Michael Kolar: 3 Years Tap, 4 Years Modern

mike kolar

Some of you may know Michael Kolar, many of you probably don't.  He is the man behind SoundScape Studios, the recording home of many of Chicago's top Hip Hop artists.  He's got crazy stories involving ostriches and pimps, crucibles and the hottest rapper in Bulgaria.  Beyond recording GLC, Naledge, Mikkey Halsted, and RTC, he is also working on a little project of his own, something unlike anything we've seen before.  It is a project that has so floored us, we felt it was time to share it with the world in an exclusive preview.  What is this project you ask?  Well, Mr. Kolar has enlisted a big band, and backup singers, will be donning his best suit and fedora and remaking classic Hip Hop tracks in the style and signature of Frank Sinatra.  In this clip he breaks down the project and offers a preview as he debuts cuts such as "Hits From The Bong," "Announcement", and "Shake Your Ass"...See it below.
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by Alexander Fruchter

RH Inspired: Phonte of The Foreign Exchange

“I see n***as slammin’ her and takin’ her to the sewer/But I’ma take her back hoping that this s**t stops/cause who I’m talkin’ bout y’all is Hip-Hop,” are the words Common rails off on his classic underlying love message track “I Used to Love H.E.R.” This cut, like many others is a keen example that the subject of love is the most essential and classic subject spoken on in the culture.

For this week's column, and in light of it being Valentine's day this past weekend we decided to highlight The Foreign Exchange and their LP, Leave it All Behind, which is engaged to this simple yet complicated topic of love. So, who better to explain the complication than their vocalist, Phonte, whom we sat down with to give us the inspiration behind the track “All or Nothing/Coming Home To You.”

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by Alexander Fruchter