George’s Music Room Archives

Mic Shane helped boost Chicago hip-hop onto a global stage

Mic Shane cofounded the city’s first hip-hop magazine in 1991 and worked tirelessly for decades to help the scene grow.

“A lot of musicians around this time are suffering from the thought of not being able to perform. There’s a certain level of anxiety.”

Does Riot Fest have any business taking over a public park in a largely Black and Brown neighborhood?

One of Chicago’s best unsung musicians drops a new album, the Chicago Black Social Culture Map talks west-side music, and more.

We’ve got an exclusive stream of an out-of-print 1995 Chicago rap compilation called Talent Fest and an interview with the man who released it.