Blueprint’s 5th EP “Falling Down” Details the Hardships He’s Been Facing (EP Review)

Columbus, Ohio emcee/producer Blueprint returning 6 years after his 10th full-length studio album 2-Headed Monster by putting out his 5th EP. Starting in 1997 by forming the trio Greenhouse alongside Inkwel & Manifest, he would later become their only remaining original member by 2009 following the other 2 departing & Illogic taking their place ever since. As far as his solo output goes: Printmatic branched out on his own beginning in 2003 off The Weightroom, but his 3rd LP 1988 backed by Rhymesayers Entertainment would become his most acclaimed body of work couple years later & subsequently my introduction to him. I also enjoy his work with RJD2 as the duo Soul Position, the experimental Adventures in Counter-Culture & even Greenhouse’s 3rd album Bend But Don’t Break equally as much personally. However only a day after Respect the Architect celebrated its 10 year anniversary, Blueprint is returning by releasing Falling Down.

“Fix Your Own Plate” is a dusty boom bap opener with some piano chords boasting that he’s the coldest from his city & that he’s in the lab with his hands dusty late at night whereas the title track kinda has some jazzier undertones to it talking about being stuck from the outside trying to find an open door. “Bad Boy Bill” works in some horns showing off the bills he’s got for a few minutes while “It’s Over” has this solemn sample throughout addressing a woman that he used to see finding someone else. “Tough Times Don’t Last” finishes the EP with keys, kicks & snares providing optimistic lyricism.

Little did I know that Blueprint has been struggling has been going through financial devastation, relationship turmoil, depression & even a lost sense of direction during these last 4 years really starting when the COVID-19 pandemic shut the whole world down. Eventually, what we have throughout Falling Down joins The Vitamins & Minerals and Vigilante Genesis in being amongst the best EPs of his career. He comes back after all this time by giving listeners an inside look of how it feels when you’re down & you’re trying find to that inspiration to get up.

Score: 8/10

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