Each week the These Days staff comes across great music from Chicago artists that we could not provide individual features for. In an effort to keep our readers up to date with more of our recent favorites, the Round Up segment provides quick summaries and additional noteworthy content. Check out our latest picks below and feel free to submit a comment if you feel we missed something.

Kay Karma • "Bussin"

Kay Karma is back, and this time she’s rapping over a Snapbackondatrack beat in her newest song “Bussin.” Known primarily for her remixes and freestyles, Kay cuts through any beat with her piercing verses. She’s a strong vocalist, catching your attention both when she raps and when she sings. Don’t snooze on Kay Karma and listen to “Bussin” below.

Lucki • "New To Me"

With a massive body of work already under his belt, Lucki, formerly known as Lucki Eck$, continues to consistently release singles off of his upcoming, and long awaited mixtape “Watch My Back.” This song, called “New To Me,” features a jazzy beat produced by Lil Voe, a frequent collaborator of the Chicago hip-hop artist. Lucki raps fluidly over the beat in his smooth voice, coming across as practically effortless. As he raps, “I’m high and focused,” we are truly made to believe that this is Lucki’s mantra. 

Monster Mike • "WYW" & "Y"

Monster Mike is one Chicago rapper who never shies away from collaborating with other artists; his dedication to fellow hip-hop artists is apparent in the many features he’s done with other Chicago artists. Most recently he released two new tracks in collaboration with his go-to team of fellow rappers and producers. Both tracks, titled “Y” and “WYM,” feature verses from Lowkey Kendel, and production by Stretch, Sylan, and Linus. Together, these guys are able to create a varied body of work, ranging from the more ambient “WYM” to the trap banger “Y;” check out both songs below.

Phoelix • "Romans 7:21"

After gaining fame for his work alongside many well-known names in hip-hop including Saba and Noname, multi-talented producer and lyricist Phoelix has gone back to creating solo jams with his track “Romans 7:21.” Addressing the diversion of good and evil, Phoelix’s verse ranges from smooth-flowing to choppy in the span of this four minute song. He even pulls a verse out of the bible to title and guide the new release; “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.”

Trapo • "Mayan"

At only 18 years old, Madison Wisconsin native hip-hop artist Trapo is one of the most consistent rappers in the local music scene. He has already developed and embraced his own sound as an artist, and, as we can hear from the verses in “Mayan,” he’s proud of it. Trapo’s strong but raspy voice never waivers as he raps over a tight, bass-heavy beat; listen to the song below and see for yourself.