Air Credits Credit: Graham Gardner

The members of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree appear to have a soft spot for Chicagoans. In June, their label (also called Doomtree) dropped a full-length collaboration between their producer Lazerbeak and veteran Chicago rapper Longshot. In August, Doomtree put out Artería Verité, an album that brings together group member Sims (and his recent go-to producer, Icetep) and futuristic Chicago rap group Air Credits—i.e., Hood Internet producer Steve Reidell and rapper ShowYouSuck). Air Credits’ debut album, 2016’s Broadcasted, features two guest verses from Sims, who soon enlisted the Chicagoans as support for his headlining tour behind 2016’s More Than Ever (Icetep was behind six of the 13 songs on that album). The foursome clearly established a rapport before they began working on Artería Verité, and it’s evident in the postboogie flair of “Bitchin Technology” and the jittery, dramatically triumphant anthem “All I Do Is This.” Artería Verité focuses on the dystopian near future Air Credits have explored throughout their brief time as a band, and here, Sims’s playfully punchy verses and ShowYouSuck’s lackadaisical yet forceful flow combine to find inspiration and joy in a tumultuous world. Before Sims headlines tonight’s show he’ll join Air Credits to perform songs off Artería Verité.   v

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