ShowYouSuck: "Watching Walking Dead Episodes 3, 4, 5"
There are few artists in hip-hop or otherwise who have a more full-stocked pop-culture lexicon than Chicago's own ShowYouSuck. The owner of one of the most exciting rap shows there is today, Show has rapped about everything from Big Gulps, clam chowder and decades old mammary glands and today returned to one of his favorite topics in the TV show "The Walking Dead" with three new installments of the ongoing series produced by Tha Hydrox. The latest episodes are distinguished by beat changes, each change indicates the beginning of the next episode. ShowYouSuck follows up a strong end to 2013 by reminding us of the everyman spirit that make ShowYouSuck's music so endearing and fun at the same time. Check out the latest, "Watching Walking Dead" episodes 3, 4 & 5 streaming below.
Alex Wiley & Kembe X: "Know Normal"
It's been a minute since we've heard from one of my favorite duo's coming up in Chicago right now, but today we got a long-awaited update from the pair of Chicago artists, Alex Wiley & Kembe X who last got together on, "Midnight to Morning" off of Club Wiley since recording 2012s Can I Borrow A Dollar? together. The Closed Sessions release is several songs in one and was recorded this week at Soundscape Studios on Chicago's west side. Stopping in last night, engineer and studio owner Mike Kolar showed me the many levels to the track, produced by The Innovatorz, that is able to succinctly play to both of the artist's strengths.
Expect plenty more from Wiley, who recently dropped a four-song surprise project, and Kembe who has reportedly been spending time in California with the likes of SZA and Isaiah Rashad.
"Know Normal" is a precursor to Wiley's headlining show this Saturday at Reggie's Rock House in the South Loop of the city and tickets are available here.
Alex Wiley Releases Four New Tracks
One of the more impressive debut projects from last year was Alex Wiley's banger-heavy Club Wiley, distributed by Chicago independent label, Closed Sessions. Released at the beginning of the summer, a steady stream of videos and support shows both in and out of his hometown have brought Wiley to the forefront of the next wave of artists to leap from the bubbling scene in the Midwest. With little new music hitting the Internet since the release of the project, Closed Sessions celebrated a new year by pulling a Beyonce, unexpectedly dropping four songs via ClosedSessions.com. The short project sees Wiley demonstrate all sides of his rhyming capabilities, spitting verses over Master P's "Make Em Say Uggh", as well as an eclectic gathering of beats courtesy of The Odd Couple that show Wiley is an artist to be reckoned with in the Second City. The recently released songs, which you can stream and download below, are also a bit of promotional fodder for Wiley's show on January 18 at Reggie's Rock House in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood, tickets available here.
[RH Interview] Closed Session's Alex Fruchter
Photo by Andrew Zeiter
Alex Fruchter has long been a mainstay in the Chicago hip-hop market. First as a DJ under the moniker DJ RTC, then as the head of this very website which he and our current editor, Virgil Solis, built alongside Fruchter's budding Closed Sessions project that spawned Chicago's leading independent hip-hop label of the same name which, this past week, released the latest from ShowYouSuck, Dude Bro, available on iTunes. The release is the culmination of a lot for both the artist and the label, and I had a chance to ask Alex a few questions leading up to the latest release from Closed Sessions.
[RH Photos] ShowYouSuck: "Dude Bro" Album Release @ The Hideout in Chicago (11/26/13)
Photos by Virgil Solis
Last Thursday, ShowYouSuck celebrated the release of his official debut EP, Dude Bro, at The Hideout in Chicago. Featuring a new show format and new songs, the next stage for the rapper's career has finally been set. I hope you guys are a fan of polka dots, because I get the feeling you'll be seeing a lot of them in the future. For now, check out our photos from ShowYouSuck's "The Dude Bro Show" below.
[Video] Closed Sessions: 'The Making of Innanetape'
Vic Mensa has been getting press for days since releasing his re-debut to the world as a solo artist, Innanetape, released at the beginning of the month. Since then, he's traveled around the country touring with J. Cole and Wale, went out to New York for CMJs and popped up everywhere there was a camera and a mic, and is gracing the banner and headlines of most every hip-hop site. Before all that, though, he was lounged back in a desk chair at SoundScape Studios with Mike Kolar, DJ RTC and the crew, working on his latest masterpiece. Check out the short doc Closed Sessions put together from their time helping put together Innanetape, shot by Andrew Zeiter.
http://youtu.be/wexOX8NOEcc
[Video] theWHOevers Live at Schuba's
theWHOevers graced the Schuba's stage August 24 as part of Closed Session's show with Evidence and George Sol of Sol Films was on hand to catch all the action. The place was rocking and theWHOevers held it down. Watch the video below and keep an eye out for their second album, Ridin' Waves, due out in October.
http://youtu.be/gwwINbujTLU
[Video] "Devotion" A Tree Documentary by Closed Sessions
Photo by Virgil Solis
Closed Sessions has always made its name by blending hip-hop with documentary-style video. No one does it better than Andrew Zeiter, responsible for most of the original CS videos over the years. The Tree documentary was shot around Pitchfork Music Festival July 21-23 in Union Park in Chicago where Tree performed for the first time earlier this summer. Closed Sessions has always teamed up with talented local artists, collaborations with the Soul Trap innovator have been well done and the latest coming out of Soundscape Studios is no different. Check out the full video below.
http://youtu.be/vw7cpLCoC1Q