A Retrospective of the 2012 Chicago Rap Scene
When discussing hip-hop’s defining eras, Los Angeles or New York are often mentioned as the key areas that drove the genre forward. However, for those paying close attention, Chicago has had its sparks of influence throughout the decades, ultimately culminating in arguably the city’s golden age: the 2010s. 2012, specifically, operated as the springboard for many local artists' careers to jump into the national conversation and established that decade as Chicago’s time to shine.
Before the internet flattened what it meant to be a “star,” cities would only see one or two artists come into the national spotlight every other year. Chicago’s 2012 was different. Labels flocked to the city to sign emerging rappers and those adjacent to them. Budding superstars like Lil Durk, King Louie, G Herbo (fka Lil Herb) and Lil Bibby, all had their fair share of breakout hits throughout the year. The city also had artists like Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa (then fronting the legendary Kids These Days band), that grew up idolizing Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco, being the tentpole acts in this movement and released blog classics in their own right. Even R&B artists were on a hot streak, with Jeremih dropping the iconic Late Nights and BJ the Chicago Kid signing to Motown Records after releasing the critically-acclaimed Pineapple Now-Laters and working with the then-rising label Top Dawg Entertainment.
With all the abundance of fresh new music, the city was truly ablaze with memorable events such as Chief Keef’s mega remix for “I Don’t Like” or Chance’s sold-out show at the Metro. Fast forward ten years later, and the city’s footprint can now be heard and seen across the whole genre. As part of a wider retrospective series on the landmark year, These Days talked to individuals who actively participated in the 2012 scene to look back at the special moments that continue to shape the different scenes here. Read below.
Interviewees
Chris Classick: Engineer, founder of Classick Studios
DJ RTC: Ruby Hornet’s Editor-in-Chief, co-founder of Closed Sessions
Lyrical: Artist manager, founder of Lyrical Eyes Management & Three Twenty Three Music Group
Teefa: Former radio personality for Power 92, artist and educator
Ty Howard: FakeShoreDrive’s Managing Editor
What are your most distinct memories from the 2012 year in the Chicago music scene?
Ty Howard: 2012 was the year everything changed for the city. I started at Fake Shore Drive in 2010, so I remember what the scene was like before the boom of 2012. The energy in the city was different after that. There are way too many memories from that year and beyond —everything's kind of a blur for me to be honest. I do remember how many calls and messages I would get from A&Rs asking about random artists from the city. It really felt like a gold rush and everybody was trying to find a way in.
Chris Classick: I remember weekly parties at East Room, Lumen, Beauty Bar, Devine, Debonaire, loft parties, roof parties, and parties at Chinese restaurants. I remember Jugrnaut, Leaders, St. Alfreds, and RSVP were the go-to places to shop. I remember Fake Shore Drive, ilRroots and Ruby Hornet were the go-to places to premiere your music in Chicago. I remember Reggies was your starting-out venue as an artist. I remember when Rockie Fresh signed to MMG. I was there with him in the morning when it was announced. We were at Classick Studios when we were on Berenice [Ave.].
DJ RTC: I always see 2012 as the year of critical mass for the blog era and the Chicago Hip Hop scene within that era. Years of hard work, trial-and-error, free downloads, erasing the hater-ville mentality, the new digital distribution methods... all finally paid off for a new generation of artists led by the likes of Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Chief Keef, Lil Durk, etc. Chicago Hip Hop was red hot on a national level, and I felt vindication as a DJ, journalist, and just a fan of music and my city. I remember getting laughed out of the NYC offices a year earlier when I told people to look out for artists like Chance and Vic. In 2012, many of those pubs started to champion those artists. As a DJ, I had a residency at Beauty Bar called Digital Freshness. Each month we brought buzzing national artists to Chicago and put them on stage with our own buzzing up-and-comers. Each Digital Freshness was always a blast, and the album that came out of those parties, Closed Sessions Vol. 2, is one of my favorite projects in the Closed Sessions catalog. It was a magical time. Every day brought new music and events, just a great time.
Teefa: 2012 the same year I dropped the So F’n What mixtape with DJ Terry Hunter. I was on some very different shit at the time. I was also working at Power 92 hosting the mixshows on the weekend and Sunday mornings. So when I think about 2012 it feels like the space drill music really broke through. That era was wild as hell in Chi because the streets were hot, it was super dangerous and at the same time, the Chicago music scene was on the brink of a new era. Drill was already huge in the streets of Chicago but it finally broke through on the radio in Chicago. Songs like “I Don’t Like” by Chief Keef was all over the radio and I think about King Louie's joint “Val Venis.” It was crazy at that time. I remember I was on Power 92 hosting mixshows so you know Pharris, Nehpets and all the DJs made sure they always dropped a bomb on those joints. It was also the year of Power’s Anniversary concert at the Chicago Theater and King Louie performed “Val Venis” and sent it up. It was nuts. I remember it feeling like a shift took place in the culture of hip-hop in the city of Chicago.
