Words by Clynt Johnson (@BornRaisedChi) In our first-ever FSD Artist Spotlight, we sit down with Roy French, who has figuratively and literally been splashing around on the Chicago rap scene all year. Roy’s profile is quickly rising thanks to his bugged out visuals and wavy, unique sound. We sat down with Roy French to ask him…
Category: Features
FSD Feature: Chicago & This Year’s XXL Freshman Cover
Words by Mosh (@CMosh2) Last Wednesday, XXL dropped their highly anticipated 2015 Freshman cover, and we were all hoping for another class similar to 2014, but instead, got possibly the most disappointing class yet. Tink became the seventh Chicago artist to make this highly touted list, joining Lupe Fiasco, Lil Bibby, Lil Durk, Chief Keef, Vic…
FSD Feature: Kevin Coval’s Notes For Mars Blackmon On The Making of Spike Lee’s Film ‘Chiraq’
Words by Kevin Coval (@KevinCoval) Given the controversy surrounding the film, Chiraq, and its title, I wanted to use hip-hop poetics to hopefully add to and shift the conversation. If politicians are in an uproar around the name, and not the conditions which create the name, I think there is something alarmingly problematic in caring more about…
Lil Durk’s New Album Is Out And You Should Buy It
June 2nd, 2015. The day the second major label rap release has dropped from an artist born of the 2012 Chicago rap boom. Of course Lupe and Kanye have dropped albums since then, but we’re talking about the new class. Chief Keef inked a high profile deal with Interscope in June of 2012, and his…
FSD Feature: Chance The Rapper Let Me Hear Surf
FSD Feature: Rap Dreams [Episode Two with ShowYouSuck]
A feature by Holiday Kirk (@HolidayKirk) Rap Dreams is an examination of individuals who have decided to make rap music their career but haven’t broken through to a mainstream level of success. For them, rap music is a drain. It requires huge investments of time and money for little reward. These are people who rock…
FSD Feature: Towkio Rides the .Wav Theory – A Review by Kevin Coval
Words by Kevin Coval (@KevinCoval). Photo by Bryan Allen Lamb. Welcome to a new FSD Feature from Chicago poet/activist/artist/philanthropist Kevin Coval, where he uses “verse-journalism” to review shows, events and other dope activities and ongoings in the City of Chicago. Kevin sees this as a way to document and practice what Gwendolyn Brooks calls verse journalism….
Spike Lee Says Chiraq is About ‘Exposing Truth’ at Chicago Press Conference
Words and pictures by Seante Lackey (@HooliYNO) Earlier this morning, Spike Lee took to the Southside of Chicago to hold a press conference at St. Sabina Church regarding his pending controversial film, Chiraq. The theme of Spike’s speech was overwhelmingly “Don’t worry about it, I’ve been here before.” He quickly let the crowd know that most…
Yasiin Bey Played Chicago’s Metro on May 1, Here’s Our Recap
Photos by Demi Richardson (@DemiRiches) On Friday night, the artist formerly known as Mos Def, descended upon Chicago for a live performance at the Metro Theater. The show, VIP and general admission, sold out almost instantly, as most fans and potential concert goers believed Mos Def was banished from the United States all together. Well,…
FSD Feature: Mick Jenkins Changes the Tide with Wave[s]
On a brisk spring day, rising Chicago star Mick Jenkins dropped by the Fake Shore Drive Headquarters in Chicago to preview tracks from his upcoming project, Wave[s] – the follow up to his critical and commercial breakthrough, 2014’s The Water[s]. Anticipation is high for Wave[s], as it’s Mick’s first release with the whole world watching….