NDPNDNT - "Rock With You"
About a month ago, my students at Columbia College hosted their annual AEMMPSGiving event. NDPNDNT, himself a student at Columbia College, was one of the featured performers and delivered an impassioned set. The emcee has a lot on his mind, and I the few times I've seen him live or encountered him through my AEMMP class, I get the sense of a young man that is a deep thinker and optimist. Someone with many goals bursting at the seams to get things done.
On the night of AEMMPSGiving his performed this song, "Rock With You". And though the crowd was light, he performed as the room was full, getting everyone involved in a call and response of the song's chorus. The song is now available for the world to hear. Give it a listen and get to know an aspiring new emcee from the windy city.
Malcolm London's "Smokescreens & Magic" is a request that won't be granted
"How much of your soul gonna cost you a mansion?"
The unexamined life is not worth living, and the examined life is pain - that was the first thing that ran through my mind after listening to Malcolm London's newest song, "Smokescreens and Magic". Set to piano and handclaps produced by BAD CXMPANY, Malcolm examines present day with an eye towards how he got here.
Sleepless nights is a theme running through both verses - in terms of Malcolm losing sleep, as well as having nightmares that trouble him by blending Freddy Krueger and Fred Hampton. Those names don't just make for good poetry, but draw a very specific parallel between fictitious nightmares of Freddy Krueger, to the very real-world horrifics experienced by Hampton who was murdered by Chicago police while he slept.
London also mentions Malcolm X in both verses, also in different ways as he fluctuates between his own internal issues (drug addiction, finding a solid team, moving away) and the external circumstances that have taken their toll and perhaps led to the internal.
At the end, London has no real solutions here, and doesn't seem to be searching for those in this song. There is a plea to go back to a simpler time, when we are young, before life has been "examined" and we realize how bullshit everything truly is. London delivers this plea knowing full-well it is an impossible ask.
The song is from his forthcoming #RightAwaySeries, which is releasing on 1/19/18. I personally can't wait.
[RH Interview] Femdot On How He Started Rapping, His First Headliner & More
Chicago emcee/student Femi Adigun aka Femdot has seen a lot in his life. Through balancing the perspectives of the south and north sides of Chicago that he has inhabited, he's garnered an unusual perspective that many cannot fully grasp. He has rapped since he was a young child and has developed the skill ever since his older brother nudged him in the right direction by putting him onto the early works of greats like Nas and The Notorious B.I.G..
This week, with the support of his friends and family he announced a new partnership with Closed Sessions, and released a new song, "happyoctober." via Billboard News. In the days leading up to this announcement Fem was nice enough to sit down with us at rubyhornet to discuss the moments in his life and career that have culminated into this milestone.
Where are you from in Chicago? Where did you go to High school?
I was born on the West end of Evanston. Then from there I moved to the south burbs in a town called Glenwood, I split my time between there and up north in Uptown and Rogers Park. Really a constant balance between North and South. I went to Homewood-Flossmoor High School in the south suburbs.
When did you start learning to rap?
I been rapping. I wrote my first song when I was 6 years old. When I recorded myself for the first time I started selling my mixtapes in 6th grade. My oldest brother taught me how to rap and he was super mega hot fire and he used to rap. So thats kinda where it started, he introduced Hip-Hop to me and my whole family. Me and him were like 12 years apart. Now he’s married with a wonderful wife and kids, he’s a model son you know, (laughs) he’s like what everyone wants what their son to be.
How did you come up with the name Femdot?
People be asking me and I swear ill be wishing I had a super cool ass story. Really my siblings just call me Femdot at the crib because Reebok was doing the S. Carter joints and we were a Roc-A-Fella household. So they took my name (Femi) and called me Femdot and it stuck. The homies would always come by the crib and call me that and i’d be calling myself it too in the raps and shit. Then one day my friend in the hallway was like “Ay Dot!” so from there Femdot became a thing. I wish I could say it was an acronym or it’s a coded message, morse code, whatever, really its just… me.
What year did you start making rap official and taking it seriously? Why?
I mean I was selling mixtapes in high school, but I’d say like when I was 15-16 years old. 1. I just thought I was getting kinda good, I was in my high school, I went to school with Martin Sky and Ohana Bam. We were all kinda known for rapping and I was always known for doing way too much (laughs), but mainly rapping. 2. I decided to start going to YCA and YOUmedia. Its funny because I got there at the end, I only performed at YOUmedia like twice. Thats how I met Ric Wilson in 2012 which is funny because I still have the DM from that. Also I dropped a mixtape and it was trending on Twitter, I was in North Dakota at the time while it was trending in Chicago. So from that moment it was over with. It was like "I think I can really do this Rap stuff".
What was your first show you remember performing?
I did talent shows when I was younger. I used to sing, but my voice dropped young. (laughs) I guess my first rap performance I remember I did this one thing randomly these dudes like bought me clothes, I cashed out on a whole outfit. (laughs) It was so empty but they couldn’t get their money back you know so i just ended up performing for an empty room. I’ve done that a lot, you know i’ve had so many shows where it would be me and the person who threw the show.
