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The Chicago Reader

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News & Politics, Feature Oct 21, 2020
What happened to YOUmedia?

The Chicago Public Library's flagship teen program was a refuge for Black and Brown youth. Recent layoffs put that in jeopardy.
- By Taylor Moore
- Tags: Feature, YOUMedia, Chicago Public Library, Pandemic, COVID-19, Chance the Rapper, Harold Washington Library, Chicago Public Library Foundation, Digital Youth Network

Music, Music Review Sep 11, 2020
Recommended
Eclectic Chicago-based jazz unit the JuJu Exchange contemplate grief on The Eternal Boombox
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Review, The JuJu Exchange, JuJu Exchange, The Eternal Boombox, jazz, Yale Center for Faith & Culture, Yale University, For the Life of the World, Julian Reid, Everett Reid, Nico Segal, Chance the Rapper, Recommended

Music, Music Review Jul 31, 2020
Recommended
Chicago rappers SD and Brian Fresco combine their distinctive styles for the whimsically joyful Muddbruddas
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Review, Empire, SD, Brian Fresco, Muddbruddas, rap, rapper, alternative hip-hop, hip-hop, drill, Chief Keef, Glory Boyz Entertainment, Save Money, Vic Mensa, Chance the Rapper, Caleb James, Teef Gold, Recommended

Music, Music Feature Jul 23, 2020
Thirty-five moments that brought Chicago music to the world

The Year of Chicago Music has had less music in it than anybody anticipated, but we still have plenty to celebrate.
- By the Arts & Business Council of Chicago
- Tags: Music Feature, A&BC, Arts & Business Council of Chicago, #ChiMusic35, #ChiMusic35 Challenge, #ChiMusic35 Ambassadors, Cadien Lake James, Damon Locks, Martin Atkins, Vince Lawrence, Rhymefest, Sima Cunningham, Lori Branch, Add-2, Pugs Atomz, Jeff Baraka, Mark Bazer, Ayana Contreras, Leor Galil, Pat Grumley, Mark Kelly, DJ Lady D, Rob McKay, Tim Samuelson, Wayne Williams, Jelly Roll Morton, Common, Sun Ra, Grupo Montéz de Durango, Phuture, Acid Tracks, Bo Diddley, Chess Records, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Rufus, Nat “King” Cole, Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers, Jim Nash, Dannie Flesher, Wax Trax! Records, Wilco, Jeff Tweedy, Kanye West, Ma Rainey, Paramount, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, AACM, YouMedia Center, Vee-Jay Records, Jesse Saunders, house, drill, gospel, jazz, blues, footwork, Buddy Guy, Pitchfork Media, Ramsey Lewis, Duranguense, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mahalia Jackson, Thomas A. Dorsey, Impressions, Curtis Mayfield, Soul Train, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Frankie Knuckles, Chance the Rapper, Muddy Waters

Music, Music Feature Jun 10, 2020
Video
A room of Ohmme’s own

On Fantasize Your Ghost, Macie Stewart and Sima Cunningham make their music a place of trust, discovery, and compassion.
- By Jessi Roti
- Tags: Music Feature, Ohmme, Homme, Macie Stewart, Sima Cunningham, Matt Carroll, Parts, Fantasize Your Ghost, Joyful Noise, Chris Cohen, Waxahatchee, V.V. Lightbody, Do Division Street Fest, Furniture, Flood Your Gut, 3 2 4 3, The Limit, Spell It Out, Twitch, Selling Candy, Kids These Days, Marker, Ken Vandermark, Vic Mensa, Liam Kazar, Marrow, Lane Beckstrom, Dorian Gehring, After All, Constellation, Hungry Brain, Chicago Children’s Choir, Time Is Never Your Friend, Chance the Rapper, Tortoise, Jeff Tweedy, Twin Peaks, I Hear Voices, Vivian McConnell, Postock Festival, Sturgeon Moon, Dave Vettraino, Public House Sound Recordings, Shelly Steffens, Chicago Mastering Service, Video

