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Music, Music Feature Sep 28, 2016
Video
Saba brings the west side to life in rap

On the new mixtape Bucket List Project, the Pivot Gang MC reminds Chicago that one of its most violent neighborhoods is also a home.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Saba, Tahj Chandler, Tahj Malik Chandler, Bucket List, Bucket List Project, Comfort Zone, Pivot, Pivot Gang, rapper, producer, hip-hop, Austin, west side, Green Line, Oak Park, Noname, Phoelix, Telefone, Westside Bound 3, American Hypothesis, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Twista, Lupe Fiasco, Crucial Conflict, Wildstyle, Common, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Food & Liquor, Do or Die, ZMoney, Lud Foe, Sicko Mobb, bop, Dlow, Lucki, Mick Jenkins, Dally Auston, Saint Catherine of Siena Saint Lucy School, Stunt Taylor, GPS, Church Liquor Store, Joseph Chilliams, Uncle Remus, MacArthur’s, Young Chicago Authors, Video

Blogs, Bleader Mar 7, 2016
Lady Gaga jumps into Lake Michigan and other Chicago news

Also, remembering Nancy Reagan’s Chicago childhood.
- By Kate Shepherd
- Tags: News, Did You Read __________?, winter weather, Special Olympics Chicago, Chicago Polar Plunge, Lady Gaga, Taylor Kinney, Today Show, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Latin School, Nancy Reagan, Marshall Field’s, CTA, Red Line, Lakeview, bop, West Side, Donald Trump, UIC Pavilion, University of Illinois at Chicago, Ted Cruz, John Kasich

Blogs, Bleader Feb 3, 2016
Video
Sicko Mobb expand bop's borders on Super Saiyan Vol. 3

West-side duo Sicko Mobb became one of the most prominent artists in bop a few years ago, and their latest mixtape challenges the sound's conventions.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Sicko Mobb, bop, Dlow, Wall Street Journal, Super Saiyan Vol. 3, Super Saiyan, hip-hop, Video

Blogs, Bleader Dec 2, 2015
Video
Bop king Dlow dances up the Billboard Hot 100 with 'Bet You Can't Do It Like Me'

The Chicago bop king has a new viral hit, and it's racked up millions of YouTube views in a little more than two months.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: 12 O'Clock Track, Hip-Hop, Music, Dlow, bop, bopping, Lil Kemo, Bet You Can't Do It Like Me, 12 O'Clock Track, Billboard Hot 100, DJ Maine, Big Sexy Slide, Chance the Rapper, Justin Bieber, Angels, Hit the Quan, Rolling Stone, the whip, Nae Nae, Silento, Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), iLoveMemphis, Video

Blogs, Bleader Oct 27, 2015
Video
Chance the Rapper rolls out his new song, 'Angels,' in a big way

The Chicago rapper brought his band and a few friends to the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to debut "Angels."
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Chance the Rapper, Angels, Saba, the Social Experiment, Surf, Donnie Trumpet, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Colbert, All My Friends, Tinashe, Snakehips, iTunes, Ed Sullivan Theatre, WGCI, Power 92, DJ Oreo, Dlow, bop, Video

Blogs, Bleader Oct 8, 2014
Video
New moments of strange bliss from Chief Keef and Supa Bwe

Both local MCs dropped new material the past week, and the new tunes exhibit some alluring strangeness.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Chief Keef, bop, Back From the Dead 2, Gloyalty, Supa Bwe, Hurt Everybody, hip-hop, Video

Blogs, Bleader Aug 20, 2014
Video
Prepare for Friday's Super Fiesta and catch up on all things bop related

Now's a good time to catch up on the latest releases from S.B.E., M.B.E., Breezy Montana, Dlow, and King Kemo.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Bop, S.B.E., Pray For Me, M.B.E., Have a Party, Sicko Mobb, Willy Wonka, Neiman Marcus, Breezy Montana, Stunt Taylor, Jockin, Strike a Pose, Dlow, Just Dance, the Dlow Shuffle, Lil Kemo, King Kemo, Corn Bread, Fame Hurt, Chance the Rapper, Lollapalooza, Olympic Theatre, Super Fiesta, King Louie, Dreezy, the Guys, Spenzo, Video

Blogs, Bleader Aug 12, 2014
Twista talks about his new album, The Dark Horse

The Chicago hip-hop veteran chats about what inspired the title of his new album, working with rising local rappers, and getting involved in the community.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Twista, The Dark Horse, Sole Expo, Runnin' Off at da Mouth, Chief Keef, Stunt Taylor, drill, bop, The Perfect Storm, Back to the Basics, Chance the Rapper, Cocoa Butter Kisses, Sicko Mobb, Bitches & Bikinis, Lil Reese, Traffic, No Friend of Me, King Louie, Lil Durk, Taylor Bennett, BJ the Chicago Kid, YP

