Blue Sky Black Death

Kingston and Young God met and began collaborating on music in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.imeem.com/bsbd/video/M1Aa78ud/blue_sky_black_death_interview_music_video/ |title=Blue Sky Black Death Interview Music Video on IMEEM Video |publisher=Imeem.com |date=2008-04-14 |access-date=2009-04-15}} Young God, working under the name Rev. Left, began producing beats to rap over, but abandoned rapping and started producing exclusively around 2000. Kingston, working under the name Orphan, began his solo producing career collaborating with rapper Noah23 and the Plague Language collective{{cite web|url=http://ugsmag.com/2001/08/noah23/|title=Noah23 interview|publisher=ugsmag.com|date=2001-08-05|access-date=2011-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725132857/http://ugsmag.com/2001/08/noah23/|archive-date=2011-07-25|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://ugsmag.com/2008/06/baracuda/|title=Baracuda interview|publisher=ugsmag.com|date=2008-06-18|access-date=2011-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003093823/http://ugsmag.com/2008/06/baracuda/|archive-date=2011-10-03|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fakeforreal.net/index.php/post/2007/BLUE-SKY-BLACK-DEATH-A-Heap-of-Broken-Images|title=A Heap of Broken Images review|work=Fake For Real |publisher=fakeforreal.net|date=2007-05-16|access-date=2011-07-04 |last1=Bertot |first1=Sylvain }}{{cite web|url = http://exclaim.ca/Interviews/WebExclusive/noah23/Page/3|title = Noah23 interview|publisher = exclaim.ca|date = January 31, 2008|access-date = 2011-07-04|first = Vish|last = Khanna|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121007160200/http://exclaim.ca/Interviews/WebExclusive/noah23/Page/3|archive-date = October 7, 2012|url-status = dead}} (to which Young God also contributed production). Kingston contributed production to Noah23's debut album Cytoplasm Pixel in 1999,{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Noah23-Cytoplasm-Pixel/release/1930696|title=Cytoplasm Pixel Discogs.com entry|publisher=discogs.com|access-date=2011-06-23}} and the two collaborated closely until Jupiter Sajitarius in 2004, after which they parted ways.{{cite web|url=http://ugsmag.com/2008/09/noah23-2/|title=Noah23 interview|publisher=ugsmag.com|date=2008-09-07|access-date=2011-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725132836/http://ugsmag.com/2008/09/noah23-2/|archive-date=2011-07-25|url-status=dead}} In the same year, Kingston worked on projects for Virtuoso's Omnipotent Records. He contributed a number of tracks to Jus Allah's scheduled Omnipotent debut, All Fates Have Changed, but the album was shelved.{{cite web|url=http://www.mushrecords.com/artist/BlueSkyBlackDeath.php |title=Blue Sky Black Death |publisher=Mush Records |access-date=2009-04-15}} The tracks "Vengeance" and "Drill Sergeant" were later released on BSBD's Dirtnap mixtape,{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1549843 |title=Blue Sky Black Death - Dirtnap (CDr) at Discogs |date=October 2007 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2009-04-15}} and a number of other beats recorded for the album were bootlegged on The Devil'z Rejects album Necronomicon.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/809612 |title=Devil'z Rejects, The - Necronomicon (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2009-04-15}} One Kingston beat, "Supreme (Black God's Remix)," was included on the Babygrande Records release of All Fates Have Changed in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/489496 |title=Jus Allah - All Fates Have Changed (CD) at Discogs |date=11 May 2005 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2009-04-15}}

