Chicago hip hop blog
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FFD Premiere: Jim Swim – Tired Now // Gotta Sleep (New EP)
Jim Swim has been putting out versatile, evocative tracks for years. It’s hard to choose a favorite, made even harder by his latest approach of releasing music – in two tracks. They are always interconnected; whether juxtaposed or woven together in an artistic fashion. Another couplet has emerged, this time in the form of Tired…
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Better Late Than Never: Musa Reems – To Whom It May Concern (Lens) (Music Video)
When Chicago upstart Musa Reems dropped his best work to date just a few months ago, I wrote him an open letter, thanking him for his music and inspirational career. I’ve been along the ride of most of it, and to say he’s improved in all facets of what it means to be a great…
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Jawn Stockton & Swoope Drop Beautiful Yet Complex Instrumental LP ‘Serene’
I LOVE instrumental albums, and Jawn Stockton & Swoope made an excellent one. I always wonder how a producer chooses titles for certain tracks, but with Serene, the mystery was gone. Each one made sense to me, but of course they are open to interpretation. I found that to be one of the greatest elements…
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After Getting Adjusted to Fatherhood, Cey, The Ghost Is Back With His Most Reflective Work Yet, ‘Note To Self’
flowsfordays’ favorite Cey, The Ghost emailed me with a new submission starting with “It’s been quite a while since I put something out. I’ve been getting adjusted to father hood.” I’ve missed his music, but being a father is certainly a new experience, and one that takes patience and diligence. The song in question is entitled Note…
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The Importance Of The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
As I’ve been growing my physical hip hop collection, I’ve learned a lot about the history and culture of the genre – how and why it began, its development, the intricate parts, people. and events that changed it whether in a progressive or degressive way. Rapper’s Delight by The Sugar Hill Gang, is often credited…
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Instrumental Blessings #1 Playlist
*This is a piece I wrote for my Tumblr blog over 2 years ago. Instrumentals are often overlooked as mere one offs or even worse, beats. Yes, technically they are the latter, but they are on the same level, or higher, then vocal tracks. Some of the best projects on any platform come from musicians,…
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The 5 Best Kendrick Lamar Music Videos Before ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’
Ignorance Is Bliss Cut You Off Rigamortious Cartoons & Cereal (feat. Gunplay) A.D.H.D. *Bonus
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I Miss You Juice WRLD
Juice WRLD has died – and it has hit me harder than any death in hip hop history. I was barely a toddler when Big L, Jam Master Jay, The D.O.C., Big Pun, Tupac, and Biggie left us. When Nipsey Hussle passed, it was such a blow to the hip hop community, and I recognized…
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