Chance The Rapper – Page 6

[Video] SAVEMONEY: "Still Alive"(Feat.) Joey Purp & Kami de Chukwu

SaveMoney is very much still alive as members Kami De Chukwu & Joey Purp go bar-for-bar across the heavy-handed beat produced by Thelonious Martin and Stix to prove just that. The video was originally slated for a 2013 release, around the time the song hit, which was canceled after the production was shut down due to a robbery during the the time of the shooting. With schedules hard to line up with members on tour and in the studio, the SaveMoney squad re-assembled at my house on Thanksgiving Day to shoot the video alongside a celebration that was sandwiched between a pair of Chance The Rapper's sold out Riviera shows. SaveMoney made the video to prove they're "Still Alive", which Vic Mensa took to a new level by tattooing it across his abdomen. Check out the full video below, alongside the trailer for the upcoming SaveMoney episode of the 8-part Noisey "Chiraq" documentary, due out soon.

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by Jake Krzeczowski

[RH First Look] NoNameGypsy

Despite what she might want, if you've been following the Chicago music scene as of late, you've certainly heard of NoNameGypsy. The 22-year-old hip-hop artist made a name for herself in April with her featured verse on Chance The Rapper's track "Lost" off his monumental Acid Rap release. The guest spot gained the longtime spoken word aficionado considerable attention both on the local and national scenes, garnering a steady stream of shows through the end of the year and earning co-signs from the likes of RapSody and a listing as one of the Chicago RedEye's "15 Artists to Watch in 2014". While she isn't sure whether hip-hop is her ultimate landing spot, the soft-spoken and thoughtful NoName is in an interesting situation currently, as she ruminates on everything 2013 brought and looks forward to what's ahead. Already beginning the new year with spots on several shows around Chicago, she has us all sitting on pins and needles waiting for her debut project, Telefone.

If nothing else, NoNameGypsy is a breath of fresh air. As real and authentic as they come, often taking the stage with her purse still slung across he shoulders, as she did at Reggie's Rock Club this summer for Chance's Lollapalooza After Show. I caught up with her as she was working on music recently and talked about suddenly being known by others, having fans and what's next for NoNameGypsy.

by Jake Krzeczowski

Taylor Bennett: "Ballin"

Yesterday, Chicago's latest up and comer, Taylor Bennett, celebrated his 18th birthday with the Hypetrak premier of his latest track, "Ballin," due out on his anticipated 2014 project, Mainstream Music. The follow-up to last month's debut single "Heartbreaker," Bennett is proving that there is more to him than his older brother (Chance The Rapper).

He's a mile-a-minute on the haunting Saint The Good Boy beat, tossing together rhymes in rapid-fire succession while allowing listeners to digest his thought-provoking and insightful bars he's throwing at them. It's equal parts Twista and Lupe as he churns his way through the track. Check out the latest from Taylor Bennett from yourself, streaming below.

by RH Staff

[Video] Common Talks Chance The Rapper with Vibe

The vast majority may associate Kanye West with the top rapper to come from the Windy City, but to real hip-hop fans, there's few artists above Common in terms of Chicago rap legends. The soulful, poetic artist laid the groundwork for an entire generation of artists from his hometown to pursue different sounds and aesthetics within their records. As Chance The Rapper has ascended to hip-hop royalty over the past year, we have heard little from the upper-echelon of Chicago hip-hop on the young artist responsible for Acid Rap. Twista hopped on the project, spitting a verse on "Cocoa Butter Kisses" and Lupe shouted him out at the end of a recent song, but nothing has been heard from Yeezy, and very little from Common on Chano until today, when Common sat down with Vibe to discuss Chicago's newest star.

Common remarks at Chance's ability to have as much fun as he wants with his music, citing his varying vocal patterns, rhyme schemes and voices that make up the sort of R&B/Hip-hop aesthetic that has become Chance's calling card as of late. The Chicago legend also expresses his belief that Chance has a very bright future ahead of him. That's verification. Check out the full interview, streaming below.