Music, Music Feature May 26, 2020
Sima Cunningham’s greatest moment in Chicago music history

The Ohmme cofounder spent years in a children’s choir that sang for the Dalai Lama—and she hopes to help such groups continue nurturing young musicians.
- By Sima Cunningham and Ayana Contreras
- Tags: Music Feature, Sima Cunningham, Ohmme, Ayana Contreras, Year of Chicago Music, Arts & Business Council of Chicago, A&BC, COVID-19, raffle, #ChiMusic35, Fantasize Your Ghost, Joyful Noise, Charles Rumback, Twin Peaks, Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Children’s Choir of Chicago, Dalai Lama, Gallery 37, Old Town School of Folk Music, Citywide Jazz, Hezekiah Walker, I Need You to Survive

Music, Music Feature May 12, 2020
Video
Naledge brings his rapper’s brain back to academia

Jabari “Naledge” Evans of Kidz in the Hall talks about his doctoral dissertation, incorporating hip-hop into education, the drill scene hacking the industry, and more.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Jabari Evans, Naledge, Jabara “Naledge” Evans, Kidz in the Hall, Michael Aguilar, Double-O, Michael “Double-O” Aguilar, School Was My Hustle, Rawkus Records, Occasion, Duck Down Records, Free Nights & Weekends, Lupe Fiasco, Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, UPenn, School of Communication, Center on Media and Human Development, University of Southern California, Little Black Pearl Art & Design Academy, Foundations of Music, Brainiac Project, Think Like a Rapper, Learn Like a Rapper, Ballad of the Bullet, Microsoft Research New England, Social Media Collective, Forrest Stuart, Aymar Jean "AJ" Christian, Aymar Jean Christian, David Stovall, Decoteau Irby, Chris Emdin, TikTok, James Peterson, Michael Eric Dyson, Vic Mensa, Mikkey Halsted, GLC, Rhymefest, Cool Kids, DJ RTC, Andrew Barber, David Drake, Young Chop, Spenzo, Big Homie Doe, King Louie, Joe Freshgoods, Little Brother, Chance the Rapper, Talib Kweli, Nancy Baym, CPS, Chicago Public Schools, Video

Music, Music Review Apr 24, 2020
Recommended
Chicago producer and bandleader Peter Cottontale blends hip-hop, gospel, neosoul, and R&B on his debut album
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Review, Peter Cottontale, Catch, hip-hop, the Era, DLow, alternative hip-hop, the Social Experiment, Chance the Rapper, Peter Wilkins, Tobi Lou, gospel, Kirk Franklin, Jeremih, Recommended

Music, Music Review Apr 3, 2020
Recommended
Chicago rapper G Herbo gives his reflective raps new shapes on PTSD
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Review, G Herbo, PTSD, Epic, Machine Entertainment Group, The TRiiBE, Herbert Wright, South Shore, Terror Town, TRiiBE, Anthony Overton Elementary School, Polo G, Juice Wrld, Chance the Rapper, Lil Uzi Vert, drill, rap, Recommended

Music, Music Feature Jan 30, 2020
The best Chicago albums of the 2010s: the critics’ ballots

Here’s where to see who voted for what and how the points got divvied up.
- By Reader staff and contributors
- Tags: Music Feature, Chicago albums, best albums, best albums of the decade, best Chicago albums of the decade, best Chicago albums of the 2010s, poll, ballots, ranking, Katie Got Bandz, C.H.E.W., Salsa Boricua de Chicago, Ohmme, King Louie, Ono, DJ Taye, DJ Taye, Serengeti, La Armada, Cupcakke, Tink, Spektral Quartet, Bangs and Works, Third Coast Percussion, Rempis Percussion Quartet, Dead Rider, Willis Earl Beal, Tree, Ganser, Lord Mantis, Freakwater, Dustin Laurenzi, Nicholas Szczepanik, TALSounds, Cave, Melkbelly, Young Pappy, G Herbo, Toupee, Meat Wave, Vandermark, Marker, Living by Lanterns, Weekend Nachos, Slow Mass, DJ Rashad, Bruised, Robbie Fulks, Hieroglyphic Being, Mako Sica, Arriver, Damon Locks, Black Monument Ensemble, Disappears, Fire-Toolz, Tomeka Reid Quartet, Pastor Donald Gay, Kaina, Lala Lala, Coping, Charles Joseph Smith, Monobody, Saba, Noname, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Chief Keef, Jamila Woods

