News RoundUp • Lupe Fiasco Beat World's Best Street Fighter Pro, Chance The Rapper Named in Chicago Magazine 'Power 50', Thalia Hall Developer Buys Bridgeport Property

Lupe Fiasco Beat World's Best Street Fighter Pro

Lupe Fiasco beat the 'World's Best Street Fighter Pro' Daigo Umehara in an exhibitition match at the launch event of Street Fighter V in San Francisco. Lupe (as Ken) and Daigo (as Ryu) competed in a best of three-of-five match. Video game website Polygon reports that the "upset" is a strange win, considering Diago is the world's most famous and competitive Street Fighter Player. Watch the 20 minutes of action above (fight begins at 4:59) and decide for yourself. There is a bit of confusion from both players at the end of the match on who actually won. When it's announced Fiasco wins, his emotions clearly catch up with him. Fiasco shows clear respect for his opponent at the end of the match.

The match originally came to fruition after a series of tweets from Lupe saying "It would be an honor to lose to Daigo-San."


Chance The Rapper Named to Chicago Magazine 'Power 50'

Photo by René Marban

Photo by René Marban

Publication Chicago magazine has named Chancellor "Chance The Rapper" Bennett to their 'Power 50' which is an "annual list of the most influential Chicagoans." Politicians Toni Preckwinkle (President, Cook County Board of Commissioners) and Mayor Rahm Emanuel lands at #2. Billionaire businessmen J.B. Pritzker and Ken Griffen round out the Top 5. Other more familiar names are Illinois Govenor Bruce Rauner, Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, director George Lucas, 1871 CEO and venture capitalist Howard Tullman and artist Theaster Gates. Chance The Rapper is the only musician on the list. The 22-year old is also the youngest on the list.

Chicago magazine named Bennett as one of five 'Chicagoans of the Year' in 2015.

This article appears in the March 2016 issue of Chicago Magazine and is available online to read now.


Thalia Hall Developer Buys Bridgeport Property

Image via Google Maps

Image via Google Maps

Blue Star Properties has a new piece of Bridgeport property in their portfolio. The Chicago-based commercial real estate company is behind Pilsen properties like Thalia Hall, Dusek's, Hyde Park bar/venue The Promontory, Logan Square's Longman & Eagle and SPACE in Evanston. The 79-year old building at 1038 W. 35th St. has been vacant since 1995.

Past interest in the building came famed artist brothers DaHuang Zhou and Michael Zhou, who operate the Zhou B. Art Center across the street. A deal was never finalized after the property was OK'd to be purchased by a judge after it's previous owner filed for bankruptcy.

No word on how Blue Star Properties will repurpose the space. Blue Star own several other buildings throughout Chicago that range from micro-breweries and restaurants to retailers and banks.