[Vibe]

by Jake Krzeczowski

[Video] Donnie Trumpet & Peter CottonTale Talk Tour Life

Video by FragDfilms

Donnie Trumpet & Peter CottonTale have been very busy lately. The pair of Chicago-raised musicians each saw a transformation in their careers last year as Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap, aided by horn play from Donnie and plenty of production from CottonTale, vaulted their close friend to the forefront of not only the national hip-hop scene, but the larger music world in general.

At the time, Donnie was playing trumpet for Kids These Days, who broke up weeks after the Acid Rap release and spent the summer touring with Frank Ocean while CottonTale continued to work with Vic Mensa on Innanetape and joined Chance and Mac Miller on the road for a national tour. Everything came together in mid October as both appropriately were chosen by Chance to join him on his first national headlining tour, dubbed the "Social Experiment Tour." The tour, which ran from October through December 19 and sold out in almost every city, was a fitting end to a wild year for both Donnie and CottonTale, who served as Music Director for the tour. We caught up with the pair last week at Force One Seven Studios to get a little insight into what life on the road is like and what the whole experience meant to each.

Check out the full video below and be sure to catch Donnie Trumpet performing tomorrow night at The Riff in Chicago's South Loop for his "Farewell Donnie" show, details listed below the video.

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by Jake Krzeczowski

Chance The Rapper Covers The Source Magazine

It's 2014 now, but not much has changed for young Chance The Rapper, as the accolades continue to roll in. The Chicago native was recently named The Source Magazine's fourth "Rookie of the Year" in the publication's latest edition. Posing as his own Ventriloquist dummy, Chance joins the likes of past winners, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa. Currently, Chance is preparing to settle into some new digs out west in Los Angeles before diving head first into an already-packed 2014 that may just see him switch from the "Rookie of the Year" cover to the "Man of the Year". Only time will tell on that one, but for now check out the excerpt from the story and pick up a print edition on January 7.

“I'm not even on the drugs like that anymore. I smoke cigarettes—I should quit that at some point—and weed, but it's like, you know, in my opinion, the point of life is to have fun, and lots of it. From experience, sometimes, drugs can get in the way of that, so, to answer your question, drugs don't really have that much of a role in my life anymore, but they inspired some of the music, and that'll always be a part of me, in some way.” When Chance takes that stage, whether it's at Hammerstein Ballroom or across the Atlantic Ocean, the connection between him and his fans is almost as electric as the bass line in “Smoke Again”. At some points, Chance emits such a tense aura the gaze between him and a group of fans as he runs through his fast-paced verse on “Good Ass Intro”, Acid Raps' introductory track could be cut with a pair of scissors. Don't mistake his over-the-top personality with him straying away from the pure talents of rap, though. “I'm a rapper, dog”, he playfully points out, ‘I rap raw as f*ck dude, ask The Source Magazine.'”

by Jake Krzeczowski

Best Music Projects of 2013

Photo by Bryan Lamb

With new projects from established musicians like Daft Punk, Kanye West, and Neko Case to up and comers like Chance the Rapper, Lorde, Disclosure, 2013 was a huge year for music. Through a very scientific method, the Ruby Hornet staff has gone through the eclectic mix of 2013's various project releases from hip hop, R&B, indie rock, soul, techno, EDM, and more to deliver our definitive list of 2013 music projects. Check out our list below!

What more is there to say really? The follow-up to the Chicago artist’s 2012 debut release, 10Day, Chance’s 2013 project blew up fast than anyone on the country could have expected, carrying the 20-year-old Chatham native to stratospheric heights that has seen Acid Rap at the top of many year-end lists, battling with Kanye West and other industry heavyweights on the strength of his free Internet release, after less than eight months. It’s easy to forget that the warm Spring day at Jugrnaut on Chicago’s South Loop where the Acid Rap party began was on April 30. The whirlwind of events that have happened since are the stuff of legends: touring with Macklemore, Mac Miller, 40 sold-out headlining dates, Lollapalooza, etc. His honest, intoxicating ruminations over growing up, learning to live with loss and regret, all while trying to hold it together under a steady acid drip is perhaps the most refreshingly real, intuitive look not only at the world around him, but also within himself. In an interview earlier this year, Chance touched on his lyrical content, saying “I feel like I definitely have a responsibility to at least speak on what’s going on. As artists, we’re supposed to report and speak about what’s going on. But I don’t blame anyone musically for the violence.” On April 30, I wrote in the Chicago Sun Times that the glaringly personal, yet easily relatable project had the potential to be the next College Dropout. Having watched Chance rise the way he has using inherently Chicago themes both in words and musical style, he may just prove me right. Songs to listen to: “Acid Rain”, “Pushaman/Paranoia”, “Good Ass Intro”