Your Song “Gold” produced by DJ CHI was written up on Ruby Hornet in 2013, reading through it seems the track was off your Hella Harolds Project. Tell me about Hella Harolds.
It was a 7 song EP based on a conversation you would have while you were waiting on your Harolds. So theres skits and stuff in between and they’re all based on people talking back and forth about nothing, you know what I’m saying? Because when you’re waiting on chicken thats all you’re doing. I dropped it on that Valentines Day in 2013 and it was Louder Than A Bomb that day and I remember it specifically because at the time Kevin Coval said “hey I heard your Hella Harolds EP”, now he’s just Kevin since we know each other, but back then it was like wow thats Kevin Coval saying that. Maybe i’ll re-release it one day in 7 years for my fans if I get famous.
What was life like post Hella Harolds (Feb 2013) and Pre King Dilla (December 2014)? Why the relatively long hiatus?
I started going to school, I went to Penn State for my Freshman year of college and I was still rapping, I was still writing everyday but I couldn't drop music you know, I was at a state college I was 5 hours away from Philly. Thats where I was man, I was gone, literally gone. And its not like I was on some “oh I flunked out” stuff like really I just needed to get home for the music. Like if I had stayed at Penn State I would be a scientist, If I had stayed at Penn State right now I would be working for the CDC.
Whats Your Major?
So Im in Health Science with a Biological Science concentration and I have a minor in Peace, Conflict, & Social Justice. I’ve always loved science, like if I wasn’t rapping I would be a scientist no question. Back at Penn State I was studying to be an epidemiologist, someone who studies how diseases happen and how to prevent them. So yeah when I came back here I changed my major to health sciences but just not as focused as it was (at Penn). I always liked science and when it came to the peace, conflict and social justice aspect i’ve always been involved. I’m not an activist, I mean I am, but you know like Ric Wilson, Malcolm London, they really do this shit. So really those are the people I’m looking up to and where that social justice minor fell into place.
When did you start going to Depaul? How did it affect your music output?
Right after I left Penn State I just transferred to Depaul, I needed to be back in the city. I came back home with the mindset like: "i’ve already done that college life now I’m here to do what I wanna do" and I made that my priority. So yeah it helped a lot it, it allowed me to focus as much on the music as I can.
What was your favorite event or show of 2016?
Oh man, Red Bull Sound Select brought me out to Denver to open for Soulja Boy. It was super fun, that was the first big show I did out of town for a sold out large venue with a giant capacity crowd while getting paid for my music. The energy I got back from that crowd was dope, I remember performing the King Dilla Freestyle acapella and they were rocking with me. Also my brother came out and it was the first time he saw me perform out in a major show setting like that so that was huge. Its crazy too because I’m not realizing how crazy it was until like, right now (laughs).
You had your first headliner show this 2017 What was that like?
First of all we was prepping for like, I said we were gonna throw this event a year before we did. So we set it up with the homies, so much planning went in to that. The day of it was Ramadan, so I had been fasting all day I was being holy. By the time sound check came around all the will calls were getting bought up so we had like 10 tickets left. Then just as I finish sound check one of my best friends walks in after flying from DC and surprises me like... I almost uppercutted her (laughs). So that was dope and there was a lot of people, a lot of love there. So I go outside and I see theres a line, past the bar (in Schubas), so I’m like “Okay…Okay”. Then by the time the show gets going for doors to open there was a line around the block. I had people hitting me up telling me they couldn’t get into the show and I’m like “I told you to buy tickets ahead of time”. It was super humbling man like it was the first time I performed up on the stage and I would say my lyrics and then everyone in the audience would know them too. It was crazy because also the next day I had to be up because I had a final, that Monday I couldn’t like soak it up too much. It was surreal, I couldn't remember it in the moment so after it looking back the show comes back in flashes and there was this girl in the front row and I was like, "I have never seen you in my life but you’re here to see me....And thats crazy".
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Chance The Rapper Shines Again on Late Night With Stephen Colbert
Too many lines to quote, but one of my favorites is "the automatic quarterback that doesn't rap." How many of you played those playground football games with auto-QB? That brought back some memories...
But to the main point, Chance has kind of made it a habit of taking new material to live television. Last night he did it again, going back to old friend and collaborator Stephen Colbert and "The Late Show".
Chance performed a new and as yet untitled song last night, and was joined by Daniel Caesar on vocals and guitar (along with Nico, Stix, and Peter Cottontale from SOX, as well as background vocalists). The new song is very deserving of a breakdown, and I feel will continue to reveal its meaning with continued listens.
On surface, and after a couple listens, I believe the overarching theme to be the sacrifices Chance has had to make in order to achieve success as an artist. At one point, the dream of success and stardom was far off, and the sacrifices may have seemed small or absolutely necessary and wanted. In the second verse, he references skipping his prom, something he did to perform at former street wear store, AKIN.
