Nas Protege Boldy James Drops ‘House of Blues’ Mixtape [Listen Now]

Known for his gritty, densely detailed street stories, Boldy James is a well-respected emcee in the Detroit underground. Trading in the cold, grimy atmosphere of his previous work for a brighter, energetic, trap-flavored sound, Boldy returns with House of Blues, his first full-length mixtape in two years.

Featuring propulsive bangers such as the motivational “Do It” and “Maserati Rick,” an ode to a notorious Detroit drug dealer, House of Blues presents Boldy’s trademark lyricism in an entirely new light. Released by Mass Appeal records, Boldy’s House Of Blues is a treat for trappers, lyric-fiends, and old-school heads alike.

Speaking on his latest project, Boldy James explains,

“I named the project House of Blues for a couple reasons. My first show with Nas was in Chicago at The House Of Blues, so it was a monumental moment in my rap career, but it also refers to a particular period in my life in Detroit. Me and my big brother Blue, we used to sell blue pills out of a blue house on a street called Blue Hill, with a blue-nose pitbull. In so many words, everything was blue.

On the new tape, I’m trying a new sound, bringing in some elements of trap music–trying to bridge the gap for people who are biased against that kind of music. I’m releasing the project on 2/27 because 2-2-7 is a number of significance to me, the ConCreatures, and a bunch of other groups from my area of Detroit, like Double Dee & The Game Time Mafia, Redi-Rock & The Bully Boys, the list goes on. 2-2-7 is my bread and butter and I hold it near and dear to my heart.”

Peep the tracklisting and take a listen to the Detroit MC’s latest below.

House of Blues Tracklist: