ShowYouSuck: "Straight Edge XXX"
One of the most iconic images in punk rock is Minor Threat's ironic use of a beer bottle man carrying a beer. Ian MacKaye, singer for the seminal 80s DC hardcore band, inadvertently jumpstarted a subculture with the song "Straight Edge," giving a name to his ideologies against drinking, smoking, and doing drugs. He expanded on what it meant to be straight edge in "Out of Step," growling the memorable lines, "I don't drink/I don't smoke/I don't fuck/At least I can fucking think/I can't keep up, I can't keep up, I can't keep up/Out of step with the world." Finally, the ostracized had a message and a figure to champion in a subculture that was full of heavy drugs and drinking.
It's been 30 years since "Straight Edge" came out, yet the movement is still loud and alive. Hardliners will preach MacKaye's word as law, condemning those that don't share their views, resulting in the straight edge label being given a negative name. However, not many that live edge are that militant - ShowYouSuck is proof of this. You may know him personally or have seen his interview with Straight Edge Worldwide on what it means to be edge, but his first single off of One Man Pizza Party 4, "Straight Edge XXX," is Show's public declaration of being edge after multiple allusions found throughout his One Man Pizza Party series.
Rapping over El-P's "Overly Dramatic Truth," the Chicago rapper shares his views on living a clean and sober life. If you've ever been to a ShowYouSuck show or seen him at a party, you know he has as much fun, if not more, as everybody else drinking and smoking with the added benefit of a fatter wallet and no risk of a hangover the next morning. Simply put: ShowYouSuck isn't anti-drinking/smoking, he's just pro-fun. "Straight Edge XXX" also gives a glimpse at a deeper, more personal style of writing for ShowYouSuck, which perfectly suits the end of his One Man Pizza Party series.
Listen to "Straight Edge XXX" below. If you want to see ShowYouSuck show you how to have some straight edge fun, vote for him to play this summer's North Coast Music Festival! All of the contest details can be found here.
http://youtu.be/i2zP5WupqvM
Vote ShowYouSuck for North Coast Music Festival's Toast of the Coast contest
If you've seen ShowYouSuck live, you know his sets carry as much energy as a punk band playing in a basement with a low ceiling. Trust me, I've spent years in sweaty basements, and the energy I felt in my former years is the same feeling I get when I see Show live. Higher-ups have noticed, but not everybody is privy to what ShowYouSuck, Auggie the 9th, and Manny Muscles are capable of doing on larger stages.
This is where you come in. With North Coast Music Festival approaching in less than two months, they are throwing a contest to find one lucky act and DJ to share the North Coast stage this year with such notable artists as Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Miller, NaS, Danny Brown, and more. Years from now, don't you want to tell all of your friends that you helped ShowYouSuck share a stage with Wu-Tang? That you helped jump start that Danny Brown X Show You Suck sXXXe collaboration EP?
So how does it all work? Simply go on the Toast of the Coast website and vote for ShowYouSuck daily from now until July 22nd. The Top 20 vote getters will be cut down into 4 artists and 4 DJs and play a show at The Mid on July 31st where the powers that be will choose 1 artist and 1 DJ to play this year's North Coast Music Festival.
[Mixtape] Netherfriends: "New CHI-t"
Netherfriends has been a very busy man lately. Besides preparing the full release for his 50 Songs 50 States project next week on America's birthday, the fully improvised Kind of Buzzed series, as well as his kind of, sort of low key album, P3ACE, Netherfriends has been compiling all of his collaborations with a large number of Chicagoan rappers. Today, we bring you the full release, New CHI-t.
Featuring ShowYouSuck, Jams Dean, Auggie the 9th, theWHOevers, ELEE X, Blakkass Westley, Rich Jones, Fess Grandiose, Mig Mora, and Divino Nino, New CHI-t finds the rappers dropping rhymes alongside Netherfriends' eclectic instrumentals and vocal features. Some personal favorites include "Numero Uno" with Chandler London and Mig Mora, "Full of It" with ShowYouSuck, "Jurassic Park 5" featuring theWHOevers, and "Frankfort, KY" featuring Blakkass Westley. The mixtape is a prime example of just how versatile Netherfriends can be with his music. The summer of Netherfriends has only begun, as the aforementioned 50 Songs 50 States, P3ACE, and subsequent Kind of Buzzed installments will be coming out over the season, too. Who knows? There might be some more tricks up Netherfriends' sleeves.