Lyrical: Being a prominent manager back in 2012 all I can say was we were busy, we were lit and, as a whole, we were united in a way the world had never seen Chicago before. Everyone wanted to be part of the wave. Back in 2012 I had Tink, Durk, worked with Keef with Interscope, DGainz, Azaeproduction, DJ Reese, Chin Chilla Meek at the time, Ashlee Bankz and a host of others. Those were the highs. The lows were really nothing at that time except keeping up with getting the music and visuals out. I remember being super busy like I am now and always being the topic of conversation because I had the biggest team and they were all working like crazy. It was either music, shows, visuals, or interviews. We were working crazy. Good times!
Is there one specific local 2012 concert, listening party, event, moment etc, that sticks out to you the most from this year, and why?
TH: I was damn near at everything that year. I'd just be in the cut, taking everything in. The only show that stands out immediately from that year was Chance's first headlining performance at Metro. One of my favorite Chance shows that I've been to. Chance-mania was soaring at the time and everybody got a glimpse of where he was heading in the game that night. 10 Day was already out, Acid Rap was on the way, and Chano wasn't slowing down. I remember the energy in Metro when he premiered "Favorite Song" that night.
RTC: I’d have to say the week I spent with MTV2. They came to Chicago in May of 2012 to produce a documentary focusing on Chicago Hip Hop for their Sucker Free series. I helped put some pieces of the show together, consulting on who they should talk to, moving around the city, and Tony Shane from CS/rubyhornet filmed for them. We went everywhere, all sides of the city, studios, parks, I even got to go to Chief Keef’s house. It felt great to introduce artists I’d known for years to MTV2, and have a hand in making sure the stories were told right, as opposed to the growing number of outlets with no connection or understanding of Chicago Hip Hop creating a narrative and selling it back to us as fact. The week culminated with one of our craziest Digital Freshness parties ever. It felt like the whole city was there. It was so crazy that we never went back to Beauty Bar and had to find a bigger spot, eventually landing at Schubas for a few editions.
CC: My grand opening for Classick Studios will always be the most memorable to me. We threw a party and had people on the rooftop of our building. My landlord was so upset but that really showed me that we were going to build a bigger impact/platform for Chicago.
L: Adriannas at the time was the club to go to and Dan was the manager at the time. We dropped “L’s Anthem” for Durk and the rest was history. DJ Reese broke it in the club for us. At the time I was managing him as well. A few months later I was introduced to Tink.
What songs(s) or album/mixtapes(s) do you think best represent the 2012 year in Chicago music and why?
TH: There are so many, but I'd have to say Chief Keef's Back From The Dead, King Louie's Showtime, Jeremih's Late Nights, Chance The Rapper's 10 Day, and Sir Michael Rocks' Lap Of Lux. I feel like those five mixtapes not only helped shape what Chicago sounded like in the time after they dropped, but also steered artists outside of the crib to try their best to replicate the sounds, flows, etc. from those projects.
RTC: This is biased but this is the one for me, Closed Sessions Vol. 2, which featured artists of the era like Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, Sir Michael Rocks, Alex Wiley, Vic Mensa, Outasight, Naledge, Rockie Fresh, L.E.P, Nascent, CyHi, etc.
CC: The drill scene was bubbling around 2010-2012 & when Chief Keef's Finally Rich & King Louie's Drilluminati dropped, we really got to witness the drill scene expand beyond Chicago. You couldn't go around Chicago without hearing “Love Sosa,” “I Don't Like,” or “Val Venis” playing at loud volume. It was undeniable at this point.
L: Definitely Winters Diary From Tink –she was also rapping at the time. Durk’s music, Finally Rich, Katie’s Bandz & Hittaz, Sasha Go Hard, and King Louie.
Looking back, do you feel there are any Chicago artists/creatives that deserve more recognition (ahead of their time/influence) for their 2012 work?
TH: The scene as a whole was ahead of their time. There are artists that came and went in that time, but what they were doing in 2012 still hasn't really been done. Like, when's the last time you heard a song that sounded like "Good Luck" by Lil Chuuuch? If I have to pick one person though, it's Chief Keef. What Keef did changed the game forever. No matter how you felt about him then or now, you have to give him that. He kicked down the door and things haven't been the same since. Ten years later, traces of what Keef did is still here today. Keef is Gucci and Wayne to that era.
RTC: I always think of Treated Crew. That’s another thing that was going crazy in 2012, the Treated Crown was a big deal, and being part of the “cult” meant you were respected as a creative, an individual, and also had a crew of people supporting you. I remember going to Mano’s crib weekly, sitting in on sessions in his kitchen, smoking weed, just talking for hours about music, life, whatever. I’ll never forget walking in one day and he handed me that Crown, that was a great moment. Those dudes laid a lot of tracks and brought a lot of eyes to the Chicago scene, influenced a lot of fashion trends, and along with groups like Kidz In The Hall and The Cool Kids, embraced and helped the blogs grow, further building our scene.
CC: Dave Coresh, Dave Coresh, Dave Coresh, Dave Coresh…. & Dave Coresh
L: I personally feel Sasha Go Hard should have been more recognized than she was. She was working and was the first artist in that era to go overseas and perform. Don’t feel like she got the respect she deserved.