[Closed Sessions] Blu: "Comfy In The Truck" (prod by DJ Babu)
Our Closed Session with Blu took place in February of 2011. Blu was at work on his major label debut, NoYork!. After building a substantial underground following, releasing an undeniable underground classic, and doing whatever he wanted musically, Blu was making his first entrance into the mainstream. That seemed to be on his mind throughout his short visit to Chicago, where he performed at Digital Freshness and hit SoundScape Studio for a Closed Session. During our time with Blu, we had many talks about how the underground and the mainstream were merging, as well as the how the music was pulling him in different directions, one that may or may not upset his core fan base.
Those topics and more are explored in the new Closed Session documentary, and the last single from Closed Sessions Vol. 2. Hit the next page to see the documentary presented by MTV2 Sucker Free, and thank you to everyone that has been supporting the album. We're just getting warm.
Blu and Exile's new album, Bring Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them is in-stores now. Check out the last leak, "The Great Escape" right here.
[Album] Closed Sessions Vol. 2
Closed Sessions Vol. 2 was recorded from May, 2010 through January, 2012 and features a collection of artists that help to shape Hip Hop music and culture during that time period. Closed Sessions Vol. 2 presents Hip Hop fans with new music, as well as a candid look into the creative process of many talented artists. We're happy to release this full album today as a free download. Download the album below. Enjoy it. Share it. Tell a friend to tell a friend. And look for more releases from Closed Sessions coming soon. If you're in Chicago, come to our release party tonight at Reggie's Rock Club on their rooftop deck. We'll have free wings, DJs Manny Muscles and YungGroupon, plus some physical copies.
Thank you to everyone that participated in this album and documentary series, and everyone that has supported it. Special thank you to Tony Shane.
[DIRECT DOWNLOAD] Closed Sessions Vol. 2| Alt download via sharebeast
Watch All The Documentaries HERE
[Closed Sessions] Sir Michael Rocks: "So Stupid" feat Vic Mensa (prod by DJ Babu)
When DJ Babu came out to Chicago last October to DJ at our "Natural High" release party, I knew we could set up a pretty ill Closed Session with some of Chicago's rising emcees. Babu left it up to me, and I asked Sir Michael Rocks of The Cool Kids and Vic Mensa of Kids These Days to take part in a session with the Dilated Junkie. Both were fans of Babu, and also wanted to work with each other, which they had previously never done. What they created is "So Stupid", the latest drop from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, which drops in full tomorrow, August 30th.
The collaboration is multifaceted, with the various angles explored in the short documentary. On one hand, you have DJ Babu trying to re-introduce himself to a new and younger audience. You also have Sir Michael Rocks entering a new stage in his career after breaking out as part of The Cool Kids in 2008. Lastly, there is Vic Mensa, who is just starting his ascent as part of Kids These Days. They all intersect here. Watch the new video and download "So Stupid" on the next page.
[Closed Sessions] CyHi The Prynce: "Good For Me" (prod by Nascent & QB)
CyHi The Prynce was close to the edge. Close to living in a car, close to finding a dead end in the music business. Then it all changed. He caught the attention of Kanye West, signed to G.O.O.D. Music, had a grand breaking out party during the B.E.T. Cypher, propelling himself to the cover of XXL as a Freshman of 2011. Not many artists can go from being virtually unknown to a feature alongside Hip Hop royalty such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and The Rza, but CyHi did it.
CyHi had a co-sign from one of Chicago's favorite sons in Kanye West, but in November of 2010, he still had yet to ever visit the windy city. That changed when CyHi came to Chicago to perform at Digital Freshness and participate in a Closed Session at SoundScape studio. A little unsure of what was to come, CyHi setup shop at the studio and let us into his world, penning bar after bar, telling his story. The result it is "Good For Me", a song produced by Nascent and QB, that CyHi called his version of "Exhibit C", and one that will be a cornerstone of his catalog. We go into the studio with CyHi as well as follow him to WGCI for his first radio interview, and his sold out show at Digital Freshness in the latest from Closed Sessions Vol. 2.
Watch the new Closed Sessions documentary via MTV2 Sucker Free and download "Good For Me" on the next page. Closed Sessions Vol. 2 drops in full August 30th. Video by Tony Shane.
