@BarionMcQueen
Following a career-defining year culminating in his first two GRAMMY nominations and spots on prominent “Best of 2022” lists, hip-hop’s most exciting artist Blxst has returned today with the next chapter to his 2021 EP, Just For Clarity 2. Out via Red Bull Records/EVGLE, the four-track package includes his December release, “Keep Calling” (12 million streams) with chart-topper Larry June, alongside rap’s leading tastemakers Roddy Ricch on the stand-out single, “Passionate,” and Mustard and Terrace Martin on the love bomb, “Ghetto Cinderella.”
Blxst shares, “‘Passionate’ is bigger than a song to me. I like to look at it more as a mindset, especially working with Roddy on this record. I think it’s dope to see somebody’s success go from zero to a hundred, especially somebody from the hometown. I just remember us being in a studio before anybody knew who we were and we had that same drive and passion. This track is a look back at that, seeing where we were, where we are, where we’re going, and what brought us here today.”
The EP is stacked with some of LA’s most talented stars in the game, all of whom have hustled their way to the top. It’s an ode to that dedication and a home-coming project for Blxst, one that defines his role in the city with confidence and humility. Through that lens he finds clarity in the present, artistically reflected in the visuals surrounding the EP.
He adds, “Just for Clarity 2 is the second installment of a project I put together for my supporters to have an update of what’s going on in real time. When I think of clarity, I think of being clear and getting straight to the point. It’s a moment for me to vent and be honest and transparent, which is a theme throughout the EP. I call it a flawless four pack because it’s intentionally short and sweet, but it’s also an appetizer before the debut.”
Blxst kicked off 2023 with two iHeartRadio Music Awards nominations, up for “Best R&B Artist” and “Best New R&B Artist.” These follow a string of accolades across his exponential growth last year, including wins at the XXL Awards for “Best New Artist of the Year,” Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players for “Rookie of the Year,” and the AIM Awards for “International Breakthrough Artist.” Capped by his track record of 2+ billion career streams, Platinum and Gold certifications for singles “Chosen” and “Overrated” respectively, radio hits, and a sold-out headline world tour, Blxst is only just getting started.
Just For Clarity 2 Tracklist
1. Ghetto Cinderella (ft. Mustard & Terrace Martin)
2. Passionate (ft. Roddy Ricch)
3. Call My Bluff
4. Keep Calling (ft. Larry June)
ABOUT BLXST
Blxst has architected a new era of West Coast hip-hop and culture by hand, as not only a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer, but also as a creative visionary who mixes, masters, and self-edits his own videos and artwork. Back in high school, the South Central native taught himself how to produce and record, going on to collaborate with YG, Mozzy, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and more. Following a string of buzzing singles in 2019, he forged an ironclad creative partnership with Bino Rideaux on their first critically acclaimed Sixtape. During 2020, he partnered with Red Bull Records and unleashed his solo debut EP, No Love Lost, to unanimous tastemaker praise. Upon release, it rose to #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart, #6 on the Rolling Stone Breakthrough 25 Chart, and #11 on the Trending 25 Chart, while the Gold-certified single “Overrated” soared to #15 at Urban radio. The deluxe edition of No Love Lost has yielded over one billion streams along with the Platinum-certified smash “Chosen” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign and Tyga), which garnered over 300 million streams in less than a year while breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #1 at Rhythmic and Urban radio.
In 2021, Blxst dropped the Just For Clarity two-pack and Sixtape 2 with Bino Rideaux, and claimed a place in XXL’s coveted 2021 Freshman Class. He also earned the Billboard Rising Star Award, becoming the first artist to ever receive the honor at the 2021 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Summit. With excitement at a boiling point, he sold out his entire fall 2021 No Love Lost Tour in ten seconds.
Now posting up more than 2 billion career streams, Blxst kickstarted 2022 with the “Best New Artist of The Year” win from the XXL Awards, and the release of his sophomore solo project Before You Go which debuted at #90 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned Rhythm & Urban radio single “About You”, for which he was nominated for “Best Male R&B/Pop Artist” at the 2022 BET Awards, priming his sold-out first ever global tour across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and 11 dates through Europe. Whilst on the road, he nabbed the AIM Awards’ “International Breakthrough” honor, and returned home in the fall to accept the “Rookie of the Year” award from Future at Billboard’s R&B & Hip-Hop Power Players 2022. Following two sold-out hometown shows at the Hollywood Palladium, the LA Times declared, “Blxst is leading the new wave of L.A. hip-hop.”
In November, Blxst reached a new career high with his first two GRAMMY Award nominations for “Best Melodic Rap Performance” as a feature on Kendrick Lamar’s “Die Hard” with Amanda Reifer, and “Album of the Year” on Lamar’s revered LP, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. He finished the year earning several “Best of 2022” titles from key opinion leaders such as Associated Press, Rolling Stone, LA Times, and more.
Paying homage to the city that raised him, Blxst next presents the Just For Clarity 2 EP with four tracks featuring respected scene-shapers such as Roddy Ricch, Mustard, and Larry June. A bite-sized project with mass appeal, Blxst is confident yet self-aware, and he owes it all to LA. Pegged as an “Artist to Watch” by Billboard, Complex, Pigeons & Planes, UPROXX, and more, he continues to traffic in a lane of his own, bringing the game with him.
Keep Up With Blxst
Website | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
RODDY RICCH, MUSTARD, TERRACE MARTIN, AND LARRY JUNE ASSETS HERE
SpratFool
