[Songs of the Day] 2/12/14 (Feat. Common, HeadHunterz & #100Trill)
Hump Day was a slower day for a lot of big artists releasing content, allowing us to branch out a bit and see what was out there. RAC keeps things upbeat midweek with their delightfully bouncy, harmonic "Repeating Motion" featuring Karl Kling and HeadHunterz offered up a stadium-sized new track to get you out of bed in and into the polar vortex with their latest in "Breakout" with Audiofreq ("Weapons ready? Let's dance"). Maya Vik gives us some 80s soul with her new song, "Totally Right", MISUN keeps things tropical in the middle of the winter with "Travel With Me". Wild Beasts tease their new album, Present Tense with a grooving, deep-bellied "Sweet Spot" while Mariah Carey adds Trey Songz to the remix of her latest hit "You're Mine (Eternal)".
Once again, this Midwest had a steady string of hip-hop hit the web today as well with Fred Santana strapping on an auto-tune jetpack on "It's Only Right", Lil Herb giving listeners some new with "Koolin" and Lyric teaming up with Caleb James for "Weekend". The duo of #100Trill dropped the first single off their upcoming Muzik 2 Check Yo Bitch 2 EP, due out in time for Valentine's Day with "Contemplating" and we get a new song from Frank Leone in "Night Brigade".
Track of the Day: Common: "Made In Black America" (Feat. Ab-Soul): Common and Ab-Soul did a song together, there's really not much more to say. Listen below.
Common: "Made In Black America" (Feat. Ab-Soul)
RAC: “Repeating Motion” (Feat. Karl Kling)
Fredo Santana: “It’s Only Right”
Lil Herb aka G Herbo: “Koolin”
Frank Leone: “Night Brigade”
Lyric: “Weekend” (Feat. Caleb James)
#100Trill: “Contemplating” (Feat. King BL)
Headhunterz & Audiofreq: “Breakout”
Maya Vik: “Totally Right”
Joyner Lucas: “Eyes on the Ceiling”
MISUN: “Travel With Me”
Wild Beasts: “Sweet Spot”
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Mariah Carey: "You're Mine (Eternal) Remix" (Feat. Trey Songz)
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[Video] Caleb James: "Eddy Curry"
You might remember Eddy Curry. For some, he was the hometown kid who jumped from Thornwood High School on Chicago's South Side to The United Center on the city's West Side as an 18-year-old, drafted by the Chicago Bulls with Tyson Chandler, essentially marking the end of the Jordan era for good, and the beginning of the Baby Bulls. Well, if you know what happened next, you're likely from Chicago. His weight ballooned, he and teammates almost single-handedly put the cornrow and headband look to bed and he found a way to earn checks by sitting in a suit on a cushioned chair for thousands to ogle.
Well, Chicago's own Caleb James decided to commemorate that very certain era in Bulls history by shouting out the former athlete in his latest track, a banger appropriately titled "Eddy Curry". The video is shot by Brandon “N2ition” Riley, and features a side of the city we've been seeing a lot of; snow. James has been on his hustle in the Midwest for a minute now and last night shut down Subterranean in Wicker Park with Roman Flowrs. Keep an eye out for the SaveMoney artist's latest project, The Jones 2.0, due out next month.
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[Video] The Save Money Christmas Cypher + New Songs
Few collectives in music had a bigger rise in overall reputation than Chicago's Save Money team. In honor of a 2013 that saw projects from Vic and Chance, as well as Brian Fresco's Mafioso, a Save Money compilation and a steady slew of singles that increasingly unique. In honor of all this and Christmas, some of the team got together for a special cypher video just for the holidays. Joey Purp starts things off before handing off to Kami De Chukwu, Tokyo Shawn and Vic Mensa, who caps off the short video, shot by the girls of Verluxe.
In other Save Money news, we also got new tracks from both Vic Mensa and Dally Auston that can be heard below. Vic's "Crazy" is a lost cut from his 2010 Straight Up EP and was released around Christmas as a loosie single, as is Auston's "Great Gatsby".
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Top Chicago Rappers of 2013
Chicago hip-hop has enjoyed a certain popularity increase over the past couple of years. Where 2012 saw the rise of Chief Keef and "Drill", 2013 brought about a new flavor as listeners from across the country, initially hooked by the drill sound, began to explore the vibrantly eclectic different sides of the city and variety of sounds that make up what is the flourishing Chicago scene today. With seemingly everyone's eyes on the Midwest and so many talented artist rising from the area, we decided to compile a list of the top hip-hop artists from Chicago that had the biggest years in 2013. We based our decisions off of releases, co-signs, shows/tours and general influence throughout to put together who we thought had the best top to bottom 12 month cycles since this time last year. You may not agree with all of our decisions, so let us know in the comments. Without further ado, I give you the Chicago's hip-hop artists that elevated their game the most in 2013.
