Columbus, Ohio’s Blueprint has delivered some of the most thought-provoking Hip Hop from the underground throughout the 2000s. As one half of Soul Position, ‘Printmatic’s wisdom has permeated his lyrics, while his wide array of production abilities made solo releases like 1988 major bridges in the gap between Technics and iPods. A lover of concept and message, Blueprint’s sophomore Rhymesayers solo, Adventures in Counter-Culture is one of the best examples to date of a talented emcee looking for a call to action and walls to tear down.
“Mind Body & Soul” is a prime example of the newfound dimensions in Blueprint’s music. With an ’80s Sci Fi film score-sounding synth, ‘Print rhymes particularly slow and carefully, speaking to the stifled dreams of the independent emcee. Hip Hop to Blueprint is a labor of love, but as he chronicles the sincerity of his rhymes and the intensity of the process, it’s apparent that it’s hardly a choice. With Angelica Lee’s smoky singing, the song, despite its subject matter, veers away from Hip Hop. Instead, ‘Print combines an Electronic background, a jazzier chorus with his poetic pontifications to be something all its own. Deeper in the album, “Fly Away” also pulls from an ’80s source. The keyboard drums may hint towards a Breakfast Club library montage, but the words are crying for escape. One of the most unique voices in Rap, one that often sounds like pained proclamations, takes on that of a menial job worker, looking to leave it all behind at any cost.
Adventures in Counter-Culture takes on many characters and sentiments through society’s present melting pot of outcasts. Just as longtime Blueprint tour buddies Atmosphere can speak for punks, B-boys and Suicide Girls, so can Blueprint. From bedroom emcees to dishwashers to Kerouac wannabe’s, this album feels their angst. “Stole Our Yesterday” absorbs the Recession and looks at the lowered expectations and polluted dreams in its wake, wrapped in a storytelling allegory of bank-robbery. Still, for all of its dark subject matter, ‘Print’s production and experimentation make this hardly a dark affair. “So Alive” 
is inspiring, using the emcee’s contained abilities as a greater vocalist to present a momentum and mounting urgency that feels like an emotional jailbreak. Throughout this album ‘Print channels his wisdom and sincerity that was so potent within Soul Position’s 8 Million Stories and combines it with his versatile production vision and truly breaks out.
Like his partner RJD2, Blueprint has gifts that transcend traditional Hip Hop. His latest work speaks to the widest audience yet, and employs production that’s more Tangerine Dream than T La-Rock. Still, with an audience all ears, moments like “My Culture” are exclusively waving Hip Hop’s flag, as he weaves the deaths of Rap’s prominent figures over the last 15 years with GZA-like wordplay. After a decade of criticizing the mainstream lifestyle, Blueprint made a career benchmark simply by ignoring it. While underground Hip Hop peers such as Cage and Zion I have struggled in their efforts to expand genres, one of Ohio’s best widens his scope with a fiery intensity and a welcomed sound.
Perfect.
i agree. fav album of the year so far. amazin
Buying, after taxes.
Incredible album!
Nobody is undefeated in the streets!
That real shit. Cop it.
Print’s best yet. Killed and done.
Feel so Alive!!
Amazing.
5 stars :3
Printmatic is back in full effect.
Must hear this album if anyone is going to accurately make a top 10 list at the end of the year.
This is as eye-opening as it is effortless.
Great great great album
Great Record!
Support truth!
DOPE!!!
Good shit
fresh.
I feel so alive again!
Blueprint kills it! This guy is multi talented and deserves more recognition.
Great album, great review.
love this record. ‘welcome home’ is my song right now. great music.
I’m optimistically cautious when artists release albums so far apart. Adventures in Counter Culture was worth the wait. Blueprint has really grown artistically, lyrically and worldly since 1988. The beats are vastly different between tracks but it’s surprisingly easy to listen to. Showing the true depth of talent ‘Print switches easily between rap, song and spoken word. Having recently seen the man in action on tour, his stage presence can be felt onstage and just riding along in your car. The world of music and hip-hop are much richer for having this performer and non-bubblegum hip-pop album in it.
If you haven’t already taken the time to get this album, it’s worth every penny you’ll spend for the hours of entertainment you’ll get out of it.
Another amazing release from the juggernaut that is Rhymesayers. Good ups Print, the album is a masterpiece.
The bar has been raised!
Amazing. Blueprint has done it again.
I can’t stop listening to this album. Strong contender for album of the year!
This is album is incredible. It’s not the same bull shit played on the radio. Gansta. It’s real and beautiful music. Blueprint is a real artist as he says. If people don’t like this album, then they don’t know good music.
Big ups to blueprint for not conforming to the typical hip hop genre and creating an original work of art. Stay fresh kid.
Love it…*
Print always brings it!
his albums, “Chamber Music” & “Sign Language” are must haves!
his production on Illogic’s “Celetsial Clockwork” is KLASSIK!!!
Wow great album from Blueprint!
Great album!
Best album of 2011 so far… by far
This is album is at a next level.
Top-fucking-notch!
One of the remaining few hip hop artists around. Spectacular album!
Can’t beat Printmatic. He continues to impress
Hands down,best hip hop album of the year,so far,this album just speaks to me on every level musically.
so fresh. been fresh.
Amazong.
Truly Amazing Album, especially ” Stole Our Yesterday”, cant stop playing that track!!!!!!! you got a mad fan in South Africa!!!!!!!!!!
#amazong record.
5/5, this is incredible
great album
Incredible
Incredible. “Radio-Inactive” is definitely one of the greatest hip hop tracks out there right now. Thank you Blueprint for making true hip hop. It’s amazing to know that hip hop is staying alive and well because of people like Blueprint. Get the album. Enjoy real hip hop.
