Has there ever been a better year for funny books about Chicago? Thanks to a pithy rap memoir, an absurdist satire of the mayor’s office, and a pair of comedic novels, 2022 offered Chicago readers a refreshing dose of literary laughs. Per usual, I’ve limited this list to books with a strong focus on the […]
Tag: Psalm One
Posted inMusic
Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer drops a time-traveling solo album
Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer drops a time-traveling solo album, Pugs Atomz collects a decade of his music on a star-studded compilation, and more.
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Decades of friendship enrich a new collaboration by rapper Rich Jones and producer Montana Macks
Rapper-singer Rich Jones and producer Montana Macks have been friends for nearly two decades, which surely helps explain how the Chicagoans’ new self-released album, How Do You Sleep at Night?, hits so smoothly. For the past few years, Jones has leaned into the downy plushness of his voice, more and more often rhyming in a […]
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Psalm One and Angel Davanport of Rapper Chicks introduce Big Silky, their sharpest collaboration yet
Born from the ashes of Rapper Chicks, one of the city’s best and most slept-on rap groups of the past decade, Big Silky reintroduces two members of that crew, Psalm One and Angel Davanport. On their debut EP, Big Silky Vol. 1, written in tribute of former bandmate Henny B (she passed away in 2018, […]
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Nacrobats alumni celebrate the history and legacy of their Chicago hip-hop crew
Hyperprolific rapper and Culture Power45 label co-owner Marcellous “Infinito 2017” Lovelace and Chicago hip-hop scene player Sterling “Pugs Atomz” Price are both former members of the Nacrobats crew, and when Lovelace asked Pugs last year about releasing a vinyl compilation of old Nacrobats tracks, it kicked off a wave of celebrations that will continue through […]
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Gifts to teach hip-hop heads their history
Each of these reissues helps unfold a different chapter in the rich narrative of the Chicago hip-hop scene.
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Chicago rap royal Psalm One finds her new path forward with Flight of the Wig
Cristalle Bowen, best known as Psalm One, has a creative stamina and drive matched by few Chicago rappers. She began carving out a career as a solo artist in the early 2000s, and it became her main focus after her promising underground crew the Nacrobats broke up in 2003. And aside from a brief stint […]
Posted inBlogs
Cardi B and Nicki Minaj are feuding—and these women in Chicago rap don’t see the point
Psalm One, Akenya, Sisi Dior, Chimeka, and Mother Nature talk about sisterhood, mutual support, and the pernicious notion that hip-hop has room for only one female star at a time.
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Original Rap Karaoke makes a comeback at Township
Original Rap Karaoke makes a comeback at Township, Berlin hosts Big Dipper’s LaCroix Boi: The Party, and more.
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ShowYouSuck builds on his omnivorous hip-hop with a free-form TV show
ShowYouSuck builds on his omnivorous hip-hop with the Hood Internet collaboration Air Credits and the JBTV show Good Luck Hunting.
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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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A fond farewell to Empty Bottle floor manager Bob Johnson
A fond farewell to Empty Bottle floor manager Bob Johnson, a Manny Muscles benefit for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and more
Posted inBlogs
Psalm One shows her crew some love on the Rapper Chicks’ debut EP
Nearly 13 years after Psalm One’s hip-hop group Nacrobats broke up, she’s back to recording and releasing music with a crew.
Posted inBlogs
The best overlooked Chicago hip-hop releases of 2015
Local rappers who deserved more attention this year include Angel Davanport, Ric Wilson, and Shorty K.