[Closed Sessions] Vonnegutt: "Fresh Like Me" feat Mic Terror
Vonnegutt were just some "down South Georgia boys" when they arrived in Chicago for Lollapalooza in late summer of 2010. The band drove from Georgia to Chicago, making the trip without any sleep, and reached SoundScape Studios on a warm Thursday night to participate in a Closed Session. Being fans of Chicago's buzzing Hip Hop scene, Vonnegutt requested to work with Mic Terror of the Treated Crew, who accepted the invitation and came through for a collaborative session that resulted in "Fresh Like Me".
The new song and documentary is the latest release from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, the new album and documentary series from Chicago's Closed Sessions label, presented by rubyhornet.com, MTV2 Sucker Free, and SoundScape Studios. The full project features previously released tracks from LEP, Raekwon, Action Bronson, and Ninjasonik as well as Mr. MFN eXquire, Sir Michael Rocks, Vic Mensa, Blu, Outasight, Freddie Gibbs, Donnis, and more.
[Closed Sessions] Vonnegutt: "Fresh Like Me" feat Mic Terror (Preview)
On Sunday, MTV2 Sucker Free aired a preview of our next release from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, featuring Georgia's Vonnegutt and Chicago's Mic Terror. The song, "Fresh Like Me", was recorded during Lollapalooza 2010, as Vonnegutt hit SoundScape immediately after arriving in the windy city. Little sleep didn't stop them from cooking up this dope joint featuring Mic Terror of the Treated Crew. Watch the preview below, and look for the full song and doc to be released on Wednesday.
[Closed Sessions] Ninjasonik: "How We Treat'em" feat M$M & Hollywood Holt
We recorded this session during Pitchfork 2010, during a hectic Friday afternoon. The night before we had our first Digital Freshness at Beauty Bar with Freddie Gibbs, and this sessions was actually set up around 3AM after the bar closed and craziness subsided. Ninjasonik was not playing at Pitchfork, but they had a couple after parties and were in Chicago for a few days hanging with Million $ Mano and Hollywood Holt, friends and crew members that shared a relationship that existed way beyond the music.
It was Mano that pushed to make this session happen even though I was initially hesitant because of Digital Freshness and the day's other session with Freddie Gibbs and YP, and our party the next day with Yelawolf. The grind won out, and after just a few hours of sleep, we hit SoundScape to record with Ninjasonik, Hollywood Holt, Mano, and Roofeeo, who was serving as Ninjasonik's DJ that weekend. I'm glad we did. The resulting record, "This Is How We Treat'em" is one my favorites from the project, and given everything that's happening now with the Treated Crew, Ninjasonik and Roofeeo, it serves as a foreshadowing piece of history.
"How We Treat'em" is the fourth release from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, the new album and documentary series from the independent Chicago-based Hip Hop label Closed Sessions. The album will be released as a free download later this month presented by rubyhornet, SoundScape Studios and MTV2 Sucker Free. Download the new single, and watch the documentary below.
[Closed Sessions] Raekwon: "Keep It Politics" (prod. by DJ Babu)
In the very early days of Closed Sessions, the early-early days, we would sit around and talk about our hopes for the label and what we wanted to do. I remember at those earliest meetings, we would throw around the names of our favorite emcees and make a hopeful list of future Closed Sessions participants. Raekwon was brought up and early and often as an artist we one day hoped to work with. On a warm day in mid October of 2010, we crossed Rae off the list as he made a visit to SoundScape for a Closed Sessions and also rocked a very special edition of Digital Freshness. We've come a very long way since then, and worked with many of our favorite artists, but the Raekwon session always sticks out as the one that let me know that we were now playing in the big leagues.
For his part, Raekwon spent two days with us, sharing knowledge, debating the top emcees in Hip Hop and opened up about his thoughts on his legacy and the legacy of the Wu-Tang Clan. It was great to learn that Raekwon still had that drive to be great. As he says in the documentary, "I'm gonna stop, when I want to stop," and he's no where near stopping. During the Closed Session, Raekwon picked production from DJ Babu, someone he'd met once or twice, but never had a chance to work with. After going through several joints from Babu, Raekwon selected what sounded like an "off-tempo beat," one he said reminded him of the something from the Rza. The rest as they say is history.
Download the newest single from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, "Keep It Politics" from Raekwon and DJ Babu and also watch the new documentary on the next page.