  Video

    Blueprint “Radio-Inactive” video & single

    “Radio-inactive” is the first official single from the forthcoming Blueprint album Adventures in Counter-Culture, to be released April 5th, 2011.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnKdnDS9KtM

    Shot, edited, & directed by Bangland Media

    Buy it now at iTunes: Explicit | Clean | Instrumental

    Critically acclaimed mc/producer and Soul Position frontman Blueprint, returns with his highly anticipated sophomore solo release Adventures in Counter-Culture. Experimenting with synths, keyboards, and drum machines, Adventures in Counter-Culture touches on Blueprint’s cynicism with the world, his disdain for pop culture, the state of politics and an apathetic, uninspired society. The album encompasses every facet of music Blueprint knows. It blurs genre lines and connects his hip hop pedigree with his early days in the church choir, to the R&B bands he was a part of in high school, to his new found interest in rock and electronic music.

    After a five year musical journey, Blueprint has emerged with his greatest effort to date. A culmination of self discovery and societal critique, Adventures in Counter-Culture is just that. The adventure begins March 1st, 2011.

    Word is blog

  • Video

    Greenhouse “Hello World” (Deconstructed) Video

    A few months back when we released Electric Purgatory Part Two I went on facebook and asked if anybody would be interested in us putting together some videos where we talk about the creative process and the making of the project.  Pretty much everybody was in favor of it, so Illogic and I started shooting.  Now that I’m home from tour I finally I was able to put the first video together.

    Our goal is to do one for each song on the EP assuming people like it or find it informative and/or entertaining.  If you haven’t checked out the EP yet, listen here:

  • Audio,  Blog

    DOWNLOAD: “Best of Blueprint” Mix

    click cover to download

    This past weekend I played at a festival called Tribez Vibez in Bellefountain, Ohio. It was a really cool experience and I was able to make some new fans there. In fact, I think the feedback I got after I got off the stage was some of the most inspiring feedback I’ve heard in years–really positive people!  At any rate, while I was selling some CDs I realized that (as an artist that has released a lot of music over the years) sometimes it’s very hard for me to tell somebody what album to start with. So I came home determined to put together a free mix of songs that people tell me are their favorite songs from my catalog. I figure that’s better than when you buy a best of cd from the store and only realize that some major label asshole decided to only put 2-3 good songs it.  If you’re new to my music this should be a perfect introduction.  If you’re coming out to any of the shows on this upcoming tour then these songs should serve as a refresher for you.  It’s 17 tracks long.

    If you like it, feel free to share it with your friends.

    Thanks for the support.

  • News

    Free show this Friday in Columbus @ Carabar


    For those who live in Columbus or the surrounding area, I’ll be playing a set this Friday August 6th @ Carabar in Columbus Oh.  The show is free and all ages are welcome.  The show is in celebration of Carabar’s 5-year anniversary, and there are a few other bands playing as well.  If you know about Carabar, then you probably know the owner Ron, who will be DJing for me that night.  Since i imagine this will be a pretty fun event, I’m going to try out a few new songs from the upcoming album, and see how they work in a live setting.

    If you’re in the area I hope to see you out.

  • News

    Five new Blueprint shows announced in July

    printandgroovefourBlueprint and DJ Raregroove in July:

    Saturday July 3rd – Sioux City, IA @ Party in the Park Fest (FREE)
    Thursday July 8th – Eau Claire, WI @ House Of Rock
    Friday July 9th – Fargo, ND @ The Venue
    Saturday July 10th – Sioux Falls, SD @ Club David
    Saturday July 24th – Columbus, OH @ Skullys (greenhouse cd release)

    Please help spread the word. Hope to see you out!

  • News

    Sat. July 24th = Electric Purgatory Part Two

    [singlepic id=29 w=320 h=240 float=none]

    All has been quiet on the home-front, while we took some time to decide when we were going to release the next Greenhouse (Blueprint & Illogic) EP, but we’re happy to announce the decision has been made.  Electric Purgatory Part Two will be released Saturday July 24th.  Part Two features guest appearances from Aesop Rock (Def Jux) and Toki Wright (Rhymesayers) and is produced by Blueprint. Here are the details:

    – The promo version of Electric Purgatory Part Two EP will be released earlier the week of the 24th.

    – The Delux version will be sold for $4.99 and will come with a free 11×17 poster and the instrumentals.

    – There will be a deal where you can get a greenhouse t-shirt + EP + poster for $15.

    – The CD Release party will be held saturday july 24th in columbus ohio at skullys.  So far the lineup is Greenhouse (Blueprint & Illogic) and Toki Wright.  The final lineup will be confirmed soon.

    That’s all for now.  I’m going to post this again tomorrow separately but peep this Greenhouse 102 video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HxkGOTgbB8

    And if you don’t have the electric purgatory part one ep download it here:

    http://greenhousecrew.bandcamp.com/album/electric-purgatory-part-one-promo-version

    Thanks for the support yall!