Blu & Exile - Below the Heavens (Blue Cassette)

The world received a true hip-hop classic with 2007’s release of Below The Heavens. And with Blu & Exile’s recent acquisition of the album’s master rights, the duo is pleased to join forces with Fat Beats for a special deluxe edition reissue!

Throughout the album’s 15 tracks, you can hear Blu & Exiles shared intent, which was to create something that was distinctly their own. They were young, hungry artists with gifts they wanted the world to hear, not only to showcase their abilities but to also reveal another side of West Coast rap. The early to mid-aughts were a dichotomous time for L.A. hip-hop especially. The underground was brimming with creative releases from acts like Freestyle Fellowship and Living Legends, but to the rest of the world, gangster rap remained the city’s calling card. Before there was even a Blu & Exile, the producer kept hearing about this up-and-coming rapper named Blu who was performing at venues throughout the city. And it was one of Exile’s other collaborators, Aloe Blacc (who formed Emanon with Exile), who helped bring the duo together. The two immediately hit it off, and embarked on a recording spree where the blueprint for Below The Heavens began to take shape.

The duo laid down more than 50 tracks steeped in lived truths and tack-sharp writing from Blu as well as Exile’s jaw-dropping sample flips and drums. Through painstaking decisions and track sequencing, the end result was a modern classic in the style of Blu’s biggest influences—Nas, Common, Planet Asia, and DMX.

Below The Heavens beautifully captures a special place and time for the then fledgling duo, while remaining a timeless piece of art. It’s shiver-inducing and nostalgic, but also modern in its sentiments and voice. It’s a classic.