[Video] Lupe Fiasco: "Old School Love" (Feat. Ed Sheeran)
Lupe Fiasco has become one of the more polarizing figures in hip-hop today. At once inspiring and hard to understand, the Chicago MC has made a name for himself as a highly-conscious, progressive artist since releasing Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor in 2006. A bristling run through the label game, Fiasco has lately been found launching assaults on Twitter, walking off festival stages and generally bad-mouthing the president when available. For all that has made Lupe harder to appeal to a more mainstream crowd, it still is refreshing to see him reclaim the voice that launched him to the top during the last wave of artists to emerge from Chicago in Kanye's wake. In "Old School Love" Lupe glosses on life growing up in Chicago before people from outside it regularly chanted "Chiraq" and the murder stats weren't the main number Chicago was known for. Ed Sheeran does his thing in adding the pathos the song needs to full transcend from a typical memory lane track. The song is off Lupe's upcoming Tetsuo & Youth EP, due out in early 2014.
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[Video] St. Millie: "Get Em High" (Feat. Lili K.)
Few artists out of the Midwest have been as hungry or as active as Treated Crew artist St. Millie. Walk around the city and you're bound to see the young MC. Whether it be hanging out at Jugrnaut, at a show around town or the larger-than-life face postings that popped up around town depicting him with a crooked crown one thing is clear; St. Millie is working his ass off. With plenty of buzz surrounding his next move, he dropped "Get Em High" produced by The Gift and featuring Milwaukee-bred and current Chicago native Lili K, who amplifies the track the way she has made a habit of lately. The video was shot by VisualMecca, who themselves have been building a reputation as each video shows growth for the video production team on the rise.
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Justin Bieber "Confident" (Feat. Chance The Rapper)
And the Chance The Rapper news continues. The single with none other than Justin Bieber himself dropped tonight at midnight eastern time. Recorded at a secret location in Los Angeles while on tour earlier this year, it's a markedly pop lean for Chance who nonetheless brings his own unique sound to the Bieber track, spitting a quick verse on the airy song dealing with the ins and outs of being head over heels for a self-assured female. There is supposedly another track on the way, so stay tuned for that. You can stream the track here below and purchase it now on iTunes.
Taylor Bennett: "Heartbreaker"
With everyone talking about Chance The Rapper at the end of the monster year he had, you'd be easily forgiven for not knowing that Chano isn't the only Bennett with some bars. Younger brother Taylor Bennett has been making a name for himself around Chicago in a hurry, performing in a flurry of shows since releasing The Taylor Bennett Show earlier this year. An XXL writeup already under his belt at the tender age of 17, Bennett saw what his big brother did this year, and is hot on his heels.
Aside from a name, the two Bennett's have similar, but uniquely different rhyme schemes and strengths, but the occasional crooning hooks or embellished words are a certain calling card for the family. Tonight, Taylor dropped "Heartbreaker" via Fake Shore Drive, the first single off his upcoming project, Mainstream Music, due out in the Spring of 2014. Produced by Saint The Good Boy, the track has plenty to get excited about. Be sure to catch Taylor live for his debut headlining show at Reggie's Rock House on Chicago's South Loop on December 20, track below.
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[Video] Marrow: "Two"
Photography by Nolis
For Liam Cunningham, Macie Stewart, and Lane Beckstrom, the past few months have felt like a strangely familiar walk around the block. Since leaving their previous project, Kids These Days, and picking up drummer Matt Carroll though, the three close knit friends have been slowly building steam after re-establishing themselves with a new band; Marrow. The four Chicago natives have spent the time since KTD broke up in June writing incessantly, playing gigs both big and small, and practicing in Cunningham's living room, cluttered with instruments, chords and pages of half-finished songs.
Never one to do things traditionally, Marrow wanted to make a statement with their debut video for the group. Turning to seasoned director and close friend, Austin Vesely, they shot a video that encapsulates the personality of the individuals and the group as a whole while seemingly subliminally explaining the underlying thoughts and feelings that come along with going through the kind of tumultuous year much of the band has endured in 2013. "I worked a lot with Liam to figure out what direction we wanted to go with it," said Vesely. "I had this idea for a train, and an abandoned farm, so we sort of put those pieces together and made it about a journey. We were talking a lot about Kubrick at the time--we even went to see The Shining in theaters-- so that was a big influence on the project. We wanted things to start typical and achieve a surreal, dreamlike feeling by the end."
The visual also appropriately straddles a pair of songs from Marrow, (“She Chose You” & "Mother of Maladies,”) set to the journey of Liam finding his way on a train before arriving in the countryside. It's an artistically interesting piece of work that is a testament to the kind of stuff Vesely is capable of making, and Beckstrom's job as a bell boy may have Hollywood calling soon. Anyway, take some time out of your day to sit and watch this fitting masterpiece for Marrow to re-enter the music video game. Also, be sure to catch Marrow next week in Chicago on 12/19 at Schuba's for their album release show for their debut project, Two.
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[Video] R. Kelly Performs on Jimmy Kimmel + "Black Panties" Stream
R. Kelly essentially took over 'The Jimmy Kimmel Show' last night, performing three songs from his recently-released album Black Panties ("Genius", "You Deserve Better", "My Story"), with some help from 2 Chainz. Along with the songs, there was also a passionate reading of the lyrics to "Genius", as performed by Benedict Cumberbatch and Kellz even recreated the album artwork to Black Panties by posing onstage while playing a woman like a violin. . . only R. Kelly. This is the same guy who dry-humped Lady Gaga a couple weeks ago on national television and who released an album that will have you needing a shower and a cigarette afterwards, so no real surprise here. Check out the video of all three songs below, along with a full stream of R. Kelly's twelfth studio album.
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R. Kelly: "Lights On"
R. Kelly has had quite a lead up to his latest release, Black Panties. After enjoying a summer which saw him headline both Bonaroo and Pitchfork festivals, a slew of new videos and his dry hump of Lady Gaga last week on Saturday Night Live, it's safe to say Kellz is back. Yesterday he dropped the latest single from his reportedly and not surprising over-sexed fantasy album. On "Lights On" the Chicago crooner talks about his love of keeping things lit while under the sheets. Check it out below and keep an eye out for the Black Panties release December 10.
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Grade Aplus: "Teddy Ruks (Revenge Of The Mack)"
Chicago's own Grade Aplus is back with another loosie single, this one inspired by Teddy Ruks from VH1's Black Ink. According to Grade, "Teddy's a chubby dude with a bunch of chicks and I can relate." The track is laced over Max B's "All of My Days." Grade Aplus certainly keeps the tracks coming, give this one a listen for yourself here below.