The duo, collaborating initially under the name Torso, signed their first record deal with Mush Records in 2005 to release the label's first double-disc album.{{cite web|url=http://www.mushrecords.com/news/75 |title=Bigg Jus and Blue Sky Black Death Sign To Mush |publisher=Mushrecords.com |access-date=2009-04-15}} During the album's production, the duo settled on their current name.{{cite web|url=http://www.plugonemag.com/2008/05/26/the-plug-one-qa-blue-sky-black-death|title=The Plug One Q&A: Blue Sky Black Death|publisher=Plugonemag.com|date=May 26, 2008|access-date=June 23, 2011}} The album, A Heap of Broken Images, was released on June 23, 2006. The first disc featured twelve instrumental tracks with heavy live instrumentation, while the second disc featured nine rap collaborations made with traditional hip-hop sampling and a closing instrumental. The guests included Rob Sonic, Mike Ladd, Jus Allah, Sabac Red, Wise Intelligent, A-Plus, Pep Love, Chief Kamachi, Myka 9, Virtuoso, Awol One and Holocaust.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/707745 |title=Blue Sky Black Death - A Heap Of Broken Images (2XCD) at Discogs |date=23 May 2006 |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=2009-04-15}} The album received acclaim from various sources, including Vapors, Word, Mean Street, UK Hip Hop, and Allmusic,{{cite web|url=http://www.mushrecords.com/release/88 |title=MH-243 Blue Sky Black Death - A Heap of Broken Images |publisher=Mush Records |date=2006-05-23 |access-date=2009-04-15}} and landed the duo on URB's "Next 100."{{cite web|url=http://www.mushrecords.com/news/542 |title=Mush Artists In Urb Next 100 |publisher=Mushrecords.com |access-date=2009-04-15}} Around the same time, the duo completed a collaborative project with Ceschi entitled Deadpan Darling, which was never released due to the loss of most of the final mixes on a crashed hard drive.{{cite web|url=http://paradigmmagazine.com/2012/02/13/paradigm-magazine-blue-sky-black-death-interview/|title=Paradigm Magazine Interviews Blue Sky Black Death|publisher=Paradigm Magazine|first=Theo|last=Constantinou|date=February 13, 2012|access-date=July 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422112609/http://paradigmmagazine.com/2012/02/13/paradigm-magazine-blue-sky-black-death-interview/|archive-date=April 22, 2014|url-status=dead}} 16 years later, in 2021, it was announced that Deadpan Darling had recovered and was later released.

The acclaim received for their debut album led to the duo landing a record deal with popular independent rap label Babygrande Records later in 2006. Their first release on the label was a full-length collaboration with Holocaust, titled Blue Sky Black Death Presents: The Holocaust, released on September 5. Holocaust provided all the album's vocals with no guest appearances, and BSBD provided production for every track. The album included the duo's first 12-inch single, The Ocean / No Image.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/800968 |title=Blue Sky Black Death Presents Holocaust, The - The Ocean/No Image (12") at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2006-10-20 |access-date=2009-04-15}} The duo's next album was a collaboration with another Wu-Tang affiliate, Sunz of Man, and Black Market Militia member Hell Razah. Their album Razah's Ladder was released on October 23, 2007. Unlike The Holocaust, the album included outside guest appearances, featuring Crooked I, Shabazz the Disciple, Ill Bill, Sabac Red, and Prodigal Sunn.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1161653 |title=Blue Sky Black Death & Hell Razah - Razah's Ladder (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2007-10-23 |access-date=2009-04-15}} The duo strayed from the dark soundscapes featured in The Holocaust, instead providing a soulful backdrop for Razah. Shortly before the release of Razah's Ladder, the duo released their first mixtape, titled Dirtnap, featuring various unreleased collaborations and two instrumentals from their forthcoming album.

The duo's next release was their first all-instrumental project, Late Night Cinema, released on April 29, 2008. The dense instrumentals featured contributions from violinists, organists, trumpeters, synth players, and vocalists, as well as in-house guitar, keyboard, and drum kit work.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1330701 |title=Blue Sky Black Death - Late Night Cinema (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2008-04-29 |access-date=2009-04-15}} The album received high acclaim from XLR8R, Music-Reviewer, PopMatters, SputnikMusic and RapReviews.com. RapReviews writer Pedro Hernandez stated, "With this album, Blue Sky Black Death pushes the limits of what hip-hop music can be" and called it "essential listening."{{cite web|url=http://rapreviews.com/archive/2008_05_latenightcinema.html |title=Blue Sky Black Death :: Late Night Cinema :: Babygrande Records |publisher=Rapreviews.com |date=2008-05-06 |access-date=2009-04-15}} BSBD stayed active online throughout 2008, releasing two instrumental podcast blends titled Gifts in Jail Vol. 1 and Gifts in Jail Vol. 2, as well as a screwed version of Late Night Cinema titled Lean Night Cinema.

