Part 1

The channel formerly known as Black Entertainment Television aired a documentary on the current musical renaissance, if you will, Chicago is experiencing, as well as the city’s more negative aspects. Check out the entire thing up top and down bottom.

The above video is of the fatal beating of 16-year-old Derrion Albert. Not posted for visual enjoyment (or crude jokes) but rather to see if any of ya’ll can help identify any of the people allegedly involved. Please call Area Two of the Chicago Police Dept. at 312-747-8272.

I wanted to send this song out even though I know some may already have heard it but it seemed appropriate for this time. 16 year old Derrion Albert was beaten to death which was caught on tape in another case of senseless violence. I can’t hide how hurt I am after seeing this video and all the violence that occurs in our city with our youth and when we have kids killing kids we as parents, friends, neighbors and as a community have failed. I hope that we as a community can step up and be better role models, teachers and parents to ALL of these children.

PREVIOUS: Add-2 – Chicago Kids | Mediafire
UPDATE: Three teenagers (Silvanus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16) have been charged (first-degree murder) with beating to death 16-year-old Derrion Albert, an “innocent bystander” who walked into the middle of a street fight between two groups of feuding teens last Thursday, according to prosecutors. – ChicagoBreakingNews

Stones Throws’ newest talent, Mayer Hawthorne, graced the Windy City with an hour long set, performing tracks off his debut, A Strange Arrangement. Among the cuts found on his album, he also performed a few covers of some soul classics and a reggae version of Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out which you will find after the jump. Props to Alex (RH).

Sidebar: Proper KNOWxONE introduction coming soon.

Common speaks on progressing as an artist, growing up in cottage grove, Kanye, Lupe, Twista, Chicago house music, and the Bears. This interview is from the Hard Knock archives but new to the interwebs! Check out www.hardknock.tv for Common Part 1. Common speaks on Finding Forever, hitting the gym, children’s books, and much more.

PREVIOUS: Common Live In Chicago (Video)

I posted KiD CuDi & Common’s performance earlier today, now Consequence (along with GLC & Really Doe) hits the stage at the Sprite Green RSVP Gallery in Chicago.

G.O.O.D. Music was definitely in the building. The Cons brought out GL and Really D. Williams for a live performance of Disperse before going into The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Grammy Family and his new single (sans Kanye West and John Legend) Whatever You Want.

Shouts to FSD (again).

Performing Make Her Say, The People, Resurrection & The Corner…

Last night in Chicago, Sprite Green hosted the opening of RSVP Gallery, which is the brand new art gallery/boutique brought to you by Marc Moran, Don C and Virgil Abloh. The event was sponsored by Sprite Green and G.O.O.D. Music, and the whole city was abuzz about who was going to show up and perform last night. Hosted by Hollywood Holt & Timbuck2, the night featrured DJ sets from Million $ Mano and Don Cannon (the, the, the, THE CANNON) and surprise performances from such G.O.O.D Music artists as Really Doe, GLC, Mr. Hudson, Consequence, Big Sean, Common and Kid Cudi. Free drinks, free food and free entertainment of the highest caliber.

Shouts to FSD.

It’s currently 4:30 in the morning and for some god forbid reason I’m still up! So I guess I’ll make a post before I bang my head against the wall repeatedly. Some footage of Hov live in Chicago at an invite-only Samsung Summer Krush show. Above is Run This Town & D.O.A. and after the jump is a nice little freestyle (sorry Kelz haha), Venus vs Mars and Haters.

Dopeboyz & dopegirlz… we are just one day away from the release of one of the dopest projects of the year. Tomorrow the dopehouse (and okayplayer) will be dropping off the latest effort from Chicago’s Add-2! How people are still sleeping on this dude is beyond me. I promise though… after one listen you will definitely wake (the fuck) up. Beliiee dat. Hit the jump for the artwork (by myself) and the tracklist…

FakeShoreDrive catches up with (the real) Juice to talk about a variety of topics. From his career and history in the game, other freestyle emcees (Supernatural, etc), the different definitions of “freestyle” to his “beef” with Rhymefest. And while were at it, check the radio freestyle where he took some shots at The Game and his “fake” Juice. Freshly liberated by DJ Timbuck2. Apologies for the poor quality.

You ain’t really nothin’ but another fake Juice to me, and that’s The Game’s Juice, I’ma have to let the name loose, you know how it is I’ll hang him and Game with the same noose

DOWNLOAD: Juice – Go Ill Radio Freestyle

Footage of Mos performing his rendition of MJ’s Billie Jean. Spotted at RR.

Nope… no collab on this post. Just new new joints from the Chicago reps. The Mikkey joint marks the third leak from Da G & Da Rock’s Iron Sharpens Iron mixtape. While GLC links up with Crucial Conflict’s Cold Hard for a new joint off his upcoming mixtape, Respect My Come Up, which will be hosted by Mike Tyson. Both via Andrew of course.

DOWNLOAD: Mikkey Halsted – Keep On Moving f. Da G & Da Rock | Mediafire
DOWNLOAD: GLC – A Gangstaz Nature f. Cold Hard | Mediafire

Here goes more footage from Hov’s show in Chicago. Above he pays homage to Michael Jackson before leading into Can I Live. Then after the jump you can catch him performing PSA, Money Ain’t a Thang, Where I’m From, etc.