[Video] Spenzo: "Wife Er"
Chicago native Spenzo has seen his name pop up on radio stations and websites across the country on the strength of his 2013 Young Chop-produced hit single "Wife Er," off his latest project, In Spenzo We Trust. Last night, the track got a visual treatment that helps explains Spenzo's policy on women these days. The track is already burning up the streets here in Chicago, with a proper video alongside it, "Wife Er" may just become the next big hit to come out of Chicago recently.
[youtube id="fTX5cQRn3TU"]
[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.
[youtube id="1T7irP79GrM"]
[Video] ShowYouSuck: "80s Boobs"
Chicago's own ShowYouSuck meant business in 2013, and followed that up by releasing a gang of projects, the last of which, Dude Bro may be his most polished to date. The Closed Sessions' release dropped its latest video in support of the project, this one for the highly-anticipated "80s Boobs". The J. Arthur-produced track appropriately calls to mind the decade with the high synth use and the black and white visual is a simple affair, with translation subtitles rolling across the bottom while bras seem to be stocked in front of Show. The neon camera flares add a subtle 80s aesthetic to the video, shot by Addison Wright and J. Frank. In the end, the only nipples in the video are Show's, and he burns a bra. See it all for yourself, streaming below.
Peter CottonTale: "Suitcase Remix" (Feat. Vic Mensa & Chance The Rapper)
Yesterday, Chicago's SaveMoney squad dropped their much-delayed video for "Still Alive" and today, the clique gets another listing as Acid Rap and Innanetape producer Peter CottonTale gives Vic Mensa & Chance The Rapper's recent collaboration, "Suitcase" his own unique spin. Perhaps no one else could have given the track the kind of fitting twist than CottonTale, who has worked closely with both Mensa and Chance over the past year or so, helping to craft two immensely eclectically-unique sounds that can intertwine, as they do here, or venture off into wildly different paths.
While he has established himself while being a part of several successful ventures, there have been few, if any, solo releases from the producer responsible for Chance's "Brain Cells," making today's offering a special one. Different for CottonTale on this release is his use of samples, which are almost completely left off of his own production, opting instead for a instrumental aesthetic that has had many across the country pointing to the 22-year-old producer as bringing soul and jazz back to hip-hop. The "Suitcase" remix is a fully Chicago affair, with close friend OJ Hays providing the artwork. Check out the latest from CottonTale and co., streaming here below.
[Mixtape] Tree: "@MCTREE_G EP"
Chicago's own MC Tree decided to christen 2014 with some fresh Soul Trap by surprise today, releasing the seven song @MCTREE_G EP earlier today on the Internet. The 29-year-old artist continues to carve his own niche within the ever-more dense local scene with his crafty sample chops and raspy spitting that reflects Tree's everyman spirit. @MCTREE_G EP, aside from being one of the best Twitter promotions in recent memory, is the latest release from Tree since 2013's Sunday School 2. It's not everyday that someone comes along with a uniquely different sound that can be appreciated from so many angles. With a Pitchfork performance and co-signs from MTV, among others, expect plenty more to come from Tree throughout this year.
[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.
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.
[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]