[Video] Lil Herb: "4 Minutes of Hell" (Part 3)
Photo by Elevator
Lil Herb first stepped onto both the Chicago and national scenes late last year with local collaborator Lil Bibby. The pair gained recognition upon dropping Heir Apparents last year and have been branching off individually as of late. Today we have the latest from Lil Herb, with the third installment of his "4 Minutes of Hell" video series, directed by Zae, that essentially features the young artist rapping his ass off for, you guessed it, four minutes. The series is a precursor to Herb's upcoming solo project, Welcome to Fazoland, which is expected soon, on the heel's of Bibby's well-received Free Crack. Herb is proving himself as a true rhymesayer with a penchant for crafty wordplay and blistering rhyme schemes. Keep an eye out from more coming from Lil Herb via RH.
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[Video] Gianni Blu: "Bounce" (Feat. Sasha Go Hard)
Gianni Blu has been lacing some pretty impressive cross-over tracks, utilizing hip-hop artists to blend his signature style of unique production. On his latest release, Blu teams up with frequent collaborator Sasha Go Hard for a song that is a step up for both artists. For her part, Sasha's flow seems to improve on every single and she is grittier than ever on "Bounce" with a changing rhyme scheme that has yet to be seen in much of her work. On the production side, Gianni pick up where Diplo left off on his "Damn" track from Sasha's album Round 3, released earlier this year. Mixing in traditional hip-hop aesthetics with a thumping, bouncing electronic flair, Gianni Blu crafts a track that is as ready to bop to as anything that has hit the airwaves lately. D Gainz handles the video, shot at an indoor skatepark complete with BMX riders and a slew of back up dancers. Check out the latest from Gianni Blu & Sasha Go Hard below.
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Lady Gaga Loves Chicago Hip Hop
Lady has certainly thrust herself back into the public spectrum lately in the wake of her latest album drop, Art Pop, released November 6. Between dry-humping R. Kelly live onstage on Saturday Night Live and announcing plans to perform from space in 2015, Gaga also found time to show up to last nights AMA Awards red carpet on horseback in a crystal bodysuit.
After gracefully leaving the horse with the valet, Gaga strutted the red carpet where she was asked what she has been listening to. The answer was a bit different than what many would probably have guessed. The Art Pop crooner pointed out the Chicago hip-hop scene as one she has taken note of and specifically singled out GBE superstar Chief Keef as someone she regularly listened to, saying she "has been listening to a lot of Chief Keef." Keef, who was absent from the award show while serving time in a rehab facility, was watching the show and tweeted after hearing Gaga's endrosement. "I love Lady Gaga For Sayin She Listens to a lot of me and What's so crazy I was jus Watchin Dis redcarpet shit Like damn dis Girl fine ??"
With both artists signed to Interscope, a collaboration may just be in the near future. As two of the more polarizing figures in their respective genres, a Chief Keef/Lady Gaga joint would be interesting to say the least. If anything, the endorsement is just yet another reflection of the resurgence that Chicago has seen musically over the past couple of years.
Lil Bibby: "Water"
Lil Bibby has made a name for himself with aggressive street anthems detailing rough times on the rougher streets of Chicago. On "Water", premiered on Complex yesterday, Lil Bibby laces his gritty voice over a soulful sample and high pitched synths that sounds more like a Kanye West track circa 2004. For his part, Bibby shows why he is one of the most talented upcoming and diversely talented hip-hop artists to emerge from the increasingly cluttered and eclectic Chicago scene. Check out "Water" here below:
[RH Contest] Win Vic Mensa Tickets in Chicago on 12/7
Vic Mensa is headed back to Chicago for a homecoming show at Reggie's, and Ruby Hornet wants to send you and a friend. We have a pair of tickets that we will give away to one winner.
To enter, simply take an Instagram picture, tag a Facebook photo, tweet a picture, or send a carrier pigeon of yourself embodying the #INNANETAPE lifestyle, and we will announce winners a week before the show. Entrants will have to be following us on whichever social network they enter. Make sure to include the hashtag #RHMensa so we can find your photos. Good luck!
