[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] 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.
[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.
Sound FX: "Still Tip"
Even with the Sunset LP coming soon, Sound FX is determined to give their listeners plenty of new music. Today we've got "Still Tip" from the L.A.-based duo which is their take on A$AP Rocky's "Purple Swag" mixed with a hint of Mike Jones' "Still Tippin'" to add to the chopped and screwed vibe. Keep an eye out for more Sound FX material dropping soon.
[audio:http://rubyhornet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Sound-Fx-Still-Tip.mp3|titles=Sound Fx - Still Tip]Sound FX: "Still Tip"
[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.