The burbs of Chicago rarely get love. One artist that might change that is Aurora’s Nique. He’s starting things off right with his debut SoundCloud single, 25 To Life. It dropped on his 25th birthday, and in just over 3 minutes he’s caught us up on his entire life.

The song speaks on his vices, specific struggles, and passion for music. A standout line sits in the beginning, giving us an honest portrayal of a man making art out of personal weaknesses : “I ain’t always living right/ I’m just tryin’ to feel the high.”

The sleek production comes from John Savage, providing a nice backdrop for Nique to wax poetics. I hope to see more collaborations between the two.

It’s only up from here.