This album was honestly amazing. I don’t think it could have been better. Everybody should purchase this CD. Also if you get the chance, watch Blueprint live. He opened for Atmosphere up here in Boise and it was terrific. Buy this album now!
I’m listening to this album right now and it is absolutely mind-blowing. Hip-hop needs more albums like this that are really boundary pushing and groundbreaking.
Just copped it at amazon. First time listener and I liked it.
There’s really no words glowing enough to describe how dope this album is, so I’ll just say this; if u don’t get it you’ll regret it! Amazing!!
Really took me by surprise…really happy i preordered it.
This album is beyond dope. Its right up there with pharoahes W.A.R. 5/5
…..
Blue Prints dope. I haven’t had a chance to pick up the album yet, but I will be shortly!
It is always great when you still have one musical hero to look up to these days. AiCC has set the bar for the mature(ing) artist. I hope the world pays attention.
With beats that make you stop and check what year you’re at around every curve, a great new album from an ace wordsmith.
great album from print cant get enough of this album
This is amazing. RHYMESAYERS ALL DAY!
Blueprint is AMAZING. This CD is one of the best of 2011 so far. Can’t wait for more rhmyesayers releases!
crazy.. didnt even listen lol since err one gave it 5 ill do the same 😉
Blueprint is that dude!
Album is amazing. Print is changing the game one beat at a time. It’s a refreshing change of pace and sound. Thank you blueprint.
album of the year. inspiring!
5 stars. Blueprint is my hero lol
An amazing album and a must buy, Blueprint is taking Hip-Hop to its boundaries and then smashing them down!
great album
Thrilled to see that the comment section isn’t full of fickle-heads who have no clue what they’re talking about… Great album from a great MUSICIAN
Faggg
@joshua, from what I’ve seen you write in all these comments, I hate you. You use the most ignorant, and dumbest insults, and you’re the worst fucking debater of all time. If anyone’s a fag, it’s someone that calls people “DUMM ASS Nigga Cock Man”, when he’s not even black. And you can’t spell dumb, you fucking dumbass
soft shit
Great album, very solid project. Hip-Hop isn’t dead but the radio is rotting on life support.
BluePrint Fuck Outta!!! Who R You??? You Aint Jay-z…Please Change U Name Dumm AZZ!!!
You’re a cornball lame.
You Can Suck My Balls 4 sure ASSHOLE 718
Blueprint is much more talented as a producer and emcee than Jay-Z… He also had the name Blueprint since before “The Blueprint” album came out.
Not that Jay is a producer…
BluePrint Fuck Outta Here wit Dat!!! Who R You??? You Aint Jay-z…Please Change U Name Dumm AZZ!!!
Blueprint has been around way before Jay-Z ever released that album. Also, KRS-One (BDP) made an album called Blueprint before that. That’s one of the things Nas called Jay for on Ether. So “dumb ass” maybe you should be a little less ignorant in your comments.
SHut Ur Black ASS Up!!!! Lean How 2 Talk to A DON Niggga
What kind of delusional world are you living in? I can easily tell from your facebook that you are neither black nor a don. To quote the late MC Breed, “There ain’t no future in yo’ frontin.” Have fun with your gay dancing to teach me how to dougie.
p.s. it’s okay to spell words correctly, or is education to complex of a theory for you to understand?
Excuse me Cock CITY??? wat Kind Of Name is That??? the Fact that U Like Cock..Pluz Why you Checking out Facebook Homo…. Ok Let Educate Ur Ass About Music Cock Man….u see certian rappers that been in the game since the late 90s or before that are older can still do it cause they are special artist,like em,jay,50cent,nas,busta,dr dre,snoop,fatjoe,lil wayne,wu tang,lox,camron,an few others its about keepin coming out every year with sumthing an haveing everyone hear it an kno it,thas the way it is.once u stop the fans stop u gotta keep going intill your point is reached to hear no matter who else comes after they still look at u as being on top.as for underground hiphop i like the music but they dont try as hard to let everyone know who they are.ems style been the same, he jus uses dif beats…. DUMM ASS Nigga Cock Man
Classic… lol man I can’t stop listening to “Radio inactive”. Track is dope as shyt. Album is dope too. 4/5
An early album of the year contender, imo.
718 iS A FAG I Repeat 718 Is A FAG
Go suck off mr. Cee. Learn how to spell also fuck boy.
pretty dope. not quite on the level of soul position or 1988 but u can only expect so much
Overrated album, not bad , but that review is overhyped. There are a few good songs but overally mediocre LP a little bit dissapoint for me like The Family Sign
i agree, overrated
You Got That Right Bluebrint Is OverRated!!!!!!! Sorry Ass M.C
Definitely feelin it. Totally difft vibe for Print w/ singing & whatnot… seeing maybe he took some inspiration from RJ to get out the croon. Either way, good to see him stretch out a bit & try summin difft. Could probably do without the Auto-Tune on “Wanna Be Like You”, almost rather he have tried to sing it all clean…. but either way, the songs that he goes classic Raw lyrics on (i.e. My Culture, Go Hard or Go Home) are very tight. Some of his best work.
Happy to hear it.
Did he really say that “Stole Our Yesterday” has to do with the recession and a bank robbery??? Come on the song is not that difficult to understand! It seems pretty obvious that it tells the story of an older man who despises new technology and music. He cashes his check at a bank. He doesn’t rob it… What a pathetic mistake by this reviewer.
Blueprint is the man. An artist, an emcee, a badass. That’s all I really have to say about both the man and his music.
Lyrically on point but the production could be better.
Hated the electronic sound!
Goddamn!!! Blueprint always brings it home!