Dance music, especially on this side of the Atlantic, has gotten increasingly stale and repetitive, with many DJs at this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival simply playing the same song as the artist before him, with only a slight change. Disclosure’s 2013 release Settle, is a refreshing glance back at 80s glam pop and up-tempo compositions that easily put you in the mood to move your feet, with carefully-selected features that blend perfectly into an inspiring aesthetic that is at once fun and thoughtful. That sentiment has been reflected throughout the end of the year as the DJ duo has found themselves at the top of not only most publications year-end best lists, but also the artists themselves. It is hard to permeate both pop and deeper sensibilities, especially in a saturated market like dance music, but Disclosure does it all on Settle. Songs to listen to: “Latch”, “Grab Her”, “Confess To Me”.

Nobody with a pulse can listen to Vampire Weekend without singing along with lead singer Ezra Koenig to those ultra catchy choruses, or busting out a shoulder shake to the masterful beats of drummer Chris Tomson. It is simply impossible. This album is no exception to the pure indie-pop sound that Vampire Weekend produces with ease. Though I’m not completely on board with all of the experimentation with phaser effects and what not, I appreciate the solid songwriting and Paul Simon-y vibe of this record, from upbeat super singles like “Unbelievers” to the less obvious tracks, like “Obvious bicycle” (no pun intended) and “Everlasting Arms.” Listen to: “Obvious Bicycle,” “Don’t Lie,” “Worship You”

Well, what is there really to say about this one. The most controversially-discussed album of the year, of course came from the most controversial person in pop culture today. Kanye’s screaming indignation of his indifference to what is cool or trending on his 10 track, Rick Rubin-aided release is at once different and annoying. The album alone is an interesting look at how much one person can tell people what’s cool, and involves hyper-interesting aesthetics to songs like “Bound 2”, “Blood on the Leaves” and “Send It Up”. But, in the same breath he makes tracks like “New Slaves”, “Black Skinhead” and “Hold My Liquor” which demonstrate the larger-than-life artist stretching to find meaning at best. Against a somewhat-weak 2013 release schedule, Yeezus looks decent. Stacked up against albums like Graduation and My Dark Twisted Fantasy, and I’m not impressed. Songs to listen to: “Bound 2”, “Blood on the Leaves”, “Send It Up”.

“Overgrown” James Blake – James Blake has one thing in his pocket that most artists would kill to have: he has yet to put out anything bad. Released on April, Overgrown is a sonically beautiful album thatp ulls from his previous releases, James Blake & Enough Thunder, while building to create something honestly unique and different. In talking to him for a story before his April show at Chicago’s Metro Theater following the release, Blake said to me about Overgrown, “For this album, I had a bit more money so I went out and bought some hardware to mess about with,” he said. “It’s been a lot more fun to produce like that — to have a few more things at your disposal.” Having teamed up with Chance The Rapper for “Life Round Here” Remix, there should be plenty more to expect from Blake. Songs to listen to: “Retrograde”, “Digital Lion”, “Life Round Here”

Nothing may have been the same, but not a ton changed for the 28-year-old Toronto artist. Just like he did on Thank Me Later and Take Care, Drizzy managed to put together a project of radio bangers, with just enough artistic integrity to skirt a definite “pop” stamp. Nothing Was The Same, Drake’s third studio album, gives listeners a continuation of the overtly-emotional, R&B-tinged ramblings of drinking too much Moet while trying to figure out if she’s the one, or just in it for the cash. The album is chock-full of features and bona-fide hits, including 2 Chainz, Jhene Aiko, Boi-1da, Jake One, Jay-Z, Hudson Mohawke, Sampha and more to create an album that seems to have every song on the radio, on the hour. “Hold On, We’re Going Home” may very well be played at all our weddings for years to come. If Drake is still depressed after this one, there’s no hope. Songs to listen to: “Too Much”, “Worst Behavior”, “Hold On, We’re Going Home”.

