Hip-hop duo Blue Scholars will take over the University Union (UU) Plaza on Friday night. “We are a product of our vibrant upbringings and what we grew up around,” Blue Scholars’ Geo (left) said.
Aryn Sanderson
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Shwayze came to Cal Poly this past school year as a sunset series act, and things got a little “shwa-cray-zye.” The first sunset series show of this school year will feature Blue Scholars and is looking to top that madness.
Seattle-based duo Blue Scholars is ready to teach Mustangs a lesson in hip-hop this Friday in the University Union (UU) Plaza. Although considered “underground,” the duo has performed with artists such as Kanye West and Immortal Technique and has appeared multiple times at Sasquatch! Music Festival. This will be Blue Scholars’ — which consists of Sabzi (also known as Alexei Saba) and Prometheus Brown (also known as Geo) — first time in San Luis Obispo.
“Oh man, it’ll be our first time there, so you can’t know what to expect,” Geo said. “We’ve played Northern Cali, Southern Cali, but it will actually be our first time right in the middle and on the coast too. I’ve visited there before but never to play a show, so I’m just excited about getting out there and seeing what the crowd is like.”
Geo describes Blue Scholars’ signature style as “a mix of traditional hip-hop with some experimentation.”
“We are a product of our vibrant upbringings and what we grew up around,” Geo said. “We’re both second generation children of immigrants, so we pull a lot from that, but we pull from everything really. Our music is always a reflection of who we are, and what we’re experiencing in our day-to-day lives, at that time.”
Their sound is a blend of classical music, hip-hop beats and political, social, activist and soulful lyrics.
Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) events musical entertainment assistant and business administration senior Gage McGinnis said ASI picked Blue Scholars for its “uplifting” lyrics.
“Their lyrics have a lot more of a positive image than a lot of other rap artists, so we thought they’d be the perfect fit for Cal Poly,” McGinnis said.
Though Blue Scholars is considered somewhat underground hip-hop, the duo has a strong fan base at Cal Poly, he said.
“People who like the Blue Scholars typically really like the Blue Scholars,” McGinnis said.
Environmental engineering senior Ethan Akerman has been listening to Blue Scholars since high school.
“It’s just different than a lot of the hip-hop, rap stuff that’s out there that’s all only about partying and stuff,” he said. “I’m really excited to see them because it’s just nice, relaxing music with a good message.”
Blue Scholars have had a “quiet year,” Geo said, and have been hard at work in the studio.
“We’re grateful to play at a time when we’re just working on new material and not really touring as much,” Geo said. “We’ve been busy in the studio this year, so it’ll be nice to get outside the studio for a little bit, but then we’ll head back straight to the studio.”
Will Mustangs get to hear any of the new material?
“I’d say there’s a 50 percent likelihood that fans will hear unreleased material,” Geo said. “OK, at least 50 percent. I’ll just say that I would like to unveil some new material, but it has to be right, you know? We don’t want to unveil any material that’s not ready to be unveiled and have it suck.”
Students can catch Blue Scholars on Sept. 27, in the UU Plaza for free. The concert kicks off at 6 p.m., and there will not be an opening act.