“And You Say Chi-City, Pt. 1: My Name is Windy and I like to Blow Trees…”
Written by K. Billy
Written by K. Billy
As I wrote my post about the Chicago-based duo The Cool Kids last week, a very relevant question came through my mind: Why are there so many dope acts coming out of the Chi suddenly? In regarding this question, I sought to first understand what Chicago actually meant to the hip hop game as it stands now.
Let me start by saying that hip-hop music didn’t really get going in the Chi at the same time as it did over here on the East Coast. It makes sense, although breaking crews were putting it down out there, the music never really took off. Nick Salsa brought the east coast breaker’s attitude with him when he moved from N.Y. to Chicago in the 1970’s. He’s still known as the pioneer of the art up there after his crew, C.T.A., was formed.
The music scene didn’t take off until 1980, a year after “Rapper’s Delight” hit the airwaves. Casper released his first single “Groovy Ghost Show” at this time and it is still widely regarded as the Chi’s first hit single. It’s also rumored that this is the same man who brought us the “classic” “Cha-Cha Slide”
Fast forward about 11 years and we come to probably the most significant moment in Chicago hip hop history. A young, up-and-coming rapper named Common Sense got some shine in the national spotlight after he was featured in the Source’s Unsigned Hype section in 1991. Shortly thereafter, Twista – then known as Tung Twista – became the first Chicago act signed to a major label following the release of his album “Running Off at the Mouth.”
As 1993 dawned on us, we were treated to the first album from Common Sense, entitled “Can I Borrow A Dollar.” The album would prove to be instrumental in introducing the Jazzy, sample-heavy and more melodic hip-hop tracks that we are so familiar with today. The tracks “Breaker 1/9,” “Soul by the Pound,” and “Take it EZ” still remain as one of Common’s most critically acclaimed singles.
Twista would re-emerge on Do or Die’s hit single “Po Pimp” (who doesn’t remember “do ya wanna ride/in the backseat of a caddy/choppin’ it up with Do or Die?”) and Common would drop “I Used to Love H.E.R.” in 1994. Shortly thereafter, Da Brat would follow Jermaine Dupri into the national spotlight with her hit single “Funkdafied.”
The early days of Chicago hip-hop were littered with cues from several different sources. The funk and easy attitudes of the West Coast effectively merged with the more party ready, upbeat style of the East Coast while infusing it’s own rapid-fire, sing-songy styles into it. In a way, the Chi-town movement signified the growth of hip-hop as a genre and its impending evolution. Acts like Twista, Common, Do or Die, Crucial Conflict and Da Brat borrowed heavily from both east coast and west coast influences and it wouldn’t be until almost 10 years later that we would see the Chi emerge as its very own hotbed of musical authority.
Stay Tuned for part 2 next week….
Twista: “From the Tip of My Tongue” Runnin’ Off At Da Mouth
Common Sense: “Take It E.Z.” Can I Borrow A Dollar?
Da Brat: “Funkdafied” Funkdafied
Crucial Conflict: “Hay” The Final Tic
5 comments:
I always felt that dudes from Chicago produced like they were from Cali but rapped like they were from NY.
The first thing I heard from a rapper that I knew was from the Chi was Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R". I was mad young and just loved the whole flow of the song. It took me a year before i knew it was a metaphor.
I remember sitting in front of the tv watching the video and he said, "cuz who I'm talkin' bout y'all is Hip-Hop"... I said, "What the f**k?" I waited all day for that video to come on again so i can listen closer to what he was saying. That was definitely one of my favorite Hip-Hop moments...
I feel another post coming.
P-I-M-P ology...
Haha...JusHH your first sentence was dead on.
I love that Chi rappers have that midwest thing going for them. They all seem to be able to rap faster than anyone else (even the ones who really don't take on that BTH style, like Lupe).
Biggup to Brown Sugar for putting Common on a pedastal and giving I Used to Love HER its props.
K. Billy (name change?) what's up with you doing a lyrical exercise on Finding Forever? You did Ye, you did Lupe, come on, he's Chi-town's Nas. That album didn't get as much buzz as it should have and it's insanely phenomenal.
It's probably a good thing that Hip-Hop didn't pick up in Chicago until recently. Imagine all the battle freestyles Common would have had to put out for Mike during the NBA playoffs in the mid-to-late 90's? Here's some excerpts from those lost tapes:
"Getting guarded by Craig Ehlo is like taking a free throw"
"Where's your hustle, Byron Russell?"
Anyone remember when Mike starred in the Michael Jackson video "Jam" with Heavy D? And the two Mikes are teaching each other how to play ball and dance? Classic.
HAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHA
Jam was indeed a classic video. Kris Kross must be feeling some sort of excited right now. First PTM puts their video on the Nyquil series, now we mention Jam. A comeback is just around the corner...over the bridge, through the woods, and across the ocean.
Anyways, Chi-town is so cool. I love the diversity in the music from one city. Lupe, Common, Kanye, Crucial, Twista, Da Brat, Shawnna, etc. There's a whole lot of different in that one city. I can dig it.
And I almost forgot to mention the greatest MC to ever pick up a mic is from the Chi. Yup, you guessed it...Young Berg. You damn right. lol
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