[RH Photos] Vic Mensa: "Live on the Innanet" in Chicago (12/7/14)
Photography by Nolis
This past Saturday, Vic Mensa took over Reggie;s Rock House for his first solo headlining show since breaking up with Kids These Days earlier this year and dropping his solo project, Innanetape, in late September. The buzz Mensa has garnered since releasing the project was palpable, with tickets selling out a week in advance for the tightly-packed affair. Fellow Chicago acts Jean Deaux and The Hood Internet opened things up, appropriately getting the crowd going with a mix of genres that mirrored the kind of frenetically changing and eclectic backdrops Mensa utilizes throughout Innanetape.
Performing with a full band, Mensa seemed right in his element on Reggie's stage. Seeing him onstage with a piano to his right and a drummer to his right, it was hard not to think back to the days of KTD, still fresh in many fans minds as listeners shouted "Vic These Days" over the crowd. Aided by inspired back up vocals from Chicago soulstresses Lili K and Eryn Allen Kane, Mensa overcame some early technical difficulties, commanding the stage professionally, working all sides and hitting almost every note of his fiery delivery, a nod to the endless rehearsal hours and past performances the artist has under his belt.
On "Time Is Money" Mensa flexed, bringing out Maybach Music Group signee Rockie Fresh to do his verse, accented well by an extended bridge played by producer Cam Osteen on the keys and Omar Jahwar on drums. it was fitting call to an artist that helped pave the way for Vic and the rest of Chicago hip-hop, as well as a solid anchor for his other special guest, Save Money artist Joey Purp who spit a chillingly inspired verse from "Fear & Doubt" that invigorated the crowd instantly.
Taking things down for "That Nigga," Vic was most self-assuredly himself, fully throwing himself into every word and rhyme as he recited the words to the song that essentially documented the past few years for an artist that has overcome plenty to arrive at his first solo headlining show in Chicago. Exiting stage left after the track, Mensa came back for an encore of crowd favorite "Orange Soda" and KTD throwback "Don't Harsh My Mellow" that left the young crowd in a frenzy.
While Mensa's show certainly is still rough around the edges, it is head and shoulders above what is seen from most acts, hip-hop or otherwise, with an energy that seems to never end. Most issues were due to sound problems at the venue, and Mensa paid little attention, rhyming through it all while proving to his hometown why seemingly everyone in the country has had him on their lips lately. Along with fellow Save Money artist Chance The Rapper, Mensa is quickly cementing his place at the top of Chicago hip-hop, and Saturday was yet another example of that.
ProbCause, Caleb James & More Perform Live at Lincoln Hall (11/14/13)
If you're in Chicago, there's really only one way to be spending your Thursday night-taking in some of the top hip hop acts the city has to offer. Tonight, On The Grind Management presents a top to bottom tight lineup with ProbCause, Save Money's Caleb James, Taylor Bennett, The Palmer Squares, Kidd The Chicagoan and DGainz. Check out the promo video for the show below, grab tickets here and read below for a quick synopsis on who will be in the house tonight at Lincoln Hall.
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ProbCause has had a hell of a year since dropping his critically-acclaimed project The Recipe Vol. 2 earlier this year. Since then he has headed out on several tours with dance duo Cherub, headlined shows in and out of Chicago and performed at North Coast Music Festival. Life has been good for Prob as of late and the live show he has crafted with his drummer through endless shows was pulling fans from Mac Miller's set at NCMF and is not to be missed.
Caleb James has been making major moves since he dropped his latest project, The Jones earlier this year. The Save Money member is a throwback to late 90s playful, upbeat hip-hop a la Ma$e and early Bad Boy, but with his own flair for lyricism and crafty beats. With Caleb, it's always a party.
Taylor Bennet, widely known around town as "Chance's little brother" has been making a statement as of late that he is more than the sibling of one of the hottest artists on the planet right now-recently dropping The Taylor Bennett Show and scheduling his first headlining show at Reggie's in December. The show tonight should be a tune-up but Taylor always has plenty of energy to keep things going strong throughout his set.
The Palmer Squares have been steadily gaining ground in the Chicago hip-hop market through carefully chosen features and a project, Finna, released last month. The crew is endlessly multi-dimensional and should be making some big moves as they continue to move up the ladder of acts in the city.
Kidd The Chicagoan is, as you may have guessed, also from Chicago. The young artist has popped up here and there, earlier this year with his mixtape, #KiddChiMania, earlier this year and has followed that up with several inspired singles and features. Definitely someone worth keeping an eye on as he grows with his music.
Tokyo Shawn: "World Turning" (feat. Joey Purp)
With his upcoming mixtape Wave Theory expected to drop extremely soon, Tokyo Shawn has enlisted himself as the next SaveMoney representative to break-out big time and released the video for "World Turning" to prove it. The Joey Purps-featured track finds the two emcees stunting on your favorite stylist and rapper at the same damn time over a Caleb James instrumental.
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[RH Contest] Win ASAP Ferg Tickets in Chicago 11/3
Win a Pair to tickets to see ASAP Ferg, ASAP Mob, Joey Fatts, Aston Matthews, 100's and Save Money's Caleb James at Concord Music Hall on Sunday Nov 3rd.
Buy tickets HERE.
Rules:
- Follow us on Instagram
- Repost flyer (below)
- Use the hashtag #RHFerg
