Blueprint + Zero Tonight At Cafe Bourbon Street.

Blueprint and Zero Star are performing at So What Wednesdays, which is located at Cafe Bourbon Street in Columbus, tonight.
Here is a quick interview I did with Printmatic.

Wes Flexner-What are a few Hip Hop Weeklies that stick out in your mind?
Blueprint-Ohio would be Bernies(Fonosluts) Columbus #1, and Topcats #2. They were the best hiphop nights I’ve ever been to for different reasons…Bernies was rowdy on some youth angst clash of cultures type shit, and the music was really diverse. Topcats was dope only because it was the only outlet in a city with no outlets, and because people used to get regulated on so quickly. A lot more beatdowns at Topcats, but a lot more classic hiphop moments at Bernies. Topcats also had that straight edge, grafitti writer, hip hop head, meets g rapper element to it. That was the last place I battled at with regularity because you could guarantee it would be against somebody who hadn’t heard of me.Bernies was a place you had to earn respect before you got the mic at, and Topcats wasn’t really.

WF-How long did Top Cats go on for? I know Bernies went on for like 6 years.
Blueprint-Top cats was about 5 years.

WF-Girls Girls Girls. Why do most Hip Hop nights struggle on the girl tip?
Blueprint-Because dudes who aren’t around enough women put hiphop nights together. Most dudes don’t even acknowledge the fun factor, and the fun factor runs hand in hand with the female factor. If the women come to your event then you’re doing something right. Not that it has to be girly music but its gotta be something normal people ie Women can relate to. Dudes just wanna rap and get glory. Girls just wanna have fun. You have to meet somewhere in the middle to get girls out.

After the jump, Print gives hip hop dorks lessons on meeting women. He discusses future music and touring plans, and tells me how Envelope earned the nickname “the white ODB”.


WF-Do you have any advice for the gameless but well intentioned Hip Hop man at a weekly to meet women without creeping them out?
BP-Play the bar and let the girls talk first.

WF-So say the girl decides to talk to you..and she asks you to dance and you don’t know how to dance…How should I..I mean one approach that situation. Whats an easy dance move for the motor skilled impaired?
BP-Then I would dance but I would play the wall. Never get out in plain sight where everybody can see you if you can’t dance. If its packed then get in the middle of the dancefloor where nobody can see you and stay hugged up on her so she doesn’t notice you’ve got no rhythm Either the wall or hidden in the middle. When you play the wall u can front like you’re not tryin. That’s crucial if you can’t dance.

WF-i have found that the best moment to bust free is during “The Humpty Dance” cause dood explains how the dance to you and its supposed to look funny anyway so I am glad its get so much spin.
BP-Oh yeah. If you hear a joint with song that has a dance move associated with it then do that immediately. That will save you.

WF-So last show you headlined in Columbus was New Years at Skullys.
BP-Yeah that was it for me. I’ve been tryin to lay low and do other things.

WF-Place was stacked.
BP-Yeah shit was oversold. That was a great night. I was so amazed that Lif was actually there. Especially after his bus accident.

WF-Yeah that was his first show back. So after something like that..why Bourbon Street on a Wednesday?
BP- Well, besides trying to bring shows to the weekly event that wouldn’t normally be there, for me its about trying out some new material in a room and for a crowd that might not come see me at a spot like Skullys. Bourbon St. is an indy rock room primarily. And it definitely isn’t associated with hiphop at all to this point. For me that’s good. When I tour solo try to fit in a couple weekly events, where people who go there might not even believe I would play that kinda room, but when it works it means more to everybody. Plus I like small rooms anyway

WF-You are about to go on the road again right?
BP-I start the Blowfly tour on june 12th. That’s about 2 weeks but its mostly East coast and Midwest.Then after that I got the Paid Dues tour starting in mid july and early august. Its Felt (Atmosphere & Murs), Mr Lif, Brother Ali, Cage, Hangar 18, Me and Living Legends, and maybe some other cats. That will be the majority of my summer spent on the road.

WF- What musical projects are you currently working on?
BP- My next solo album and producing Envelopes next album are my number one priorities right now. I’m also working on a new Greenhouse album, but since me and Fess don’t really give a shit about release dates so its gonna come out whenever.

WF-You just took Envelope on his first tour. He is a favorite among Donewaiting.com visitors. So tell us an embarrassing story about Tony. on the road.How did Lope get the name “The White Odb”?
BP-Envelope managed to have a lot of good stories in a short amount of time…let me think of that shit. He got called (the White ODB) that by one of his own fans in Carbondale, Illinois. He played there last year with me and some kids dug him, so one of them came back and was saw Envelope at the merch table and said “I love you man, you’re even more dirty and grimey than the last time I saw you! You’re like the white old dirty bastard!!!” shit was hilarious…. Envelope would get drunk and talk shit to the crowd during my set and as fucked up as what he said would be it would be right and funny as fuck. In Tulsa, instead of calling the nonresponsive crowd wack he told them that he couldn’t believe they had the nerve to resent Mexicans for coming here when Mexicans worked harder than them. He called them lazy and the shit was so fucking funny. That was the worst night of the tour though. Not in turnout, because we had about 60 heads there, but in terms of response because it was like rapping to a room of statues.Tony was a big trooper though, but he did really well on his first tour.


Disclaimer. I am not the promoter of this show. I am down with Weightless. So What Wednesdays was named after Daymon Dodson. And I do work for his legacy. But I don’t have any financial stake in the night.The deed on the night is DJ Detox and friends. I have dejayed at So What Wednesdays as part of 3cb. And sometimes Adam Elliot gives me a free shot. But thats just because Adam Elliot is a pretty good dood. So even though I am down with Weightless. No money here….much like I have also resisted all urges to write on the bathroom stall even though I down with PBJ.

3 responses to “Blueprint + Zero Tonight At Cafe Bourbon Street.

  1. Best disclaimer ever. And a good show too. Though those mics were suspect.

  2. I love funny interviews! Good stuff Wes…I interviewed Blueprint before, and it was all serious shit…I wonder if he remembers…

    p.s. Writers only get one disclaimer their whole career…I’d call what you did a discloser…example: NBC is also owned by GE, that kind of thing…

  3. I love funny interviews! Good stuff Wes…I interviewed Blueprint before, and it was all serious shit…I wonder if he remembers…

    p.s. Writers only get one disclaimer their whole career…I’d call what you did a discloser…example: NBC is also owned by GE, that kind of thing…