Music, Music Feature Jan 30, 2020
The best Chicago albums of the 2010s

The Reader polled dozens of critics to arrive at an absolutely indisputable ranked list of several hundred records that will definitely not start any arguments.
- By Reader staff and contributors
- Tags: Music Feature, Chicago albums, best albums, best albums of the decade, best Chicago albums of the decade, best Chicago albums of the 2010s, poll, ballots, ranking, Katie Got Bandz, C.H.E.W., Salsa Boricua de Chicago, Ohmme, King Louie, Ono, DJ Taye, Serengeti, La Armada, Cupcakke, Tink, Spektral Quartet, Bangs and Works, Third Coast Percussion, Rempis Percussion Quartet, Dead Rider, Willis Earl Beal, Tree, Ganser, Lord Mantis, Freakwater, Dustin Laurenzi, Nicholas Szczepanik, TALSounds, Cave, Melkbelly, Young Pappy, G Herbo, Toupee, Meat Wave, Vandermark, Marker, Living by Lanterns, Weekend Nachos, Slow Mass, DJ Rashad, Bruised, Robbie Fulks, Hieroglyphic Being, Mako Sica, Arriver, Damon Locks, Black Monument Ensemble, Disappears, Fire-Toolz, Tomeka Reid Quartet, Pastor Donald Gay, Kaina, Lala Lala, Coping, Charles Joseph Smith, Monobody, Saba, Noname, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Chief Keef, Jamila Woods

Music, Music Feature Nov 27, 2019
Video
Gifts to teach hip-hop heads their history

Each of these reissues helps unfold a different chapter in the rich narrative of the Chicago scene.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, hip-hop, rap, Chicago hip-hop history, reissue, DaWreck, Triple Darkness, E.C. Illa, Live From the Ill, E.C. Illa Dissecting Live From the Ill, Big Herc Collections, Chicago Trax, Legendary Traxster, Kay-Tone, Dane Roewade, D 2 tha S, Funky Like This 94, Doomsday, It Don’t Stop, Common, TuneIn, Place in Sound, Anthony Valadez, chopper rapping, ghetto house, Chief Keef, drill, Wren Graves, Chance the Rapper, Coloring Book, Kanye West, LEP Bogus Boys, King Louie, GOOD Music, I Don't Like, Icy Palms, Cause 4 a Riot!, Wildstyle, Kevin Beacham, M.C Def Ski, Rap Tyrant, Rubberoom, Kevin Johnson, Fanum, Gothic Architecture, Nacrobats, Pugs Atomz, Closed Sessions, Ruby Hornet, Alex Fruchter, DJ RTC, Closed Sessions Vol. 1, Closed Sessions Vol. 2, vinyl, United Technique Studio, Lower Links, Rae Nimeh, Elastic Recordings, 3-2-1 Records, Architechnology, HHV, Boggie Cramb, Sterling Price, Offwhyte, Psalm One, Open Mike Eagle, Jugrnaut, Lyric District, Andre Vasquez, Optimus Prime, Infinito 2017, Culture Power45, A in the Square, A Love Supreme, Lava Lounge, Soundscape, Michael Kolar, Curren$y, Tony Baines, Bun B, Skyzoo, Fresh Academy, Kidz in the Hall, Mikkey Halsted, Fake Shore Drive, Dark Matter, Video

