Last month, local darkwave band Kill Scenes dropped “Acid Black Window,” the first single from the upcoming full-length album Masque. The five-piece group, anchored by songwriters Meghan Lamb (vocals) and Sean Whittaker (guitar, electronics), lace their tracks with swirling six-string textures and driving synth melodies—Gossip Wolf doesn’t doubt for a second that “Acid Black Window” […]
Tag: Crucial Conflict
Posted inMusic
Edward Vaughn goes from engineering to shredding
To most Chicagoans, “Englewood” and “rock” are hardly synonymous, but guitarist Edward Vaughn reps his hood proudly as he follows his rock-star dreams. And where he’s from isn’t the only thing about him that points away from rock ’n’ roll: he also has a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering. “I’m from Englewood, so […]
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Rhymefest’s greatest moment in Chicago music history
Veteran rapper and activist Rhymefest remembers an all-star festival by and for the community.
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Building on the pillars of Blue Groove Lounge
An oral history of DJ Jesse de la Peña’s foundational Blue Groove Lounge hip-hop night, on the occasion of its belated 25th birthday parties
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Fighting for Chicago’s place in hip-hop history
Darrell “Artistic” Roberts of Chi-ROCK Nation has worked to document Chicago hip-hop culture for more than three decades—and now he’s finally publishing a book.
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The Chicago Westside Music Festival spotlights homegrown talent alongside national stars
The annual Chicago Westside Music Festival brings national talent to Douglas Park while spotlighting hometown heroes. In previous editions, the free daylong event has leaned heavily on beloved mainstream R&B acts such as Bell Biv DeVoe, but the opener of this year’s festival is dynamic but not-so-family-friendly Chicago hip-hop group Crucial Conflict. The group’s members […]
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Chicago rap crew Pivot Gang honor a fallen comrade
Pivot Gang cofounder John Walt is memorialized in Saba’s Care for Me—and by an arts nonprofit that bears his name, which holds its flagship concert fund-raiser this weekend.
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After a three-story fall, Continental bartender Greg Shirilla needs help getting back on his feet
Continental bartender Greg Shirilla needs help getting back on his feet, the Hideout’s Back to School Ball raises money for Intonation Music Workshop, and more.
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The year Chicago hip-hop beat the haters
For ages, Chicago rappers tore each other down, as though the city could produce only one star at a time—but in 2016 the whole scene seemed to grasp the value of community.
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Saba brings the west side to life in rap
On the new Bucket List Project, Saba reminds Chicago that the west side is more than just a source of crime statistics—it’s also a home.
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Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Mick Jenkins headline two stacked hip-hop shows on Saturday
Two big local hip-hop shows kick off Saturday night, one featuring 90s legends Crucial Conflict and Twista, the other anchored by rising stars such as Mick Jenkins.
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Five honors students from Chicago rap’s freshman class
Five honors students from Chicago rap’s freshman class: Alex Wiley, Saba, Spenzo, Taylor Bennett, and ZMoney
Posted inBlogs
Suddenly: music!
Unexpected new releases by Pelican guitarist Trevor de Brauw and west-side rap legends Crucial Conflict