Few artists emerged with as much fanfare or promotion as 16-year-old New Zealand-native Lorde. The entrancing “Royals” is a removed-lens view of the life of Lorde and her friends as they scrounge up enough change for the train and team up to make it to parties. Both her storytelling and her ability to connect instances to a larger context are much beyond her years, as is the powerful voice with which she delivers them. While she may have benefitted from listeners reacting purely to age, Lorde made fans across the board with an album she allegedly has been working on with Universal since she was twelve years old. Forget everything else, this project was just plain good. Songs to listen to: “Royals”, “Tennis”, “White Teen Teeth”.

When I heard the first single “Man” off of The Worse I Get I could only hope the rest of the record was just as awesome – indeed it is. Neko Case wrote the album in the midst of grief and loss, creating a truly powerful and intimate collection of songs with a bite. The album features members from My Morning Jacket, Calexico, Camera Obscura, and M. Ward to name a few. Delving into depression with her claws out, Case sculpted her strongest and strangest record. Listen to: “City Swans,” “Man,” “Ragtime”

Childish Gambino/Donald Glover has been one of the more interesting enigmas in hip-hop music since hitting the national conscious with his 2011 EP featuring the song “Freaks and Geeks”. Since then, Gambino has established himself as a creatively thoughtful lyricist that is more than this generation’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”. His last two releases, Royals and Camp have built upon the idea that you don’t have to personify a certain attitude or “look” to be a successful act in hip-hop music today. That he backs this up with a steady, mixed bag of rhyme schemes and intonations as he glosses over the intricacies of what the internet means to all of us, ironic because without the internet we may never have an artist like Gambino. Because The Internet is the culmination of everything we’ve heard from him this far, and a projection to what we can expect moving forward. Songs to listen to: “The Worst Guys”, “Worldstar”, “3005”

Silence Yourself is probably the most innovative album I’ve immersed myself in, in a very very long time. Savages, the four piece, London based, all female post-punk rock band takes us to a place of brutal honesty, kicking out the chair from underneath all of us, leaving us to face the fear, anger, and reality of the true disconnect that has come with being so connected in modern life. Guitarist Gemma Thomson rarely relies on chords to fill out the sound, using simple melodies with an enormous tone to compliment the bass, drums, and raw, feral vocals of front woman Jehnny Beth. Listen to: “Shut Up,” Cities Full,” “Hit Me”

The beginning of 2013 saw Chicago’s Vic Mensa in a very different situation than the end does. In January, Mensa was the frontman of the band Kids These Days, which broke up in May after a four year run. Released in late September, Innanetape is a experimentally-creative re-introduction for the Save Money hip-hop artist. Working with producer Peter CottonTale, the 20-year-old MC was able to craft a project that spanned years of experiences in music, creating a cross-genre mix of tracks that include production from Boi-1da, Om’Mas Keith, Hit-Boy, and more, including CottonTale and Mensa himself. Ever the resilient artist, Mensa parlayed a bad experience into one of the more inspired calendar years in hip-hop with this project. Songs to listen to: “YNSP”, “Run”, “Orange Soda”

I got my first proper introduction to Bonobo this past November in Austin, Texas for Fun Fun Fun Fest. The groups ambient, dream-like production is infectiously interesting, taking dance music out of the club for a moment to slow things down. Their live shows are invigorating and keep things up-tempo with tracks like “Cirrus” and “Know You”. The project has certain elements of UK house with a certain experimental flair that makes listening to the album once feel as though it just wasn’t enough. Songs to listen to: “Heaven For The Sinner”, “Antenna”.