Best of Chicago, Music & Nightlife Nov 6, 2019
Critics' Picks
Staff Pick: Best hip-hop artist

Polo G
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music & Nightlife, Best of Chicago, Best hip-hop artist, Polo G, Die a Legend, Taurus Bartlett, Chance the Rapper, Billboard, The Big Day, drill, Critics' Picks

Music, Music Feature Oct 30, 2019
Video
Fighting for Chicago’s place in hip-hop history

Darrell “Artistic” Roberts of Chi-ROCK Nation has worked to document the culture he loves for more than three decades—and now he’s finally publishing a book.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Darrell Roberts, Artistic, Darrell “Artistic” Roberts, Fere, hip-hop, rap, graffiti, Chicago Rocks, The Source, FlyPaper, Caught in the Middle, Elevated, The Real Deal, the Elements, Chi-ROCK Nation, Respect Our Creative Kids, Respect Our Creative Kind, Jesse de la Peña, BboyB, Artistic Bombing Crew, William “Upski” Wimsatt, Bomb the Suburbs, Crucial Conflict, Flash, Ryan Brockmeier, Midway: The Story of Chicago Hip-Hop, Mike Malinowski, Mic One, Kevin Beacham, Rage Promotions, WNUR, Time Travel, WHPK, Egyptian Breakers, Awesome “D”, Purple Mansion, Insane Artist Crew, Curfew Boys, Blue Gargoyle, Kool Rock Steady, Universal Zulu Nation, Afrika Bambaataa, BASF, Deon Coney, JMD, Mr. Club Banga, The Rap Sheet, Jenals, Steps, Parker Lee, P-Lee Fresh, the Yard, Cold Hard, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Common, Lupe Fiasco, E.C. Illa, DJ Quickhands, Tyree Cooper, hip-house, Move Your Body, Rhythm + Flow, Chief Keef, Twista, Beyoncé, Hay, Video

Music, The Block Beat Sep 18, 2019
Video
Sheila Rashid makes possibilities you can wear

The Chicago designer’s unisex clothes give people the freedom to define themselves.
- By The TRiiBE
- Tags: The Block Beat, Sheila Rashid, Fishman’s Fabrics, Block Beat, the TRiiBE, Chance the Rapper, fashion, design, ComplexCon, Brands to Watch, Marcus Ivory, Wearable Art Gala, Tina Knowles-Lawson, A Journey to the Pride Lands, Nissan, Nissan Rogue, The Lion King, Zendaya, Fucci, Bella Hadid, Lena Waithe, MTV, Video Music Awards, Adult Swim, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, BBC, Icecream, Billionaire Boys Club, N.E.R.D., Pharrell Williams, Columbia College, Horacio Nieto, Brooklyn Fashion Week, LGBTQ+, Video

Music, Music Feature Aug 21, 2019
Video
Open the Circle teaches footwork because footwork saves lives

This Chicago nonprofit, linked to the Era dance crew, works to spread a local Black subculture that can knit together youth communities.
- By Jacob Arnold
- Tags: Music Feature, Open the Circle, Circle Up, the Era, the Era Footwork Crew, footwork, footworking, juke, juking, ghetto house, summer camp, Robert Taylor Park, Bringing Out Talent, BOT, Empiire, Empiire Dance Company, Jamal Oliver, Litebulb, Wills Glasspiegel, Drew Alt, nonprofit, dance down, Millennium Park, DJ Corey, DJ Clent, DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn, Teklife, U-Phi-U, Terra Squad, House-o-Matics, Alpha & Omega, 3rd Dimension, Latisha Waters, Donetta Jackson, LilBit, Elisha Chandler, Eleelee, Bud Billiken Parade, Cajmere, Brandon Calhoun, Chief Manny, Jemal DeLa Cruz, P-Top, Sterling Lofton, Steelo, RP Boo, Chance the Rapper, Planet Mu, Darnell Payne, Chicago Park District, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, House Music Festival, Delorth Stallworth, Dee-Dee, Janeca Holbrook, Shkunna Stewart, Jana Rush, In the Wurkz, Afropop Worldwide, Kids of the Kingdom, Field Foundation of Illinois, CityArts, New England Foundation for the Arts, Links Hall, SocialWorks, "Queen" Diamond Hardiman, Video

Music, Music Feature Aug 6, 2019
Who is Lollapalooza for?

