[Closed Sessions] "Don't Happen That Often" Feat LEP Bogus Boys
"We don't just want to add to the catalog, we want to be on top of the catalog," says Moonie, one half of the Chicago Hip Hop crew, L.E.P. Bogus Boys. The catalog he is referring to is the Closed Sessions catalog of original music and documentary footage compiled over a 2 year span that features Hip Hop artists from all over the country, and most notably the windy city.
L.E.P. joined that catalog on a hot day in mid-August, just as music from their latest mixtape, Now Or Neva, was heating up the both the blogs and streets. During that session L.E.P. worked meticulously and arduously on their music, bringing in Chicago's own up and coming producer, Nascent, who tailor-crafted production to match L.E.P.'s grimey, gritty, yet still soulful style. The result of the session is "Don't Happen That Often", a song that clearly shows why L.E.P. has been a group leading the recent resurgence of Chicago Hip Hop.
"Don't Happen That Often" is the first single release from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, the new album and documentary series by Chicago-based indie label Closed Sessions presented by MTV2 Sucker Free, rubyhornet, and SoundScape Studios. Closed Sessions Vol. 2 also features Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Raekwon, Vic Mensa, Sir Michael Rocks, CyHi The Prynce, and many others.
[Interview] Chance The Rapper: Off Suspension
Someone recently asked me to describe Chance The Rapper. After thinking for a while, I told them that Chance is really best described by the music. Not just in the sense of the music he makes, the words he raps or sings, but the music. Lil' Wayne created the I Am Music Tour, Chance The Rapper should be opening the next leg. At only 19 years old, Chance is musically mature beyond his age. Every time that I listen to his recent mixtape, #10Day, I continue to be amazed by some of the layouts and song structures, as well as the cohesiveness of the project.
Way before he dropped #10Day, he asked me to meet him at Panera Bread near Columbia College and the high school where he fatefully got suspended. He ran down a plan of finishing the mixtape, creating storytelling music videos, and a path that would see him skip college and pursue the music full-time. It's a meeting that I'd had, and a story that I had heard many times over, but it was different coming from Chance The Rapper. It seemed believable. It's been less than a year since that sit down, and Chance has gone from pretty much unknown to one of the most sought after artists in Chicago's Hip Hop scene. He is regularly mentioned by national press, and most recently has been added to spot dates opening for Childish Gambino.
I met up with Chance again on the day after the release of his #10Day mixtape. This time we didn't talk what about he plans to do. There were no more timelines and sketches of future plans. We talked about what he has done, and how wild some of it really is. We also spoke about his connection to his fans, the evolution of his music, and what exactly he was doing before he got handed a ten-day suspension from Jones College prep that would forever change his life. Check out the full in-depth interview below.
[RH TV] Freestyle In The Park: The New Class
Last month we hosted a special edition of Digital Freshness featuring only local talent under the age of 21. The purpose was to showcase the new crop of Chicago artists, and give them a chance to prove themselves in front of a live audience. The show was great, with everyone putting on a strong performance. Before the show we got all the participating emcees together for a little cipher, which goes back to our Freestyle In The Park days. Check out the video below featuring Caleb James, Kembe X, Alex Wiley, Calez, Legit, St. Millie, and Chance The Rapper.
The video was shot by Elijah Alvarado and edited by Andrew Zeiter. Special thanks to Jugrnaut and SoundScape for hosting Digital Freshness with us.
[Closed Sessions] "Heads of The Heads" Feat. GLC & Freddie Gibbs
Here is the official video for "Heads of The Heads" featuring GLC and Freddie Gibbs. The song is produced by Tony Baines, and was recorded in Austin, Texas during March 2010 as part of Closed Sessions: ATX. The video was shot by Davy Greenberg and Elephilms.
"Heads of The Heads" and Closed Sessions: ATX are both available now and can be purchased via iTunes.
Crème De La Crème 12.27.08
RH teamed up with dubFrequency for the last Crème De La Crème of '08. RTC and Double O held down the tables, while Naledge and GLC hosted. Benny Rocs was behind the lens. Check them out below...