Remember, you can buy tickets for the show directly from 1833 Presents.
[Video] Vic Mensa Freestyling on 106 & Park
It's been a good week for Save Money, following Chance The Rapper's appearance with "Bow" on 106 & Park earlier this week, Vic Mensa slid through to spit a freestyle on the 106th & Park Rap Genius Backroom. Vic goes off for a solid two and a half minutes with bars for days and Stefan Ponce holds things down in the booth. Save Money is on, and hosting a big Halloween party tomorrow night (details below). Check Vic out below.
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[Video] Cody DeCamry: "Queen Haze"
Cody DeCamry has been creating a buzz for himself across the crowded Chicago landscape with his multi-dimensional talents of singing, rapping and adding something on the production side of things. Having spent most of 2013 and the summer working out of Kimball House on the city's northwest side, working with in-house producer Netherfriends and hustling shows across the city, DeCamry drops "Queen Haze" today before heading back to the studio for the Fall/Winter to begin work on a new sound. I was able to catch up with DeCamry for a quick chat about the video while at the Kimball House studios the other day, read below.
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Jake: Tell me a little bit about the video and how it came together.
Cody: Well the song is actually one I did awhile ago, it’s with this producer named Chuck Daly out of Detroit. He had heard a track that I had did and then he flipped the sample and came up with something completely different and so I just kind of remixed the original version of the song. Created that, “Queen Haze”, and recorded all of that down here at Kimball House.
Jake: The video, along with several of your visuals has a sort of Superfly aesthetic to it.
Cody: My whole personality is mainly trying to be chill and relaxed, with this video I almost had the idea of “Three’s Company” type of thing: me living in a house with a bunch of women around and I’m just going about the everyday routine, you know? This is just what we do everyday, just a little bit of livin’. And honestly, life is kind of like that for me right now, all three at the same time and shit. It’s a kind of song that relays another side of me that people might not really know and just kind of representing what I want out of life.
Jake: And what’s up next for Cody DeCamry, what’re you working on?
Cody: I had a project I was going to drope but I didn’t like the end product, so I’m just going to release a few singles off of that, I got one more coming up with Chris Crack called “Gucci” that I’m dropping, maybe in November we’ll have the official track to follow that. And then I’m just really working on trying to find some new sounds personally. I feel that I’ve almost trapped myself with everything that’s going on where things have just been too chill and I’m ready to pick it back up, bring some more energy and get ready to turn up again. It’s a lot of listening to beat stems, seeing what ideas I have and listening to different textures, really just exploring right now.
[Album] Vic Mensa: "Innanetape"
Download INNANETAPE here --> Vic Mensa: "INNANETAPE"
Talk about a long wait. Today, Chicago's own Vic Mensa released the long overdue follow up to his 2009 solo debut mixtape, Straight Up EP, with the most highly-anticipated release since Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap in April. To step back into the solo spotlight, the Save Money member and former Kids These Days frontman gives us Innanetape, a truly different, at times experimental hip hop release from one of the most fully-formed artists in Chicago. Four years ago, Straight Up Ep served as the spark that lit the wick, leading to the eventual explosion of talent we've seen coming from the Second City over the past few years. At a raucous listening party sponsored by IllRoots and Adidas this past weekend at Lacuna Artist Lofts on the city's southwest side, Mensa performed much of the tape to eager fans, seeming to relish in the moment of limbo before the tape became publicly available. Executive produced by Peter CottonTale and Cam Osteen, it is a multi-genre project with features from Chance The Rapper, BJ The Chicago Kid, Rockie Fresh, Joey Purp and Tundercat that should appeal to a wide range of listeners. If tracks like "Diditb4", "Orange Soda" and "Lovely Day" are any inkling to what is in store, those fans shouldn't be disappointed. Mensa is widely credited with helping open the door for Chicago artists, and it's one he now walks through himself-with the potential to be one of the biggest stars to emerge from his hometown. With a city that has a history including Twista, Common and Kanye, that's saying something. Give Innanetape a listen below and keep it posted to RH all week for my continuing coverage on the release.
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