Blogs, Bleader Jul 9, 2014
King Louie addresses his life in Chicago with Tony

The southeast-side rapper occupies a desirable but peculiar position in Chicago's hip-hop community, though that doesn't appear to bear much influence on the music that's made him a face of the scene.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, King Louie, Tony, hip-hop, Chicago, rap, Chance the Rapper, XXL, Hurt Everybody, GLC, Chief Keef, Drilluminati 2, bop, drill, Live & Die in Chicago

Blogs, Bleader Jun 4, 2014
Video
Gear up for another summer of dancing with We Invented the Bop 2

DJ MoonDawg's new sequel to his January bop compilation mixtape includes many scene leaders and some newcomers
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, bop, M.B.E., Have a Party, hip-hop, rap, DJ MoonDawg, We Invented the Bop, We Invented the Bop 2, Video

Blogs, Bleader May 8, 2014
12 O'Clock Track: Breezy Montana melds regional dances on 'Strike a Pose'

One of the leaders of the bop sound instructs listeners to bop and drop that Nae Nae (among other things) with his new supercharged EDM tune.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: 12 O'Clock Track, Hip-Hop, Music, 12 O'Clock Track, Breezy Montana, Strike a Pose, bop, hip-hop, EDM, Nae Nae

Music, Music Feature May 5, 2014
Video
Five honors students from Chicago rap's freshman class

Alex Wiley, Saba, Spenzo, Taylor Bennett, and ZMoney all have new mixtapes that should light the fuses on their careers.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, rap, hip-hop, drill music, Chief Keef, south side, World Star Hip Hop, Noisey, WTTW, Chicago Tonight, Chance the Rapper, MCs, Rolling Stone, Spin, Drake, bop, west side, Sicko Mobb, Dlow, Tink, Atlantic Records, Sony, WGCI, Lil Kemo, Timaland, Lucki Ecks, Danny Brown, Alex Wiley, Saba, Spenzo, Taylor Bennett, ZMoney, Village crew, Reggie's, YouMedia Center, Harold Washington Library, Alex Wiley, Kembe X, Village collective, Closed Sessions, Jean Deaux, Glass Animals, Top Dawg Entertainment, Isaiah Rashad, TDE, Schoolboy Q, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, GLC, Vic Mensa, Arctic Moneys, samples, Ozzy Osbourne, Ludacris, sheep, howler monkeys, flow, lyrics, mixtapes, Alex Fruchter, Saba, Tahj Chandler, Young Chicago Authors, Frsh Waters, Pivot Gang, Joseph Chilliams, John Walt, MFn Melo, Sway Swala, Kevo B, Smack, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Cam Osteen, Spenzo, Demarius Johnson, DJ Deeon, ghetto-house, Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Dance Mania, Young Chop, beats, Joakim Noah, Englewood, The Clinic, E, Kanye West, Crucial Conflict, A$AP Mob, L.E.P., Bogus Boys, Taylor Bennett, Bronzeville, Urban Prep Academy, Ken Williams-Bennett, King Louie, Roseland, country music, R&B, ZMoney, Zernando Tate, Emma's, recording studios, prison, Video

Blogs, Bleader Apr 16, 2014
Video
Say good-bye to tax season with the Guys' debut mixtape

The new Chicago rap duo dropped IG: We the Guys days before taxes were due.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, The Guys, hip-hop, rap, IG: We the Guys, Instagram, taxes, Flee, bop, Jessie White, Jesse White Tumblers, Illinois Secretary of State, Video

Music, Gossip Wolf Feb 26, 2014
Gossip Wolf: Locrian's Andre Foisy teaches yoga for your grimmest chakra

Plus: New music on the way from Catholic Tapes, local MC Kit, and Netherfriends
- By J.R. Nelson and Leor Galil
- Tags: Gossip Wolf, Andre Foisy, Locrian, West Town, yoga, Turbodog, Utech, James Plotkin, Nadja, Horseback, Catholic Tapes, experimental music, Synth-Chili Cook-Off, Brett Naucke, seven-inches, Vehicle Blues, Lillerne Tapes, Gabe Holcombe, Rectal Hygienics, Kit, rappers, MCs, zines, shoegaze, record labels, bop, mixtapes, Logan Square, DJ nights, East Room, Jody, Supreme Cuts, Shawn Rosenblatt, Netherfriends, Bandcamp

Blogs, Bleader Jan 27, 2014
Video
DJ MoonDawg brings bopping to the masses while Elmo does the "Kemo Step"

WGCI on-air personality DJ MoonDawg just dropped a compilation mixtape of some of the best local rap songs to bop to, and you can watch a dude dressed as Elmo dancing to one of the tracks.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, bopping, bop, WGCI, DJ MoonDawg, Elmo, Kemo Step, Lil Kemo, Dlow, The Dlow Shuffle, Sicko Mobb, Jump N' Jam Playland, Stunt Taylor, Video