As a reminder, you can celebrate the release of New CHI-t tonight at the Burlington Bar! Kimball House Productions has put together quite the show with Impolite Society, Fess Grandiose (happy birthday!), Chandler London, Shazam Bangles, and The Minneapolis Henrys will also be on tap to support Netherfriends. Details on the record release party can be found here. I hope you all enjoy New CHI-t as much as I do.
ShowYouSuck: "Wayne Gretzky (CONGRATS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HOCKEY RULEZ)"
About two hours ago, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup with two goals in 17 seconds. While the majority of the city took to the streets in a sports-fueled riot, ShowYouSuck was with MikeJaxx to record a quick loosie to commemorate the Blackhawks' 5th Stanley Cup. Rapping over French Montana's "Ain't Worried About Nothin'," Show's "Wayne Gretzky (CONGRATS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HOCKEY RULEZ)" is tinged with hockey-inspired raps, name dropping the one hockey player (not named Casey Jones) that everybody knows, Wayne Gretzky. Sports!
Congratulations, Chicago Blackhawks. Congratulations hockey. Congratulations Chicago. Congratulations, rap music.
ShowYouSuck: "Super Street Fighter IV"
At the beginning of the month, ShowYouSuck bit us with the MikeJaxx produced, Chris LeSage featured "Watching Walking Dead." At the crack of this early morning, the Chicago rapper pulled a quarter-circle forward + Fierce with his latest song, "Super Street Fighter IV." Given its title, the song is full of Street Fighter references as Show flexes his Ryu skills. I've had my ass handed to me by him, so I can vouch for his Street Fighter black belt.
The fun, upbeat song will be followed by a change of pace as ShowYouSuck has also announced his next record will be titled, "XXX (straight edge)," which according to him will be "a bit more serious and intense." Given the song's title, I expect my brother to go in on the sXe lifestyle. For now, let "Super Street Fighter IV" give a Shoryuken to your ears below.
Also, if you live in Lawrence, KS, you can catch ShowYouSuck tomorrow at the Bottleneck at 9pm!
Stadium Status: "Special" (feat. ShowYouSuck and Chris LeSage) (prod. by ElSchmitty)
The team at GoWhere Hip Hop just premiered a hot summer track by Stadium Status, "Special," with features by our homies ShowYouSuck and Chris LeSage with production by ElSchmitty. "Special" keeps it real with the ladies as they let these anonymous girls know that, sometimes, they're not as special as they may think they are. It's cool, we're not trying to dance with you, anyways; it doesn't matter that we don't know how to dance. Sidenote: Major props to Ant for that cover art!
If you're feeling Chris LeSage's super smooth R&B voice, make sure you catch him tomorrow at Underground Lounge! He'll be sharing the stage with Freya's Revenge, Okapi, and some of my personal best friends, Run and Punch, followed by a special Burlesque fundraiser! You can find information on the show here.
[via GoWhereHipHop]
[Event] ClubWiley Release Party @ Lincoln Hall
Today Alex Wiley will celebrate his birthday and the release of his Club Wiley 'tape alongside ShowYouSuck, Supreme Regime, Kembe X, Caleb James, Jean Deaux, Taylor Bennett, St. Millie and more at Lincoln Hall. Check out the full flyer below.
[via American Swag Co.]
ShowYouSuck: "Watching Walking Dead" (feat. Chris LeSage) (prod. by MikeJaxx)
What do you know about zombie raps? With vocals from Chris LeSage and production by Tha Hydrox' MikeJaxx, ShowYouSuck changes up his style to educate us about The Walking Dead. Jaxx switches up the trap sound he's known for with a drop transition full of smooth keys and LeSage's relaxed vocals. Will this prove to be the next musical evolution in the ShowYouSuck/MikeJaxx sound? We'll all just have to pay attention to Chicago's hometown hero.
Listen to "The Walking Dead" below, and be sure to catch ShowYouSuck at Alex Wiley's Club Wiley release party on June 6th.
"When I make songs I usually like to celebrate moments in my life and share my interest. This time around I wanted to celebrate the fact that I had recently finished getting caught up on the Walking Dead series. I got in the studio with Mike Jaxx to start working on a new sound, and this is the first record from this process. Hopefully I made a song for people who love watching the Walking Dead." -ShowYouSuck