
Written by Adam E. Smith (@theadamesmith)
Founder of Weightless Recordings, Rhymesayers Entertainment signee, half of the duos Soul Position with RJD2 and Greenhouse Effect with Illogic, and thirteen years deep in the game as a well respected emcee and producer, Albert Shepard aka Blueprint aka Printmatic is a purists personification of hip-hop. Bred and educated both academically and musically in the Columbus, Ohio area, Shepard has a revealing regional history that finds itself intertwined with the rise of some of the genre’s most influential members of the last decade. A dip into his vast discography presents conceptual instrumental records, acclaimed rap efforts, and unique projects that reimagine rock and roll greats The Who and funk legends Parliament Funkadelic. All of that before you branch out into his collaborative pairings with the likes of Aesop Rock, Slug, Eyedea, Vast Aire, and the previously mentioned Illogic and RJD2 (who debuted a new track two weeks ago on RollingStone.com that features Blueprint).
Now just weeks before the drop of his newest project Deleted Scenes, Sherpard has leaked two tracks that cames as a result of the 75 he recorded for 2011′s Adventures in Counter-Culture. The first, “American Dream,” reflects what we have come to expect from the producer/emcee – a uniquely engaging beat, expertly forged lyrical content, and a boldly paced cadence that serves as the parameters of his flow. The second, “Never Grow Old,” dropped last week and utilizes a two-stepping tongue wrestle flow in slow motion that is iced by sultry vocals from Angelica Lee. Today the Daily Chiefers are proud to present an exclusive track from Deleted Scenes, “Senseless,” to accompany Part 1 of our in-depth conversation with Blueprint about what it took for one of Ohio’s finest artists to reach this pinnacle in his career.
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