Boston based, New Jersey born emcee Black EL has racked up several accolades since the release of his debut album, A Major Minority. EL found some success on the 2dopeboyz/illRoots co-signed project, including 80,000+ downloads, several write-ups on respected sites like okayplayer.com and hiphopdx.com, and being featured on the front page of Myspace music.
Black EL, real name Blake Morrison, creates a brand of hip-hop that fuses a love and respect for multiple genres, a brand of lyricism most popular when Rawkus Records was in its prominence, the bravado and presence found in the new generation of emcees, with the level of youth, experience and maturity being 25-years-old grants you. His latest and greatest, Color Commentary, is part of a new series of EPs with a color focused theme. EL explains the double entendre of the title, “Color represents me as a black man in America—with my music you’re seeing the world through my eyes, how I feel. I’m an artist and I’m trying to grow my sound, this is a lot more of a colorful album. Lots of blues, yellows, and greens. I feel my first album wasn’t like that.” With a degree in graphic design, and being a visual artist in addition to a musician, EL relates to his craft on a deeper level than most of his peers.
Color Commentary features live instruments, unconventional sample chops, splashes of synth from DJ Ghostdad, and all the production duty handled by versatile electro/hip-hop producer and Durkin. EL met Durkin back in 2006 and the two have remained close friends and collaborators, have performed together numerous times, and have witnessed each other grow as artists since. “We both listen to different music. We bring it together and it makes this; it combines and becomes Color Commentary. It took some time to bring it to the middle where we’re both comfortable.”
Black EL has collaborated with a variety of artists including Outasight, Jelani, Jon Hope, 6th Sense and has even worked with local ska legends Big D and the Kids Table. He’s performed at venues like The Knitting Factory, Middle East, Harpers Ferry and at festivals like NXNE.
EL is looking forward to creating more innovative and genre bending music, gracing stages, interacting with fans, and growing as an artist through this year and beyond.