2K47

Man, what can you really say about Hurt Everybody that we haven't said already?  The three-piece genre-bending hip-hop collective from around Chicago established itself as a force in the summer of 2014 with their debut Hurt Everybody EP and proved the growth and evolution of that calendar's passing with the release of their talented follow-up, 2K47. A year can be a  journey and here we get the same music we loved on their debut, albeit more carefully packaged with smoother angles and more digestible throughout. Whereas their first project was a collection of released singles, this comes with a more understood point of view that is pervasive throughout. 

It seems as though each part of the group has truly grown into their own, able to operate solo or as part of the Voltron that is HE. Tracks like "Stay Awake" with Mick Jenkins and Twista are radio-ready hits that might just be a glimpse into what we'll be hearing in much bigger spaces sometime soon. "Sandstorm" is a beautiful segue that puts Carl front and center on his own before floating back to the group dynamic, which is highlighted on the aptly titled, "2K47" where confidence is key ("Fuck you, I'm amazing").

It's obvious at this time that these three have something special and 2K47 and the visuals and live performances that came along with it created a sense of excitement that is palpable moving into 2016.

-  Jake Krez