Photos by Mike Sager, Julien Carr & Dan P @ South Facing Windows for These Days Artists to Watch 2020 Photoshoot

In an industry where the race for originality is becoming increasingly competitive and oversaturation may just be inevitable, Chicago artists blackrobeBLACKROBES and Dew of LOWERLIPDRIP continue to transcend the rest. With only five two-track EPs under their belt, LOWERLIPDRIP stays captivating their audience with bold, unconventional arrangements and perceptive lyricism. Though not one project sounds the same, LOWERLIPDRIP recites consistent themes throughout their music making their message clear that they will not tolerate matters such as racial injustice and gender conformity.

When it comes to their earliest memories of music, both artists credit their families for giving them their first introduction to a variety of genres. “My moms always played R&B and stuff for me when I was younger, but my pops was one to have all genres of music for me to listen to on CDs when I was really young,” blackrobeBLACKROBES explains. Likewise, Dew’s parents played a significant role in forming their music interests until their family got a laptop which opened up a whole new world of music for them. “When my fam got a laptop it was game over, I chased that happiness and fell into a rabbit hole,” Dew explains.

In a city known for its vibrant and social atmosphere, it comes as no surprise that the two stumbled upon each other at shows happening in the Chicago underground music scene. The two bonded over similar music interests and eventually linked up to form what is now LOWERLIPDRIP, a name that was already established by Dew prior to them making music together.

The duo’s music process is ever evolving, but usually begins with brainstorming concepts around tracks produced by blackrobeBLACKROBES. “I usually produce the tracks and present them to Dew as ideas then from then on we figure out how we want them arranged, what we wanna say on the songs, and where we want to take the ideas to fully execute them. Process is never easy, that’s the fun of it. Cause we are always finding new ways to approach songs as we grow,” explains blackrobeBLACKROBES. Both blackrobeBLACKROBES and Dew understand that the challenges that come with their music process eventually become a part of their growth and development as artists. “I find that we are always going thru our own growing pains as individuals and also as artists, so sometimes it’s like weeks of not being able to get too much done, but then other days of weeks worth of material. It’s always something new!!,” explains Dew.

LOWERLIPDRIP’s discography thus far has consistently challenged the norms of genre. From the forceful and dynamic production found on their EP I Put My Whole Life on the Internet to the more mellow and melodic tunes on their most recent project,V, it's clear that LOWERLIPDRIP doesn’t box themselves into a single category. “Genre is fucking stupid. Since we listen to so much stuff, we are just trying to make our favorite thing ever at the time. And the fact that we have the knowledge of so many different forms of music, in the end, has us creating the LOWERLIPDRIP sound from that,” explains blackrobeBLACKROBES. LOWERLIPDRIP questions these boundaries and recognizes that the categorization of music can lead to the alienation of certain artists. “I don’t think categorizing music is so terribly evil as a concept. However, it is always creating a division and I can’t rock with that. They wouldn’t play Michael Jackson on MTV??? Like what??? LOWERLIPDRIP is about breaking down every preconceived notion we have and starting a new. That’s just what we do, as a people,” explains Dew.

Racial injustice is a prominent matter addressed throughout LOWERLIPDRIP’s music. The duo emphasizes the gravity of racism within our current landscape through sharing their own personal experiences with discrimination with their listeners. LOWERLIPDRIP’s rejection of class and racial inequality is especially highlighted in their song, “FERERFAREFAIRFERERFAREFAIR,” in which their message can be outlined from the bridge: “Everything is fair until it’s not.” The two artists both utilize music as an influential tool in order to amplify their own voices and perspectives. “It’s the only way I can. It’s a talent we have been blessed with, so we will use that to our advantage,” explains blackrobeBLACKROBES. LOWERLIPDRIP strives to make music that kids and the next generations to come can relate to. Through their music, the duo works to promote being yourself regardless of what others may think. “I know kids personally who feel the same way I do. Being Latinx is to be ambiguous and it can be very alienating. Hip hop and music has given me a space to express those emotions. I just want to show kids like me that it’s okay to just exist and be, because growing up I didn’t have that,” explains Dew.

Past motifs found within LOWERLIPDRIP’s music have ranged from imagery of home to technology. The inclusion of these elements help contribute to producing the cohesive messages that surround their projects. On their EP V, LOWERLIPDRIP instantly captures their audience with catchy hooks and innovative song structures. Despite being a duo, blackrobeBLACKROBES and Dew’s individual personalities are easily distinguishable throughout this project whether it be from their individual flows or their pop culture references ranging from anime characters to Spider-man. The duo continues to push their mantra of being yourself on this project while simultaneously commenting on human nature. “To me, it’s about vanity and the duality of humans. We are so incredibly vain, and bad lol. But we can also be the most ego less, selfless people ever. Both of those ways of living can be extremely harmful, so it’s just asking the listener to be more conscious of their living, and just find a balance,” explains Dew.

Along with V, the pair dropped a music video for their song “Flawless,” the first track off the EP. The idea of the duality of humans that Dew describes is quite apparent in the video between the quick cuts from scenes featuring the two in a dark, industrial room covered in eerie plastic wrap to the duo running around in a dreamy field. “The idea I came up with was from a movie called ‘The Color of Pomegranates.’ It tackles different ideologies regarding religion, mankind, self presentation, and long term affects of mental disorders. Also the video was just cool and something we’ve never done before,” explains blackrobeBLACKROBES.

Whether you like it or not, LOWERLIPDRIP is here to make a cultural impact. The duo speaks for the youth regardless of one’s race, gender, or sexual orientation. From rebuking white supremacy to criticizing gender norms, it’s hard to avoid absorbing their powerful words. Alongside lyrical content, their ability to remain unpredictable in sound is what gives them an advantage among others and what keeps us continually engaged in whatever is next to expect from LOWERLIPDRIP.