In the endless sea of fad indie-rock bands, it is quite refreshing to come across an unfading talent for songwriting and musicianship, and Elsinore’s album “PUSH/PULL” is clear evidence of a band who has nowhere to go but up. Elsinore is the real deal when it comes to folk pop rock, and I am head over heals in love with this album. Lead singer and songwriter Ryan Groff creates a landscape of lovely lines and melodies that stay vivid in your mind for days, haunting and guiding your thoughts through his stories. Each track has a place and purpose, though Groff floats through the album effortlessly, engaging the listener until the very end. Listen to: “Art of Pulling,” “Ultraviolence,” “Mislocation”

Boards of Canada have long been one of the most creative experimental electronic acts in music. Characterized by ambient, down-tempo aesthetics, the tracks on their latest release were sculpted by Marcus Eoin and Mike Sandison over the course of eights years since their last studio release, 2005’s The Campfire Headphase and features timing changes throughout that are employed to give the album a sort of soundtrack feel from a much earlier decade. The result is a collection of seriously intense and beautiful compositions that are as easy to listen to as they are complex on the back end. Boards have had a tendency to push some listeners away with a frenetic pacing and off-beat samples, but they got it just right this time on Tomorrow’s Harvest. Songs to listen to: “White Cyclosa”, “Nothing Is Real”, “Palace Posy”.

Trouble Will Find Me has the potential to be one of the best The National albums to date. It seems like the guys finally got to the point where they could take a step back from their intensity and not take themselves too seriously. Some may say it takes time for their music to really grow on you, but I think Trouble is their most easily accessible record to date, though I could listen to the deep, brooding, and beautiful baritone bass vocals of Matt Berninger any day of the week. Drummer Bryan Devendorf experiments a little more with mixed meter patterns on this record, highlighting his expertise and innovative beats. Put on this album with a stiff drink in hand and you are guaranteed to listen without skipping a single track. Listen to: “Graceless,” “Demons,” “Sea of Love”

Tyler, The Creator has never been one to stray from the over-the-top and unruly. His first video featured a silhouette of himself eating a Tarantula and Gay rights groups protested his Pitchfork performance in 2012. So, when, on the opening track, “Wolf”, Tyler ruminates, “you think I’m crazy because I think you’re a fucking fag” it’s easy to think we’re in for another dose of what we’ve been expecting. On th latest project we find Tyler dealing with deeper issues and observations that come with quickly rising through the levels of the music industry while appearing not to care much at all. Tyler seems to have a shell on at all times, it’s very interesting to hear what happens when he takes that off. Songs to listen to: “Tamale”, “Awkward”, “Colossus”.

If you like undeniably catchy electronic pop music then this is the album for you. The Scottish trio’s debut LP is littered with hook heavy tracks to get you moving and shaking. The sound is clean and clear, with rocketing synths and glowing vocals from singer Lauren Mayberry. Chvrches brings some new ideas to the electro-pop world, possessing a well-rounded and more advanced sound than you’d expect from such a new group. Listen to: “Lies,” “Recover,” “Science/Visions”

The Internet is one of several very talented electronic production teams to emerge throughout this year, perhaps an off-shoot of our over-saturated Protools society we now live in. Regardless of why, Odd Future members Syd and Matt Martians prove that the ofwgkta crew does more than just rap and do Comedy Central shows. Feel Good is one of those ethereal, deep-thought-inducing projects that can be easily played in the background of the party or dug through track by track to find hidden intricacies. “Sunset” featuring Yuna Zaraai may be one of my favorite songs from the whole year. Songs to listen to: “Sunset”, “Cloud of Our Own”, “Higher Times”.

This year also saw the first major release from the duo of Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel since 2011’s Nightlife EP. Rolled out throughout September and October of this month, the project is a continuance on what one could come to expect from the pair, with certain alleviations to new creative spaces along the way. Phantogram features the same mix of clever instrumentation and piercing vocals that can be found on previous releases, albeit with a new, somehow more confident feel to the tracks that make up the project. Songs to listen to: “Black Out Days”, “Celebrating Nothing”.

The buzz that surrounded 19-year-old British indie rocker King Krule (formerly ZooKid), reminded me of the rise of James Blake back in 2009/10. The gutteral, gritty voice is a throwback to 70s/80s British punk motifs, while the arrangement and experimental instrumentation pace the melodically-different tracks on the short project. It may have just been a brief EP, but this release from King Krule has laid the groundwork for one hell of a career moving forward. Songs to listen to: “Bleak Blake”, “Lead Existence”.