Blogs, Bleader Jan 17, 2014
Video
Steve Harvey tries to bop

The talk-show host gives Chicago's hot dance style a try with a little help from bop kings Dlow and Lil Kemo.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Steve Harvey Show, Dlow, The Dlow Shuffle, Lil Kemo, bop, bopping, Fake Shore Drive, Andrew Barber, Chance the Rapper, Video

Blogs, Bleader Jan 1, 2014
Kick off the new year with Sicko Mobb's debut mixtape

If your New Year's resolution is to strap on some dancing shoes and learn how to bop then you should be playing Sicko Mobb's Super Saiyan Vol. 1 on repeat.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, Sicko Mobb, Lil Ceno, Lil Trav, Fiesta, Super Saiyan Vol. 1, bop, bopping, DJ V Dub, Lil Durk, Twista, Dragon Ball Z

Blogs, Bleader Oct 9, 2013
Video
West-side rapper Breezy Montana soundtracks bop on his Rise 2 Fame mixtape

One of the key players in the west-side bop scene drops his debut mixtape.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Hip-Hop, Music, bop, bopping, Breezy Montana, Rise 2 Fame, Lil Kemo, Dlow, M.I.C, Lil Chris, Bop Like Me, Ballout, Team Fiesta, Cicero on da Beat, Travon Biggs, Daryon Simmons, Money Talks, "Havin Shit, " "Ballout, " Travaris Brown, Video

Music, Music Feature Oct 1, 2013
Video
Bopping makes its move

Chicago hip-hop's latest hot dance is more fun than footworking, and it's already got a star in Lil Kemo—all it needs now is a crossover hit.
- By Leor Galil
- Tags: Music Feature, Lil Kemo, Chance the Rapper, Wala Cam, Twitter, mixtapes, Datpiff, rap, Fake Shore Drive, west side, south side, hip hop, Travon Biggs, dance, bopping, K-Town, North Lawndale, bop, Dlow, Daryon Simmons, M.I.C, Sicko Mobb, King Louie, Wala Williams, CAN TV, YouTube, video, parties, clubs, Mikey Dollaz, I.L Will, Lil Chris, fiestas, rap videos, Fake Shore Drive, Andrew Barber, footworking, DJ Nate, Nathan Clark, DGainz, Team Fiesta, gangs, KC Ultra, Stunt Taylor, Breezy Montana, Shawty Doo, S.B.E., LeekeLeek, Cicero on da Beat, Chief Keef, happy rap music, Lil Ceno, Lil Trav, Entertainers Basketball Classic, Rucker Park, JLM Abundant Life Community Center, bop contests, Video

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On the new mixtape Bucket List Project, the Pivot Gang MC reminds Chicago that one of its most violent neighborhoods is also a home.

Also, remembering Nancy Reagan’s Chicago childhood.

West-side duo Sicko Mobb became one of the most prominent artists in bop a few years ago, and their latest mixtape challenges the sound's conventions.

The Chicago bop king has a new viral hit, and it's racked up millions of YouTube views in a little more than two months.

The Chicago rapper brought his band and a few friends to the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to debut "Angels."

Both local MCs dropped new material the past week, and the new tunes exhibit some alluring strangeness.

Now's a good time to catch up on the latest releases from S.B.E., M.B.E., Breezy Montana, Dlow, and King Kemo.

The Chicago hip-hop veteran chats about what inspired the title of his new album, working with rising local rappers, and getting involved in the community.

The southeast-side rapper occupies a desirable but peculiar position in Chicago's hip-hop community, though that doesn't appear to bear much influence on the music that's made him a face of the scene.

DJ MoonDawg's new sequel to his January bop compilation mixtape includes many scene leaders and some newcomers

One of the leaders of the bop sound instructs listeners to bop and drop that Nae Nae (among other things) with his new supercharged EDM tune.

Alex Wiley, Saba, Spenzo, Taylor Bennett, and ZMoney all have new mixtapes that should light the fuses on their careers.

The new Chicago rap duo dropped IG: We the Guys days before taxes were due.

Plus: New music on the way from Catholic Tapes, local MC Kit, and Netherfriends

WGCI on-air personality DJ MoonDawg just dropped a compilation mixtape of some of the best local rap songs to bop to, and you can watch a dude dressed as Elmo dancing to one of the tracks.

The talk-show host gives Chicago's hot dance style a try with a little help from bop kings Dlow and Lil Kemo.

If your New Year's resolution is to strap on some dancing shoes and learn how to bop then you should be playing Sicko Mobb's Super Saiyan Vol. 1 on repeat.

One of the key players in the west-side bop scene drops his debut mixtape.

Chicago hip-hop's latest hot dance is more fun than footworking, and it's already got a star in Lil Kemo—all it needs now is a crossover hit.

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