I first heard Blueprint on a Rhymesayers Entertainment mixtape I got my hands on about ten years ago featuring “Boombox” and I’ve been following him ever since. He’s a rapper, producer, author, blogger, and founder of Weightless Recordings, an independent label that promotes local Columbus, Ohio hip hop. He is one half of Soul Position with instrumentalist RJD2 and one half of Greenhouse with emcee Illogic. He’s collaborated with everyone from Aesop Rock to Eyedea and toured with the likes of Brother Ali and Living Legends. Songs like “Numb” will make you fall in love with instrumentals; one listen to “Radio-Inactive,” an anthem about doing it your way, will leave you exhilarated; and “Perspective” will remind you why you fell in love with Blueprint in the first place.
What makes Blueprint stand out is, at the end of the day, he does it all for the love of music. A lot of people say that but then let whatever get in the way of letting that be true. He doesn’t give a fuck about definitions or fitting within some pre-conceived notion about what music should sound like. And despite being widely-respected by many and achieving much success with his work, he is refreshingly accessible to and conversational with fans.
Blueprint’s latest album, Respect the Architect, was released on April 26. Say Hey There is stoked to present the following interview with Blueprint, where he discusses everything from what people can expect with his new album to the role of technology in music-making to how he continues to keep things fresh.
Say Hey There: Some artists sit on releasing a record, or even an EP, with something surfacing maybe every 
two to three years. That’s not an issue with you. You have a large solo discography, not to mention your other projects and collaborations. Do you think producing more music is something that comes naturally with your experimental nature? Or do you think you’re just less hesitant to release more of your work to the public than others?
Blueprint: I think being a producer has helped me increase my output quite a bit. I kind of started out being one member of a crew but doing production for every artist in the crew, and that got me into the pattern of creating a lot of stuff for different reasons. It’s a habit that I’ve kept throughout my entire career, but it all stems from production. The only times I really feel like my output isn’t high is when I’m not making any beats. But if I’m making beats then I have no problem creating. I actually wish I could release more music than I do now because even though I create a lot, it seems like I always have to wait a year or two before it’s released properly. I would like to get into the habit of releasing 1-2 projects a year from here on out.
Say Hey There: One thing that I really like about you is that you aren’t afraid to experiment. I compare you to a painter who likes their canvas to have a lot of texture and layers. You’re always incorporating new electronic sound bites and samples and voice snippets. I know you’ve said in the past that you want to push boundaries and get away from the same old, which was a big focus with Adventures in Counter-Culture. How do you continue to do that, keep things fresh?
Blueprint: For me, staying fresh means always challenging myself. I always take inventory on the things I’ve done before and try to make sure I’m not repeating myself just because it feels familiar or safe. It can be tough sometimes, because you look around and see that the pattern for most artists is to find a style that’s successful and then milk it until they fall off and their fanbase gets tired of them. But I want my path to be the opposite. I want people to understand that what I’m putting out is always a reflection of my path as a music fan and my progress as a person; just trying to improve myself. I want people to hear constant growth when then they look back on my artistic path. I’m also such a fan of music that I frequently create releases that are just for me. Things that may be weird or bugged out and sometimes they never come out. Other times I end up releasing them after my friends tell me they’re dope. I try to take a child-like approach to music and just have fun with it.
I’m also such a fan of music that I frequently create releases that are just for me. Things that may be weird or bugged out and sometimes they never come out. Other times I end up releasing them after my friends tell me they’re dope.
Say Hey There: You’re someone who celebrates other genres and likes to incorporate elements from them into your music. Do you think that hip hop will always be central to your work, or could you see yourself leaving it for awhile to pursue something completely different?
Blueprint: I think I’ll always be grounded in hip-hop, but the music I create will continue to branch out into other areas and genres. But if i do take it that far in the future it will probably be under a different alias just to keep things separate so people don’t get too confused.
Say Hey There: Which role do you like playing better: the producer or the rapper?