While missing high school dances is significant, it pales in comparison to leaving your daughter for tour, being asked for autographs at church, and losing time with friends and families. The demands are intense. And it is clear that there is burnout and times of exhaustion. One of the earliest lines in the record sees Chance admit that he needs a nap.
But what I also hear in the song is a continued determination, not just on the quest to stardom but in fighting for justices and the importance of the community work that Chance has taken up. We can't just use our couches as safety nets. Throughout the hook, Chance puts his feelings of burnout in perspective of other issues - First World Problems as he sings in the refrain. The continued battle against police brutality, school funding, gay rights definitely put over eager autograph seekers in perspective.
The performance was dope, and I am looking forward to digging further into the new song.
Before the performance, Chance also talked to Colbert about Social Works and the Second Chance Fund, which he announced at the beginning of September. The fund will be giving money to specific public schools and help with initiatives in art, music, science, and math. He also talked about his faith, organizing and action over politics, and disclosed that he wrote the new record on Saturday. Originally he was going to perform "Grown Ass Kid", but had to switch it up last minute. I think the change worked out well, and I'm looking forward to more new music from Chance. He said he's in the studio cooking up YAMMERS!
Spectacular Diagnostic + Grandmilly - "DISCORAMA"
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"Keep it official like a referee and blow the whistle, if I ain't with you, simmer down while I spew my riddle."
I first met Spectacular Diagnostics through Rude One, and only knew him as a graphic designer. He actually did the artwork for the bulk of Rude's ONEderful LP, which came out almost a year ago (revisit that here).
After submitting all the art, SD, sent me links to his own music - mostly obscure leaning, crunchy, instrumentals, and some that featured face-scrunching rappers like Conway and Chester Watson. His 2016 release, Avant Raw is a harken cry back to the late 90's heyday of releases from producers and DJ's like Handsome Boy Modeling School, UNKLE, Kid Koala etc. I highly suggest it if you're looking for a fix like that. Fuck it, I'll embed it below for easy listening.
But first, I want to say something about his new shit, "DISCORAMA" featuring Grandmilly. I don't know how I stumbled upon this yesterday, but it's been in my head since. I didn't know it at the time, but it was exactly what I was looking for. It carries Spectacular's signature dusty production while Grandmilly simply goes off with the wordplay. If that's what you like, you will very much like this.
The song is part of Spectacular's new project, The Spec Tape, an already sold out cassette. If you were lucky enough to cop the cassette, you also got "DISCORAMA" and 2 other joints as free downloads. You can still find all the tracks here, and kick yourself for not finding this sooner.
And here is Avant Raw.
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The Cool Kids Return with Special Edition Grand Master Deluxe, Celebrate That $hit!
There is so much to say about The Cool Kids, man. Without Chuck and Mikey, I really can't say what the Chicago Hip Hop scene (or much of what's been dubbed "Internet Rap") would look like. They came through and blew the roof off our city's music scene, crushing segregated rap parties and the idea that everyone simply exists to hate on each other. They ushered in a new sound, which was a lot like an old sound, and paired it up with authentically vintage clothing as well. PLUS, they showed that you can do your thing independently, using your friends and the internet to make waves.
Much like Curt Flood, who fought hard for free agency, but never got to yield that Alex Rodridguez type of contract, The Cool Kids really never got their proper due. That's what happens all too often to the pioneers and trailblazers.
With Special Edition Grand Master Deluxe though, The Cool Kids have a chance to properly execute their sound, and fans/artists/and everyone else has a chance to proper celebrate this iconic duo.
The Kids are back! Stream the new album below and fucking rejoice! And if you feel like it, revisit our 2011 interview, just after the release of When Fish Ride Bicycles.
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Knox Fortune: "24 Hours"
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Knox Fortune is preparing to release his debut LP, Paradise, on September 22nd. Ahead of that drop, he has blessed the world with the new jam, "24 Hours". This record feels like it would fit right in with the late 90's alternative scene. Not to say that it sounds dated by any means, in fact, this pretty fucking fresh. And certainly a compliment to what Knox has done within the hip hop scene, working with artists like Joey Purp, Chance The Rapper, and KAMI.
Stream the record above, and look for the full alum 9/22.
SoloSam - Fast
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An infectious hook over a self produced beat is only the beginning of SoloSams musical showcase. Lyrical dexterity with a calm collected flow give "Fast" a feeling of effortless ease. Solo doesn't miss a step over the beat and is lyrically one of Chicagos heavy hitters, so you know he brought the bars. By handling the production he is showcasing a newfound dimension to his game; mixing it down and putting it all together is none other than BanksTheGenius.
SoloSam is rising quickly, performing around the country this charismatic MC is going to be around for a while. Be ready for his upcoming project "itis", I have a feeling it'll be a coming out party to a lot of onlookers.