In June 2008, after an online petition from fans, Babygrande released the acclaimed instrumentals from The Holocaust on vinyl and CD.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1375083 |title=Blue Sky Black Death - The Holocaust Instrumentals (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2008-06-24 |access-date=2009-04-15}} BSBD then contributed twelve of thirteen tracks for Phoenix MC Gutta's debut album Heads Will Roll, released on Babygrande on September 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1450645 |title=Gutta (2) - Heads Will Roll (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2008-09-02 |access-date=2009-04-15}} On September 30, Babygrande released the album The Evil Jeanius, by pairing Jean Grae vocals with Blue Sky Black Death beats.{{cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2008_10_eviljeanius.html |title=Blue Sky Black Death :: Jean Grae: The Evil Jeanius :: Babygrande Records |publisher=Rapreviews.com |date=2008-10-28 |access-date=2009-04-15}} November saw the duo's fifth release of the year, Slow Burning Lights, an indie pop project with singer Yes Alexander,{{cite web |url=http://www.thecasuallust.com/about.php |title=thecasuallust.com |publisher=The Casual Lust |access-date=2009-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503080305/http://www.thecasuallust.com/about.php |archive-date=2009-05-03 |url-status=dead }} which was recorded and completed two years before its release.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1549836 |title=Blue Sky Black Death - Slow Burning Lights (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |date=2008-11-11 |access-date=2009-04-15}}

Third Party, a collaboration with Alexander Chen of Boy in Static, was released on Fake Four Inc in 2010.

In 2011, Blue Sky Black Death released a new album, Noir, on Fake Four Inc. The duo also released For the Glory, a collaborative album with rapper Nacho Picasso, in the same year.

Two more collaborative albums with Nacho Picasso, Lord of the Fly and Exalted, were released in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2012/05/11/nacho-picasso-and-blue-sky-black-deaths-exalted-out-528|title=Nacho Picasso & Blue Sky Black Death's Exalted Out 5/28|publisher=Line Out|first=Mike|last=Ramos|date=May 11, 2012|access-date=May 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401041406/http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2012/05/11/nacho-picasso-and-blue-sky-black-deaths-exalted-out-528|archive-date=April 1, 2016|url-status=dead}} They performed at South by Southwest in March of that year.{{Cite web|title=Blue Sky Black Death|url=https://schedule.sxsw.com/2012/events/event_MS17651|access-date=2021-03-23|website=SXSW Schedule 2012|language=en}}

A follow-up album with Yes Alexander entitled World Wide Romance was scheduled to be released sometime in 2013. The first single from the album Heart Attack was released in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://theskyreport.com/?p=1487 |title=Interview with YES ALEXANDER of BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH |publisher=The Sky Report |date=2009-02-12 |access-date=2009-02-12}}{{cite web|url=http://mybackpackisbiggerthanyours.blogspot.com/2011/03/clouds-part-sky.html |title=The Clouds Part, the Sky Darkens... |publisher=My Backpack Is Bigger Than Yours |date=2011-03-29 |access-date=2011-03-29}}

In May 2013, BSBD released a single titled "Valley of Kings," which features Cam'ron, SAS, and N.O.R.E.{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/bangers/2013/05/listen-to-blue-sky-black-death-s-a-s-s-valley-of-kings-featuring-camron-n-o-r-e/ |title=Listen To Blue Sky Black Death & S.A.S.'s "Valley Of Kings" Featuring Cam'ron & N.O.R.E. |publisher=Xxlmag.com |date=2013-05-10 |access-date=2013-05-10}} This was followed by the release of their new instrumental album Glaciers on October 1, 2013.{{cite tweet|number=342826578369187840|user=BSBDmusic|title=Glaciers pushed back to Oct. 1st. It's much more of a fall/winter release anyway. |date=7 June 2013}}