Blueprint: I prefer production a little more because it’s a little more of an isolated sport to me. I can sit in the house for days on end making beats and in general I don’t feel the need to share with anybody, but I can’t say that about rapping. Whenever I write a good rhyme I want to share it immediately. Plus, everything I write is driven by the mood of music so my creative process depends a lot on production.
Plus, everything I write is driven by the mood of music so my creative process depends a lot on production.
Say Hey There: You’ll make a record and then you’ll release an instrumentals-only version. Nobody is doing that. Maybe it’s rare in part because producers are afraid aspiring rappers or other producers will jack their creations as their own or try to play it off as a “collaboration.” With someone like you, I have to wonder if you do it because maybe the tracks weren’t intended to be rapped over in the first place, so you decided to give the listener an option as to which version they like more. I’ll stop rambling and just ask: Why do you do it?
Blueprint: I think I started including the instrumentals because, just like you, I noticed that nobody was doing it! I’m such a fan of production that I would always sit around and wonder why it was so hard to get instrumental versions of albums I liked. Back in the days, when vinyl was still the most popular format, labels would send instrumental versions out to the Mix DJs so they could play them. But that whole thing kind of died when vinyl sales stopped being so popular. I guess me including the instrumentals with my releases is my way of keeping that thing going for all the other beat fiends out there.
Say Hey There: You’ve collaborated with dozens of talented people over the past decade, including Aesop Rock, Eyedea, Slug, and Illogic. Who do you have the most chemistry with?
An insightful Facebook post from Brother Ali. April 23, 2014.
Blueprint: Man…that’s a tough question. I’d probably have to say Illogic because I collaborate with him in more ways that everybody else. I produced his first three solo albums and collaborated with him on the Greenhouse albums too, so we’ve had a lot more collaborations than anybody else. He and I don’t even have to speak a lot during the creative process. There are times when I send him a beat and he knows exactly how to complement it without me saying anything, and there are times when he’ll send me a rhyme and I know exactly how to complement it without saying anything. When we listen back to the end results we’re always impressed at how the other person did exactly what we hoped they would do. It’s pretty effortless.
Say Hey There: You once tweeted something along the lines of “Don’t be afraid to let the beat breathe,” and it’s tweets like that make you one of the most interesting people to follow on Twitter. You talk genuinely about music, it still interests you to the point where you can consistently blog about it and discuss it with people, and you’re not above interacting with your fans. So this is really a two-part question: Has there ever been a time when you’ve felt jaded about music or the industry or the game, and why are you so accessible to the community?
Blueprint: I’ve been discouraged about things in the industry many times, but fortunately I don’t think I’ve ever been jaded. I think the reason I’ve never been jaded is because I accept the down moments as just that, moments. Pursuing what you love is supposed to be tough, so I expect there to be those times when I feel really down about it. I take that as a part of the experience. But I’ve gotten so much reward from doing music full time that I appreciate every moment of it. I truly feel fortunate and more appreciative every day. This has been my job for 12 years now and it’s all because of the people. Once I came to understand that I am allowed to do this because the people support me, being accessible was really the only option. I don’t understand how artists can be closed off to their fans if they understand that support. I also enjoy it. I learn so much more about music and life by talking to people. Even at my shows, I hang out at the merch table all night and just talk to people because I enjoy the conversations and it reminds me why I do what I do. It makes me see how fortunate I really am to be able to have a career at this.
This has been my job for 12 years now and it’s all because of the people. Once I came to understand that I am allowed to do this because the people support me, being accessible was really the only option. I don’t understand how artists can be closed off to their fans if they understand that support.
Say Hey There: Do you think that the internet has helped or hurt the industry when you consider everything from the Napster days through today—the era of Soundcloud and YouTube? On the one hand, album sales have declined, but on the other, reach and discovery have skyrocketed.
Blueprint: I think the internet is the best and worst thing that ever happened to the music industry. Everything that was great about music got multiplied and sped up, but everything wack about music got multiplied and sped up. Overall, I think it’s great though. The internet has put a lot of gatekeepers out of work.
Say Hey There: What’s your writing style? You freestyle, but do you ever get a creative block?