The first time I saw Local Natives live lead singer Kelsey Ayer confessed that the band was supposed to be in L.A. recording their new album (Hummingbird), but when The National calls you and offers you a spot on their tour you don’t turn them down. The National’s influence is evident on this record especially with the melodic and asymmetric drumming style from Matt Frazier. Local. Natives deliver the same charm that is found on Gorilla Manor but Hummingbird is much less obvious, radiating a cathartic and mellow vibe. Listen to: “Heavy Feet,” “Black Balloons,” “Columbia”

Well, to start, Atoms for Peace features both Thom Yorke and Flea playing music. Together. That in itself should be enough to get it on this list. I digress. Atoms for Peace is a project I have been anxiously awaiting for some time now. The super-group project that is the brainchild of the Radiohead’s Yorke and Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Flea produced one of the funkiest, experimentally intriguing projects to hit the inter-web. The funky feel of Flea blends beautifully with the carefully worked-out aesthetics of Yorke’s production efforts. Please, lay in some grass at some point in 2014 and listen to Amok. Songs to listen to: “Before Your Very Eyes”, Reverse Running”, “Amok”.

Few artists came up over the course of 2013 as much as often SBTRKT collaborator Sampha. Having hit top singles with the likes of Drake, Solange and Jessie Ware, among others, the UK artist set out to show fans that he can do it alone as well, releasing this solo EP project earlier this summer. His melodic voice is at once infectious and off-putting at times, though not enough to stop listening. Sampha is a sort of collaboration robot, having worked on so many different projects with a variety of artists, here’s to hoping we can get another heaping of this next year. Songs to listen to: “Hold On”, “Sanctuary”, “Without”.

Sam France and Jonathan Rado were seemingly destined to make music together, if only to create this album. The indie psych-rock duo shuffles through musical genres, revealing an array of influences and styles. France is a true story teller, delivering images and lines to shock the senses. We Are is an album that speaks for the generation of 20 somethings, with a booming, wild, and eccentric voice. Listen to: “San Francisco,” “On The Blue Mountain,” “No Destruction”

by RH Staff

[RH First Glance] Taylor Bennett

Alright, let's get it out of the way. Yes, Taylor Bennett's brother is Chance. Yes, that Chance; the rapper. With that out of the way we can get on to more important aspects of Taylor Bennett's life, such as his sold out debut headlining show last Friday at Reggie's Rock House on Chicago's south loop that had fans lined outside in the freezing rain.The 17-year-old high school senior took the stage to his frenetic "Speed Racer" after a solid lineup showcasing the next wave of Chicago hip-hop to flow from the city. As a packed crowd at Reggie's rapped and sang along to songs like "Heartbreaker" and "Dear Daddy" before turning up to "Rolling With The Gods", it became readily evident that Taylor Bennett is not happy being known only as Chance's brother. Friday night, he looked like he was ready to make his own moves going into the new year.

This year, artists in Chicago had reason to be pressed and hopeful at the same time as they collectively watched Chance rise from the guy down the block to one of the biggest stars in the country. Perhaps no one had a closer front row seat to the experience than the younger Bennett. While there's always competition with an older sibling, Taylor has set out to carve out his own lane in hip-hop with a unique blend of pure rhyming talent, personable nature and thoughtful prose. To be sure, things are very different for Taylor than his brother. Through his success, more eyes are on the younger Bennett, who received a write up in XXL recently and has become a regular on blogs across the country. While Chano was able to come up under the radar, Taylor has been squarely on the map of a lot of rap fans for a minute now. With all the attention, nerves and pressure would be easily understandable, especially for a 17-year-old, but Taylor's not sweating. I had a chance to catch him on the phone after his show, as he was working on his next project, Mainstream Music, to chop it up real quick about living in and out of other people's shadows, growing up in Chicago, his mixtape-The Taylor Bennett Show and more. Check out our Q+A below.

by RH Staff