Danni Gurl is one of the female Emcees holding it down in Chicago.  I have always liked to watch the women take control of the mic. It’s still pretty much a male driven industry. Big shout out to women who hold it down for the female Emcees.

Take a listen as she shouts out all the “Dope Chicks”

Days of our lives

Ray ILLA performs

Many people say that hip hop is dead. The genre has changed a little in my opinion but at it’s foundation has it changed or just the delivery? I was blessed to grow up in an environment where I was exposed to much of the music that is sampled and referenced in today’s R&B and hip hop community. The quality of music in the early 80’s and 90’s   was phenomenal in my opinion. I also grew up on the music of the 60’s and 70’s  due to family parties and gatherings.  My early memories of hip hop were break dancing on cardboard boxes, giant radios, beat boxing, loud colors, etc. I remember 2 things from the hip hop I grew up on, it told a message and a story. There were also anthems included in the hip hop I grew up on as well as exclamations of people being the greatest.  I once again had the opportunity to attend another Jungle Events at Subterranean this time the event was a mixtape launch RAY ILLA and SPUD COTTON.  The Jungle does a good job of warming up the crowd with good music. They played Biggie, Mobb Deep featuring Lil Kim and a few of the other notable acts in hip hop.  The vibe was chill of course things don’t start exactly on time but that’s part of the routine. The opening act  LB Tarantino  did a great job of warming up the stage.  The crowd was so so as always. I’m not sure about other places but my observation in Chicago is that artists tend to get more support in other cities.  I have heard that it’s easier to launch your career in places like NY or ATL  I’m not sure why that is but artist like Kanye, Da Brat and a few others have had to leave Chicago to really blow up.  A luke warm crowd did not stop one of the feature artist RAY ILLA from doing his thing. He brought a lot of energy to the stage, had crowd participation and showcased some of his previous material as well as new tracks from his new mixtape “Supa Ugly Grind 2” One of my favorites so far from the project is the track called “Inspiration” I definitely would blast the song.  In a nutshell I enjoyed myself. One thing that I have not seen at a Jungle event yet is an array of female artist and I’m not sure why. Hopefully some time in the future I will get the opportunity to hear a few female acts. I personally am rooting for hip hop!  My suggestion for any artist is to get good at telling a story! This generation so needs good stories. We’ve heard a lot of stories detailing slinging dope, hard times, partying endlessly  and killing rivals but it’s time for a new message.  It is my hope that up and coming artist will take the pulse of the community and create work that will take us to the next stage of hip hop.

Music is therapeutic and therapy is just what I needed after another long week at work!  This evening with Aniba Hotep & The Sol Collective started out a little different, we were able to engage them in a question and answer session before their show started. Right off I will just state that they are HILARIOUS! There was no forced chemistry on display they answered questions, cracked jokes on each other and gave each other their just rewards. The question and answer session came off as natural and not forced or rehearsed.   First  we learned that they  love and support each other and bring their own unique talents to the group. Secondly we learned that are not afraid to experiment with different musical styles and in fact have a lot of different things in their musical vault.  Finally we learned that their music transcends age boundaries. The energy that they give, and unique spin that they put on their music appeals to many demographics.  Plain and simple they create good music that does not get old regardless of what is being pushed in the market. It was night full of energy at the Out Take Lounge located at 1758 West Grand. The venue had had good food as everyone was chowing down when I arrived, and the staffed came off as pleasant and friendly. The space was a bit intimate but I think that added to ambiance. All in all it was a great night. The music was great! They performed a few covers as well as original material. I got to see a lil more of who the group members were individually. I did not know that Caress Sahura could rhyme the way she did, yo go girl! Neri gives me life with her vocals and Aniba and her soulful vocals are wonderful. They have one of the best bands that I have heard that place was jumping!!!!!! Big Ups to them in their future endeavors. Their manager Ishmael dropped a few hints of upcoming things and I’m sure all of their fans cannot wait! If You have not heard them perform you need to do so and that is my 2 cents. Mr. Openyonated.

Check Aniba Hotep & The Sol Collective out on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aniba-Hotep-The-Sol-Collective/125747722140 

I think I have been going to poetry sets for a year now.  I’ve loved poetry since elementary school. Every year Chicago Public Schools had an academic olympics and part of those competitions was the oratory competition. During the oratory competition various students around the city performed poems with various subject matters and deliveries. I’ve performed a few times so its natural to see why I enjoy poetry so much.  This week my travels through the city took me to At Ease Sundays in Oak Park at AJ Styles Barber and Beauty Salon 42 West Lake Street. When I arrived I was met at the door by the hilarious Ms. Wallace who is a stylist there. If you’ve never experienced her perform you are missing a barrel of laughs. She shoots straight from the hip !  She talks about everything that most people won’t talk about and makes it funny.  Every set has a host and it’s crucial that they can keep the energy up and make sure that everyone is having a good time. The host Misha Fourelevn Collins was funny, talented and on her toes she didn’t miss a thing in the room and was on top of here game. Whenever I go to a set there is always a ton of talent in the room! MaMa Brenda Matthews delivered an ASTOUNDING piece ! She is a woman who loves the children and her love for this city and despair about the condition that it is currently in jumped out of her heart. Danielle Barnhart-Coakley who I first saw perform at Hot Sauce poetry was celebrating her birthday and gave the audience a gift which was her poetry that dealt with issues of the heart.  Ted Weissberg who is everywhere brought his energy and talent to the stage as well as Sabrina Jordan. I was invited to at Ease Sundays by Ollie HoodRaised Woods who I’ve featured on the blog before and if it wasn’t for him I probably would have wiggled out of doing a piece myself.  The fear of any beginner is that they will have to perform in the midst of experienced people and come off as an amateur. One of the goals of At Ease Sundays is to create an environment where even beginners will feel comfortable performing.  The night was dedicated to the ladies and honoring those who have battled breast cancer which was a GREAT cause . Tiff Beatty set the stage on fire as usual and closed out with a piece dedicated to uplifting the ladies.  The treat of the night was seeing Ollie’s daughter perform, she truly is her father’s daughter. His style, delivery, talent, and features are all over her.  she did an excellent job. Kudos to venue and the team that put At Ease Sundays together. It occurs every first Sunday. Mr. Openyonated signing off and that’s my 2 cents.

Premiere of ILLA’S new joint!