[Video] RETROSPECT: "Always"
Summertime Chi is a wonderful thing - the weather is gorgeous, there are street festivals practically every weekend, rooftop parties highlight every evening, the homies are always around, and girls, girls, girls. Directed by Def Poet/Adebowale Adesuyi, RETROSPECT's latest video from their amazing mixtape The Breakout: Part One is finally public after a private viewing party a couple of weeks ago. "Always" captures what makes Chicago summers so amazing, complete with all of the aforementioned shenanigans (shouts out to ShowYouSuck and Auggie the 9th) with some other summer staples, including Emporium, the beach, and a nighttime carnival.
Debo's music videos always follow a light narrative to frame the music like a short film, and he's honestly one of my favorite music video directors in Chicago right now. Besides the obvious stuff, like shooting the song's theme via a "Day in the Life" of RETROSPECT's circle, there's a cool parallel between the video's intro focused on Quotes (I'm digging the PI flag in the corner) to Def Poet's mirrored ending. It's always the little things that separate us.
Check out the video for "Always" below, download The Breakout: Part One if you haven't already, and check out RETROSPECT's brand new website.
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[Mixtape] RETROSPECT: "The Breakout Pt.1"
Last night, RETROSPECT successfully hosted a listening party for their latest project, The Breakout Pt.1, and today Quotes & Def Poet have finally put out the first installment from The Breakout series for the masses to enjoy. Alluding to their name, the Chicago duo is known to deliver a sound that mixes a throwback-style reminiscent of mid-90's Hip-Hop and a refreshing new vibe that's homogeneous to early-Kanye West material. The Breakout Pt.1 is the epitome of their sound at its best, making it highly enjoyable for their long-time fans and it's only seven-tracks deep which makes it a smooth listen that will not overwhelm new listeners. Features and production by brandUn DeShay, classik Chandler London, J Arthur, DotKom & ShowYouSuck add an extra incentive to not miss out on this 'tape. Stream below and stay tuned for part two.
RETROSPECT: "Get You Some" (feat. Brand Knew and Derin)
Following last week's "Breakout" video drop, RETROSPECT has recently released another song, "Get You Some," ahead of the duo's The Breakout: Part One release in two weeks. Quotes and Def Poet link up with Brand Knew and Derin for this dance-heavy song. It's different from the other RETROSPECT songs I've heard, but I dig what they're doing. Just scroll down and "Get You Some."
Don't forget about RETROSPECT's listening party for The Breakout: Part One. Details are here.
[Video] RETROSPECT: "The Breakout"
Have you seen RETROSPECT's video for "Can I"? My favorite local video of the year dropped while I was at SXSW, yet it was practically all I could talk about while I was hanging out with Quotes and Def Poet. Debo's cut from a multitalented cloth, most recently displayed with the Chicago duo's latest video for "The Breakout." The video is a montage of clips from Akira edited together by Debo into a fluid AMV that complements the song's thematic notions... just exaggerated alongside a post-apocalyptic anime world full of drugs, gangs, and telekinetic superbeings.
The video also doubles as a peek into RETROSPECT's next project, a two-part LP with the first half, the aptly titled The Breakout: Part One, set to drop on August 12th. A listening party for the release will be held at Jugrnaut (427 S. Dearborn) on August 11th from 5pm - 7pm. There's also a release show scheduled for August 15th at Elbo Room. As if RETROSPECT haven't already, it seems like Quotes and Def Poet are taking that next step to ensure they do, in fact, "break out."
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