[RH Feature] Vic Mensa Takes Over The Innanetape
Photo By: Bryan Lamb
It's ten o'clock at night in late March and I’m fighting sleep. Sitting almost horizontal on a massive, black leather couch as my photographer, Bryan Lamb, and I watch Chance the Rapper racing back and forth from the booth behind us to the computer in front of us, occasionally taking frantic puffs from his cigarette.
His counterpart, Vic Mensa, lounges on a couch nearby, staring intently at a Macbook perched carefully on his lap, analyzing the first cut of the video for “DiditB4”, the lead single off his September 30 release, Innanetape directed by fellow Savemoney member Austin Vesely. The pre-rendered cuts are too quick for the computer and the screen stops on a scene of Mensa, in a white coat and goggles, holding a cow brain. “That shit was too raw, Austin drove to some farm to get it,” said Mensa.
By now, you've most likely heard of Chancellor Bennett, the 20-year-old artist who turned a ten-day suspension from high school into a pair of nationally-recognized mixtapes. You also likely have heard of Vic Mensa, the 20-year-old former front-man of the now-defunct Kids These Days who announced via an XXL interview in April that the band was done.
Together, the pair make up the leadership team of "Savemoney"-an eclectic collective of young artists, musicians, students and more based in Chicago that have helped elevate the city to the top of hip hop's collective consciousness. That rise was aided heavily by Chance’s April release, Acid Rap. Mensa’s Innanetape is poised to blow the roof off the Chicago scene.
[Album] Vic Mensa: "Innanetape"
Download INNANETAPE here --> Vic Mensa: "INNANETAPE"
Talk about a long wait. Today, Chicago's own Vic Mensa released the long overdue follow up to his 2009 solo debut mixtape, Straight Up EP, with the most highly-anticipated release since Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap in April. To step back into the solo spotlight, the Save Money member and former Kids These Days frontman gives us Innanetape, a truly different, at times experimental hip hop release from one of the most fully-formed artists in Chicago. Four years ago, Straight Up Ep served as the spark that lit the wick, leading to the eventual explosion of talent we've seen coming from the Second City over the past few years. At a raucous listening party sponsored by IllRoots and Adidas this past weekend at Lacuna Artist Lofts on the city's southwest side, Mensa performed much of the tape to eager fans, seeming to relish in the moment of limbo before the tape became publicly available. Executive produced by Peter CottonTale and Cam Osteen, it is a multi-genre project with features from Chance The Rapper, BJ The Chicago Kid, Rockie Fresh, Joey Purp and Tundercat that should appeal to a wide range of listeners. If tracks like "Diditb4", "Orange Soda" and "Lovely Day" are any inkling to what is in store, those fans shouldn't be disappointed. Mensa is widely credited with helping open the door for Chicago artists, and it's one he now walks through himself-with the potential to be one of the biggest stars to emerge from his hometown. With a city that has a history including Twista, Common and Kanye, that's saying something. Give Innanetape a listen below and keep it posted to RH all week for my continuing coverage on the release.
http://youtu.be/BewDnzmyZ5E
[Video] Vic Mensa: "Lovely Day"
The release of Vic Mensa's INNANETAPE is literally just around the corner and anticipation for the project is growing by the second. The SaveMoney representative's knack to give fans a barrage of incredible material in the last few months has helped a whole lot too. As if dropping the single "YNSP" just five days ago wasn't enough, Vic also put out a new video today entitled "Lovely Day." In it we find the emcee chronicling a day with the homies, some fine ladies and great weather to encapsulate a Summer-type feeling, which director Dylan Knight does a great job in capturing it on camera.
If you're in Chicago this weekend, be sure to hit up the #ILLANET party, presented by ILLROOTS, Adidas, and SaveMoney, at The Bakery At Lacuna Lofts.
http://youtu.be/vIWL7XLzQkU
[Video] The Making of Innanetape
The anticipation is building as each day of the week that goes by brings us closer to the release of Vic Mensa's Innanetape, due out September 30. The tape is the re-introduction to Mensa as a solo artist since dropping Straight Up EP when he was 16. Heart of The City hung out while Vic did his thing in the studio and today released a video documenting the construction of the Innanetape. Check out the footage below.
http://youtu.be/3Hd6nXIahhc
[RH Feature] Lili K: Hard out here for a soul singer
Photography By: Jeremy Frank
Lili K is very much a different breed in today's music scene. Without frills, clever marketing schemes or extravagant funding, the Milwaukee native and current Chicagoan has made a name for herself on talent and hustle, in a genre that is lacking listeners or widespread publicity.
It is hard to pin down Lili at first glance. The tattooed, blond haired white girl, occasionally sporting a hoop between her nostrils, sometimes looks better suited for a hardcore rock show than a jazz club, albeit with a sort of elegant swagger that can be hard to pinpoint.