The megafestival brought the big names on its 2019 lineup, but could it do more to engage the Chicago fans and artists who make this such a great city for music?
- By Aaron Allen
- Tags: Music Feature, Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Calboy, 21 Savage, Smino, Saba, Childish Gambino, J Balvin, Tierra Whack, Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, Chance the Rapper, The Big Day, Envy Me, Bucket List Project, Care for Me, Monster, Whack World, Gloria, Wisin y Yandel, Vibras, J.I.D, Dreamville Records, Earthgang, Masego, Meek Mill, Rosalía, ComplexCon Chicago, Polo G

Music, Concert Preview Jul 11, 2019
Recommended
If you only see one act at ComplexCon Chicago, make it peerless local rapper Lucki
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Concert Preview, Lucki, ComplexCon, Alternative Trap, Freewave 3, Watch My Back, Chance the Rapper, Scott Vener, Recommended

Music, Music Feature Mar 15, 2019
Video
How did the 'industry plant' take root?

Hip-hop’s favorite conspiracy theory is now used to discredit breakout successes in other genres—and it’s no more plausible there.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, industry plant, rap, hip-hop, conspiracy, conspiracy theory, YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, DJ Akademiks, Alex Jones, Complex, Everyday Struggle, Russ, Exposed, XXL, Columbia, There’s Really a Wolf, Clairo, Pretty Girl, Fake Shore Drive, Andrew Barber, Blueface, the Coli, IGN, Trinidad James, Def Jam, Chance the Rapper, Raury, Freshman Class, Shins, New Slang, McDonald’s, Avery Springer, Retirement Party, Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eilish, Lorde, Dua Lipa, Halsey, In Sight Out, Ric Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Trippie Red, Baby Goth, Bria Bueno, Republic, A Love Letter to You 3, No Jumper, Video

News & Politics, Politics Jan 24, 2019
Q&A with mayoral candidate Amara Enyia

The candidate has a passion for public policy—but will it sway voters?
- By Ben Joravsky
- Tags: Politics, Amara Enyia, 2019 mayoral campaign, Lincoln Yards, TIFs, Ed Burke, Chance the Rapper, Council Wars, Harold Washington, Rahm Emanuel

Music, Gossip Wolf Jan 15, 2019
Drone-song duo Mending near the halfway point of a 40-song narrative cycle

Plus: Top-notch Chicago rapper Tree decisively ends his release drought, and Whitney trumpeter Will Miller drops the debut by his psychedelic soul-jazz band.
- By J.R. Nelson and Leor Galil
- Tags: Gossip Wolf, Mending, Kate Adams, Joshua Dumas, We Gathered at Wakerobin Hollow, Homeward, Chapter 04: Homeward, ChiCityLives, Que4 Radio, Tree, MC Tree, Tremaine Johnson, Sunday School, I.B.C.L.A.S.S.I.C., Vic Spencer, GOAT, Nothing Is Something, Daupe, Will Miller, Whitney, Chance the Rapper, trumpet, Resavoir, Akenya Seymour, Twin Peaks, Co-Prosperity Sphere, International Anthem, Escalator

