2008 Innovators: Blu

By Hua Hsu, eMusic Contributor

When Johnson Barnes was growing up in Southern California, he could have never imagined a career in hip-hop, mostly because hip-hop was more or less a total mystery to him. Raised in a strict, religious household, Barnes spent most of his time in church, hoping his mother and reverend stepfather wouldn't find and destroy his hidden stash of rap tapes. (His foundational texts: DMX, Timbaland and Magoo and Ma$e.) Now, Blu is making up for all… more »