Blueprint: When it comes to writing, my goal is to be as effective as possible, all the time. I understand the need to be complex and layered in my approach, but my goal is to never sacrifice substance for style. So my writing style is very direct. When I first started writing rhymes I had a weird thought that being able to express myself in sentence form without sacrificing style was the highest level of communication, so I still strive for that.
I used to have block a lot years ago, but not anymore. I’ve learned that being blocked is often a result of fear or of anxiety, so now I just try to create in a really relaxed kind of way. I don’t put any pressure or expectations on myself, and that helps me avoid being blocked. And I never force anything anymore. If I’m not feeling it, then I won’t do it.
When I first started writing rhymes I had a weird thought that being able to express myself in sentence form without sacrificing style was the highest level of communication, so I still strive for that.
Say Hey There: Why do you love hip hop?
Blueprint: A lot of reasons. Mostly because its the only art form that teaches its listeners about other genres of music and social issues. Also because it gives a voice to communities and segments of society that never had it before.
Say Hey There: Can you walk us through what you were thinking about when you were making Respect the Architect and what you hope people take away from it?
Blueprint: My goal was to do music that was as stripped down as possible so that the emphasis is on the words and lyrics. Also to not get caught in the formula where I felt I had to recreate Adventures in Counter-Culture all over again. I just wanted to make good music that people could relate to.
There you have it, cats. Check out everything Blueprint below, including a Say Hey Picks playlist, tour dates, and info on where you can pick up the new album.
Say Hey Picks
Check out this Say Hey Picks playlist of Blueprint over the years.
Catch Blueprint on Tour
Blueprint is on tour now promoting Respect the Architect. Here are the remaining dates:
(5/15) The Speak Easy Lounge • Lake Worth, FL
(5/16) The Peacock Room • Orlando, FL
(5/17) Nervous Nellie’s • Fort Myers Beach, FL
(5/20) Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar • Houston, TX
(5/21) Lola’s Saloon • Fort Worth, TX
(5/22) Fitzgerald’s Bar & Live Music • San Antonio, TX
(5/23) Holy Mountain • Austin, TX
(5/24) Sister the Bar • Albuquerque, NM
(5/25) El Paseo Bar & Grill • Santa Fe, NM
(5/26) Roxy Theatre • Denver, CO
(5/27) Hodi’s Half Note • Fort Collins, CO
(5/29) Flagstaff Brewing Company • Flagstaff, AZ
(5/30) Bar Deluxe • Salt Lake City, UT
(5/31) Whiskey Jacques, Ketchum, ID
(6/1) Tom Grainey’s • Boise, ID
(6/3) Beauty Bar • Las Vegas, NV
(6/4) Slide Bar • Fullerton, CA
(6/5) Moe’s Alley • Santa Cruz, CA
(6/6) Milk Bar • San Francisco, CA
(6/7) 924 Gilman • Berkeley, CA
(6/9) John’s Alley Tavern • Moscow, ID
(6/11) Luckey’s • Eugene, OR
(6/12) Hawthorne Theatre • Portland, OR
(6/13) Rockwell Ballroom • Juneau, AK
(6/14) Bayview Restaurant and Pub • Sitka, AK
(6/15) Nectar Lounge • Seattle, WA
(6/17) Crush Lounge • Whitefish, MT
(6/18) Stage 112 • Missoula, MT
(6/19) Machinery Row • Great Falls, MT
(6/20) Zebra Cocktail Lounge • Bozeman, MT
(6/21) Souris River Brewing • Minot, ND
(6/22) Nestor Tavern • Fargo, ND
(6/24) Vaudville Mews • Des Moines, IA
(6/25) 7th Street Entry • Minneapolis, MN
(6/26) The Riot Room • Kansas City, MO
(6/28) Mad Planet • Milwaukee, WI
(6/29) JD’s Bar • Green Bay, WI
(7/5) Brothers Drake Meadery • Columbus, OH
(7/8) The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant • Manchester, NH
(7/9) The Asylum • Portland, ME
(7/10) The Stanhope House • Stanhope, NJ
(7/11) The Red Square • Albany, NY
(7/12) Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar • Buffalo, NY
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