The way paths tend to merge and intertwine in the world of underground rap is fascinating. Individual artists, realizing their greatest assets, split for side projects with other seemingly disparate artists, and while the results obviously vary, it's surprising how often they find success. From The Weather (in which underground emcees Busdriver and Radioinactive paired up with sample-crazy IDM artist Daedelus), to Non-Prophets (introspective lyricist Sage Francis teamed with harder-edged producer Joe Beats), to this unlikely duo, which matches low-profile, self-producing lyricist Blueprint with official Ohio soul machine Rjd2, these bizarre side projects are quickly becoming some of the underground's best bets.
Those unfamiliar with Blueprint's previous work with acts like Illogic and Aesop Rock may be taken aback by his ability to exude unusual confidence, charisma and emotionally powerful delivery in conjunction with his nasal voice and sharp, educated pronunciation. Essentially escaping comparison, his diverse subject matter spans topics like disdain for occupational hierarchy ("Fuckajob") and the trials and tribulations of hot-headed female companions ("The Jerry Springer Episode").
One of his most gripping outings here appears in "Run". With a beat, chorus and concept recalling Book of Human Language-era Aceyalone, Blueprint glides around Rjd2's ethereal bobbing string-guided beat with an urgency that lends well to the topic at hand. Print examines the bleak state of mind inherent in the ghetto environment he grew up in, from gestation to age of majority: "I learned how to walk at age 1/ And wasn't satisfied until I learned how to run/ At age 18, I didn't wanna run/ But I had to run from the shots fired by a gun." His focus later changes to the escapist philosophies of his fellow project purveyors, finding that they're better off when not "running from responsibilities." Print's fresh take on the relatively common ghetto life theme is a powerful example of his wordplay capabilities.
Rjd2 typically plays the background when laying down beats for emcees, trusting traditionalism over his obvious strength in experimentation, but here he makes several advances to match Blueprint's radicalism. From the trickle-down skank and blaxploitation recoil of "Fuckajob" to the "clumsy ghost" piano hammer smash of "Look of Pain" and the stuttered orchestral horror film crescendo, subtle piano, and gorgeous panning electric guitar of "Survival", RJ manages to dominate independent beatmaking. Even his simpler offerings ("Right Place, Wrong Time", "Printmatic") are tastefully executed: they not only serve their purpose of enhancing lyrical focus, but also expose the more colorful tracks on the disc.
Some missed opportunities remain: the beat on the three "Candyland" interludes is strong enough to rescue the track from its alphabetic retro dalliance, while "Right Place, Wrong Time" seems largely pointless with the same verse being dropped twice (and lacking resonance, development or purpose both times). Also, despite his preference for darker beats, Blueprint could easily have benefited from more upbeat production. Still, with these minor complaints pending, it's obvious that this amalgam between one of the most promising rappers in the underground and the most in-demand producer in the industry is a winning combination.
