REVIVE CYPHER • Episode 1 (Ft. Matt Muse, Free Jay, Leo Mantra, The Law of Huey, Stark of Huey)
Follow the Cornerstore
Directed by REVIVE
Today we’ve got a great new, and unconventional, premiere from the good people at The Cornerstore podcast and Revive visuals. A blazing hot new cypher! The first of many. Featuring flows from Stark and The Law from Huey Gang, Free Jay and Leo Mantra from Freesole Collective, and Matt Muse, this is a visual that captures that boundless musical energy you get when blessed to watch a group of artists get in a room and make magic together. This cypher was shot as promo for Kevin Coval’s book A People’s History of Chicago, as well as for The Cornerstore podcast, which is made up of Kevin and Tara Mahadevan. We’re quite sure that after viewing this you’ll leave more than convinced to check out both properties. The cypher was directed by Alex Myung of Revive.
Continue reading below to learn more about this new series!
What is the "Revive Cypher" - how did this cypher come to be?
Kevin and I curated an all-illustrator show at Gallery Cafe in Wicker Park in October, and the idea was that while the artwork was still up, we would film some videos in the space. We both work closely with young, emerging rappers and wanted to showcase their talents, so a cypher was perfect. I do have to admit that the video was thrown together last minute, but I think the bones of it are what's important, as well as our—and filmmaker Alex Myung's—commitment to continually showcasing Chicago talent.
Big shout out to all the illustrators whose work is featured in the video: Runsy, Churro, Langston Allston, Vivian Le, and Liz Ortiz.
Can you tell us a little about The Cornerstore podcast?
The Cornerstore is a place for us to chop it up with artists who are creating beautiful work, who inspire us, and whom we admire. It addresses the why and how, not the what. Our show wouldn't exist without the OG of podcasting, Combat Jack, whose long-form podcast The Combat Jack Show was such an amazing, laudable deep dive into people—which is The Cornerstore's ambition too. It's a way for us to document what's happening in Chicago and around the world, and further strengthen the moment the city is having. It's a way for us to tell stories about the people who aren't in the foreground or who aren't poppin just yet. A major goal of ours is to travel and interview people in different cities, and to create a stronger bridge between Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and more.
R.I.P. Reggie Ossé
This was Episode 1 - what are your future plans for it?
Everything Kevin and I do is so collaborative in nature, so whenever we work with someone else, we want their opinion, their input. And that's why Alex is so great: he has ideas. He shot the first video that Kevin and I did together, "Ode to Footwork," which is just a beautiful visual. He really helped us produce the cypher video, and helped us envision what a series could look like. The point of the series is to give the musicians a little shine, and to replicate the same intimate, easygoing atmosphere in the first episode, but in different spaces. I also want more womyn/femmes/nonbinary artists in our next video—that was something we were truly missing.
What's your favorite aspect of a cypher?
I'd say the camaraderie—and the raw talent. That's something you can immediately see in this video. Especially Leo Mantra. He's like a lil Twista.
More Recent Releases
Hollyy does what they do best on their brand new single “What A Shame” with animated video to accompany!
Rich Robbins’ new single “Good Goodbyes” perfectly captures this theme as he reflects on the lessons learned from different people in his life.
On Eleeza Silva’s latest record, listeners are instantly taken back to one of the most revolutionary eras of hip-hop.
Hailing from the Northwest side of the city, J.Solaye is an emerging singer with a disarmingly tender voice that can sway anybody into a daydream. These Days premieres the official video for her song "Ocean" off her debut E.P., One.
A month after dropping their sensational collab “Aye There,” Marcus Atom and Rich Jones have unveiled a visual to match the song’s silky smooth energy.
Following this past Spring’s release of his album, Rambe World, Kahrion has released the video for the album’s standout track “Silver Bullets”.
On her second These Days-premiered track, Ness Heads delivers an energetic hip hop heater, “Fall” (produced by Drew Damen and Grammy Szn). Listen now on Spotify.
Listen to “Now She Knows My Name” and check out our quick Q&A with Jameson Brenner about Othersides, their creative approach and what lays ahead.
Malci’s latest album creates a palpable world of its own while calling back to the g-funk synths of days gone by. For all of its soft vibes and smoothness, Papaya! is not a love letter, nor a rap manifesto. It's a snapshot of Malci in the moment.
What better way to usher in the summer love than with a new single from the Windy City’s own.
Lay back and relax to the chillness of Valee with “You & Me Both” co-created by ChaseTheMoney2x and JW Lucas.
Open the 4 chambers of your heart and let love flow through with “God is Love” co-created by Peter CottonTale, Fred Hammond and New Direction.
Taking a step back and acknowledging the bigger picture, the triumph of Pivot Gang’s You Can’t Sit With Us is what makes it even more exceptional. The album feels in service of each other first and foremost which in turn makes it a labor of love.
Supa Bwe and director LONEWOLF join forces in the recent visual release of Supa Bwe’s I Hate You.
Chicago duo Iris Temple unveil their melodic and endearing storytelling on “Pretty Love.”
An extremely beautiful and melodic piece, KAINA just released her newest single “Green” along with visuals to match .
After a two-year hiatus, the eloquent, provocative Chicago product Supa Bwe has given us a “Just Say Thank You, a 7-track EP that serves as a prequel to his long-awaited and highly-anticipated sophomore release.
Dehd, Chicago’s triad of musical joy just dropped a new video for their single “On My Side.” Taking place on a dusty Texas road bandmate Emily Kempf is engulfed in the southern light as she sings in the spirit of Karen O and Chicago DIY realness.
These Days is proud to premiere “Aperture” by Emily Blue. The track continues Blue’s mastery of an ethereal sound that makes perfect ambient pop.