Meet BLU | Fluid Artist & Poet

We had the good fortune of connecting with BLU and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi BLU, what do you attribute your success to?
I’d say that the most important factor of my success is maintaining my authenticity. I’ve noticed that people tend to lose their sense of identity once they reach a certain point in their careers and forget why they starting doing what they do in the first place. That’s lame. If my “why” isn’t constant, there’s no point in continuing. At a certain point, it’d feel like a lie or that I’m trying to be something I’m not. I’d rather quit than do that.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Hmmm… this is a hard question lowkey. I don’t really know what sets me apart from others aside from the fact that I know that no one else does it like me. When it comes to poetry, performance, and painting, people know my work when they see it… without someone having to tell them. That’s dope. I’m proud of the fact that my work literally speaks for itself and leaves a lasting impression on people. It’s taken me a very long time to get to this point of confidence, though. Lots of trial and error, lots of flops, lots of performances on deaf ears. Of course, it wasn’t easy but I think that’s the point. It wouldn’t be fun if everything fell into my lap. I just kept trying new things until I found out what worked for me and what was the most authentic. I’ve learned a LOT of along the way but I think the most important *lesson is understanding that people don’t owe you shit. People say they know that already, but they don’t apply that to real life. I had to lose my sense of entitlement before I actually got opportunities that were worth something. I want the world to know that everyone’s favorite color will be BLU soon. I’ve dedicated a lot of time to my art to ensure that it’s palatable for everyone and my brand is something tangible. Everything is real, not something I made up in hopes of being accepted by other people. I accept myself, and y’all will too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Let me think…. I honestly don’t have a “spot” or anything that’s a must-see. I also don’t plan anything because it stresses me out. 98% of the time, I just hop in the car and facetime one of the homies to see if they’re down to ride with me. It’s better that way, honestly. If you don’t have expectations for anything, you can’t be let down. Before the pandemic, I was at a performance spot at least 3-4 days out of the week. Whether it be the Local Seat on Mondays, Frozen Paradise on Tuesdays, Avant Garden on Wednesdays, and wherever else the wind took me Thursday-Sunday— not including the impromptu afterparty’s that always followed a gathering. Food though? I try finding new spots when my friends come to town just because it gives me an excuse to step out of my comfort zone. Honestly, we’d probably eat anything if it sounded cool enough. My in-town homies are the most exciting people I know because they all do *something. Everyone is artistically inclined so there’s never a dull moment, I’m sure we’d be good on entertainment. And for drinks?? They’ll drink whatever I put down in front of them lol.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to all the homies, my girlfriend, and my family. Everyone close to me has bought a piece of art or has come to a performance at least once— that means a lot to me. My support system is INSANE and I’m so grateful for a blessing like this. My friends & family are my heart, truly. My girlfriend is an extension of me. I wouldn’t be as successful as I am now if I didn’t have them, and that’s a fact.

Instagram: @i_got_da_blooz

Twitter: @ch0pped (it’s a zero)