Music, Music Feature Dec 20, 2018
The best overlooked Chicago hip-hop of 2018

The city’s hip-hop scene overflows with such variety and abundance that it’s impossible to show enough love to every great release—but that’s no reason not to try.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Mo Bamba, Sheck Wes, Juice Wrld, Lucid Dreams, Jarad Higgins, Chief Keef, Juice Wrld 9 9 9, DJ Victoriouz, Back From the Dead, Chance the Rapper, hip-hop, overlooked, rap, Lil Bibby, Grade A Productions, Interscope, All Girls Are the Same, Goodbye & Good Riddance, Wrld on Drugs, Future, Lyrical Lemonade, Cole Bennett, Chris Crack, Being Woke Ain’t Fun, Cupcakke, Valee, Queen Key, Eat My Pussy, Sen Morimoto, Cannonball!, Saba, Care for Me, Roy Kinsey, Blackie, Noname, Room 25, G Herbo, Swervo, FBG Duck, Slide, Famous Dex, Dex Meets Dexter, Navarro, Pseudo Slang, UG Vavy, David Ashley, Draco, Defcee, A Mixtape as God Intended, Vol. 1, Armanii Day, Objects in My Mirror, Henny B, Rage Aurelius, Wasted F*ckin Summer, Angeline Gil, Vic Spencer, Nasim Williams, Mic Terror, Freddie Old Soul, Gzus Piece, Sisi Dior, Moments, Morocco Brown, Manic, Mania, Taylor Bennett, Swade, Have a Nice Day, WemmyMo, Bittersweet, Social Experiment, Peter Cottontale, OpenMike Chicago, SocialWorks

Blogs, Bleader Nov 30, 2018
Video
Chance the Rapper offers a video preview of the new Chicagoist

An explainer on Chicago's City Council system is the first release since he bought the shuttered site in July.
- By Karen Hawkins
- Tags: Media, News, Chance the Rapper, Chicago City Council, Chicagoist, Northeastern Illinois University, Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, Hannibal Burress, Video

Music, Music Feature Nov 21, 2018
Video
Chicago rap crew Pivot Gang honor a fallen comrade

Saba’s Care for Me memorializes his cousin John Walt, whose generous spirit also survives in the arts nonprofit that bears his name—which holds its flagship concert fund-raiser this weekend.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Walter Long Jr., John Walt, Dinner With John, Nachelle Pugh, Tyrone Jones, Pivot Gang, Saba, Joseph Chilliams, MFn Melo, Frsh Waters, Squeak, Squeak Pivot, John Walt Foundation, nonprofit, Care for Me, Prom/King, St. Joseph High, Noname, Young Chicago Authors, YCA, YouMedia, Harold Washington Library, WordPlay, Lyricist Lounge, Kevin Coval, Concord Music Hall, Kemo Walk, Never, Crucial Conflict, DaWreck, Triple Darkness, St. Malachy School, Gordon Technical High School, DePaul College Prep, Link Unlimited, Austin College & Career Academy, Summer Learning Program, Saint Louis Christian College, the Rally, Von, Chill Taught Me, Robert Morris University, Mick Jenkins, Alex Wiley, Lucki, Jean Deaux, Dally Auston, Vic Mensa, Chance the Rapper, Jimmy, Liu Kang, Fort Knox, Heart of the City, Jon Cuevas, Get Happy 2.0, Tha Heartstoppa, Dae Dae, Chad, Ken Ross, Comfort Zone, Fake Shore Drive, Calligraphy, Smile, Work for Me, Bucket List Project, Kevin Alexander, Rebecca Hunter, Ayesha Jaco, Lupe Fiasco, M.U.R.A.L., Donnie Smith, Che “Rhymefest” Smith, Donda’s House, Art of Culture, Daoud, Britteney Black Rose Kapri, Raych Jackson, Video

Blogs, Bleader Nov 5, 2018
Rahm’s legacy: fictitious narratives and real obligations

Don't be fooled. The mayor isn't gone yet, and neither are the problems he's leaving behind.
- By Ben Joravsky
- Tags: News, Politics, Rahm Emanuel, Richard Daley, The New Yorker, Ed Rendell, Joe Moore, Bill Singer, Amara Enyia, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Toni Preckwinkle, Lori Lightfoot, Willie Wilson, Troy LaRaviere

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