On February 14, 2014, Blue Sky Black Death released an unofficial remix of Frank Ocean's 2012 single "Pyramids," which included a chopped and screwed sample of Pimp C's verse from UGK's 1999 single "Wood Wheel."{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/frank-ocean-pyramids-feat-pimp-c-blue-sky-black-death-remix-new-song.1827654.html|title=Blue Sky Black Death - Pyramids (Remix) Feat. Pimp C - Stream [New Song]|author=Nicolas James|date=20 February 2014|work=HotNewHipHop}}

In January 2014, the duo returned to their roots and looked to truly realize ideas that were previously seen in their earlier works. BSBD also had cameos from other Fake Four Inc. signers, Child Actor, and JMSN, in their album Glaciers.Glaciers (album)

In December 2017, Blue Sky Black Death made a post on their official Twitter saying they were "resting eternally." In a comment, Taggart replied the group hadn't been working on a project for some time, but they were still in contact.{{cite tweet|number=943936355037364224|user=BSBDmusic|title=BSBD is resting eternally, but u can check out @0YoungGod0 snippets from his forthcoming debut. Smash that RT for a… |date=21 December 2017}}

The Twitter account remained active after this announcement, largely run by Taggart. In February 2021, he hinted at the release of the then-unreleased Deadpan Darling collaboration with Ceschi from 16 years prior.{{cite tweet|number=1356387065500368896|user=BSBDmusic|title=Anyone know about Deadpan Darling? 👀 |accessdate=2021-03-23|language=en|date=1 February 2021}} Later that month, the single "Sorry" was released by Fake Four under the Deadpan Darling name (with credits to both Blue Sky Black Death and Ceschi),{{cite tweet|number=1364591861088874499|user=fakefour|title="Sorry" by @deadpandarling (@ceschi & @BSBDmusic) is out now. Listen everywhere you stream music! Spotify:… |accessdate=2021-03-23|language=en|date=24 February 2021}} followed by a full release of the project on March 5.{{cite tweet|number=1367879410972422145|user=BSBDmusic|title= |accessdate=2021-03-23|language=en|date=5 March 2021}} Later that month, Taggart also teased a forthcoming 10-year anniversary reissue of Noir.{{cite tweet|number=1370103224175263744|user=0YoungGod0|title=10 year NOIR anniversary reissue vinyl is coming this year. And we're going bigger than before. |accessdate=2021-03-23|language=en|date=11 March 2021}}

{{Main|Blue Sky Black Death discography}}

Blue Sky Black Death

• A Heap of Broken Images (Mush, 2006)
• Late Night Cinema (Babygrande, 2008)
• Noir (Fake Four, 2011)
• Glaciers (Fake Four, 2013)

Nacho Picasso & Blue Sky Black Death

• For the Glory (2011)
• Lord of the Fly (2012)
• Exalted (2012)
• Stoned & Dethroned (2015)

Other collaborations

• The Holocaust (Babygrande, 2006) (with Warcloud)
• Razah's Ladder (Babygrande, 2007) (with Hell Razah)
• The Evil Jeanius (Babygrande, 2008) (with Jean Grae)
• Slow Burning Lights (Babygrande, 2008) (with Yes Alexander)
• Third Party (Fake Four, 2010) (with Alexander Chen)
• Skull & Bones (2012) (with Bolo Nef & Caz Greez)
• Celestial (Man Bites Dog, 2016) (with S.A.S.)
• Deadpan Darling (Fake Four, 2021) (released under the Deadpan Darling name)

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.mushrecords.com/artist/BlueSkyBlackDeath.php Blue Sky Black Death] on Mush Records
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402072409/http://www.fakefourinc.com/artist/blue-sky-black-death Blue Sky Black Death] on Fake Four Inc

{{Blue Sky Black Death}}

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