Success can be relative for a neo-soul singer in the modern age, and a tough exterior can go a long way. Having just played an opening set with one of her heroes, Musiq Soulchild, weeks ago at The Shrine on Chicago's near south side, the recent Columbia College graduate exited stage left, got a hug from the man of the hour, teared up a little bit at meeting one of her heroes; and retreated back to her far North side loft to prepare for the next thing on the agenda. Because, if all you have is your fans and your health, the hustle is a little more real.
Soul music doesn't always pay the bills. But the difference between Lili and many of her contemporaries is her unwillingness to bargain with her passion, a sort of tunnel vision that has helped carve her standing amongst fellow singers across the country.
"I feel like my aesthetic and music and personality combine into this quirky, not-what-people-expect type of artist, and I love that. I sing soul and jazz music, I love hip hop so that's always in there somehow, I like to wear weird clothes, and I love to be goofy," said Lili. "I don't have a gimmick, I don't use the whole 'sex sells' mantra, I just make the music I love and stay true to myself. It's not mainstream, but it's real."
Vic Mensa: "YNSP"
The buzz around Vic Mensa's solo release, Innanetape, is growing and in the lead up to the release September 30 Vic dropped "YNSP" yesterday. The track is very well done and sets the stage for a different kind of rap mixtape. Check out the song below and keep it posted for the album release next week.
Disclosure Announce Tour, Vic Mensa as Opener
Disclosure announced their tour yesterday in support of their latest album, Settle, Also announced on the tour, which stretches through January and February of 2014, is none other than Vic Mensa. The Save Money artist has been busy since the break up of Kids These Days earlier this year and is almost certain to gain steam with the upcoming release of his anticipated Innanetape, due out September 24. Joining him on tour is Chicago producer/DJ extraordinaire Stefan Ponce and artist Samo Sound Boy for selected dates. Check for tour dates below.
09-17 Nantes, France - Festival Scopitone
09-21 Liverpool, England - Masque (DJ Set)
09-21 Birmingham, England - The Institute (DJ Set)
09-24 Tokyo, Japan - Ebisu Liquid Room
09-28 Sydney, Australia - Listen Out
09-29 Perth, Australia - Listen Out
09-29 Victoria, Australia - Listen Out
10-06 Brisbane, Australia - Listen Out
10-09 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
10-10 Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
10-11 Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
10-12 Reno, NV - Knitting Factory
10-15 Pomona, CA - The Fox Theater
10-16 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
10-17 Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
10-18 Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
10-19 San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island
10-22 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
10-24 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
10-25 Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
10-26 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
10-27 Asheville, NC - Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit
10-28 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10-29 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
10-31 Paris, France - Pitchfork Music Festival Paris
11-03 Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof
11-11 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
11-16 Bristol, England - O2 Academy
11-18 Leeds, England - O2 Academy
11-19 Newcastle, England - O2 Academy
11-20 Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy
11-22 Manchester, England - The Warehouse Project
11-23 Sheffield, England - O2 Academy
11-24 Nottingham, England - Rock City
11-25 Brighton, England - The Dome
11-27 Birmingham, England - O2 Academy
11-28 London, England - O2 Academy Brixton
11-29 London, England - O2 Academy Brixton
01-09 Miami, FL - Holy Ship
01-14 Toronto, Ontario - The Danforth Music Hall *
01-15 Montreal, Quebec - Métropolis *
01-16 Boston, MA - House of Blues *
01-17 New York, NY - Terminal Five *
01-18 New York, NY - Terminal Five *
01-24 Orlando, FL - House of Blues *
01-25 Miami, FL - The Fillmore *
01-26 Tampa, FL - The Ritz *
01-28 New Orleans, LA - Republic New Orleans *
01-29 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live *
01-31 Austin, TX - Stubb's *
02-01 Dallas, TX - House of Blues *
02-06 Guadalajara, Mexico - Teatro Estudio Cavaret
02-07 Mexico City, Mexico - Vive Cuervo Salón
02-08 Monterrey, Mexico - Auditorio Banamex
03-05 Edinburgh, Scotland - Corn Exchange
03-06 Manchester, England - O2 Apollo Manchester
03-07 London, England - Alexandra Palace
* with Vic Mensa and Samo Sound Boy
[Video] Roman Flowrs: "Holographic Card"
Chicago artist Roman Flowrs released the brief visual for his single, "Holographic Card," from his #OneHellOfAPromo, which drops October 8, yesterday directed by Ralph Laureen. One of the most refreshing things about hip hop in Chicago in 2013 is the rise of multi-dimensional artists that can do more than just rap. Perhaps bolstered by acts like Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Tokyo Shawn and the rest of the "soul" side of Chicago, we are seeing it more often, and I can't say I'm mad about it. Video is here below, check it out.
http://youtu.be/Q_AhdnRXLN8