King Louie tops the list with "Val Venis"

Chicago-based hip hop site Fake Shore Drive have listed their picks for the 100 best Chicago rap songs of 2012. King Louie tops the list with his track "Val Venis," and Lil Durk, Chief Keef, Lil Reese, Chance the Rapper, Giftz, Kanye West, and L.E.P. Bogus Boys are all in the top 10.

There are a few very interesting things about this top 10. Young Chop produced four of the 10 tracks, two of which are Chief Keef's "I Don't Like" and "Love Sosa." Lil Reese is featured on Keef's "I Don't Like" and also makes the list with his own "Us," which was produced by none other than Young Chop. Tree co-produced Chance the Rapper's "Hey Ma," and handled full production and was featured on Giftz' "Nino. Lil Durk is featured on King Louie's "Want It All," which is the fourth track on the list that Young Chop produced, and also made the cut with his own "L's Anthem." (It's a lot to take in at once, huh?)

Check out Fake Shore Drive's entire 100-song list HERE.

As mentioned on BrooklynVegan, rapper/producer Hit-Boy (aka Chauncey Hollis), who's behind Kanye & Jay-Z's "Niggas In Paris," and "Clique," and released his own mixtape earlier this year, has just announced a tour in support of that mixtape. The tour hits Chicago on November 4 at Reggie's. Tickets for that show are not on sale yet but check Ticketfly for updates.

A list of all tour dates, some song streams, and more at BrooklynVegan.

Bruce Springsteen @ the Izod Center in NJ (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

today in Chicago
* 2Chainz, Cap 1 @ Metro
* Chris Mills, Cloudbirds @ Hideout
* Bellini, IfIHadAHiFi, Fake Limbs @ Quenchers
* Kiss, Motley Crue @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
* Ghostface Killah, Saigon, Sheek Louch, Aerias @ Double Door
* Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band @ Wrigley Field (Night 1)
* Of Wolves, Arbogast, Golden Torso, Wizardcastle @ Ultra Lounge

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band play their first of two shows tonight at Wrigley Field. Bellini play their first of two shows at Quenchers.

Wu-Block make their Chicago debut at the Double Door.

Dirty Projectors released a new short film called Hi Custodian. You can watch it below.

Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Big Sean have a new song called "Clique." Listen below.

Follow @bvChicago on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday?"

Kanye West, Pusha T, Jadakiss, and Big Sean have remixed young and up-and-coming Chicago rapper Chief Keef's track "I Don't Like." Take a listen over at Fake Shore Drive. Chief Keef's original in video form below...

Continue reading "listen: Kanye, Pusha T, Jadakiss & Big Sean's Chief Keef remix"

Syl Johnson @ the Bell House in June (BKLYN) (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

TMZ reports that Chicago soul singer Syl Johnson, who sued Kanye West and Jay-Z in 2011 over the improper use of his song "Different Strokes" in the Watch the Throne track "The Joy," has now reached an out-of-court settlement with the pair of rappers. Additional details have not been made available to the public.

In related news, Jay-Z plays Austin City Limits as part of SXSW TONIGHT.

Syl Johnson's "Different Strokes" and Kanye West/Jay-Z's "The Joy," below..

Continue reading "Kanye West & Jay-Z settle out of court w/ Syl Johnson"

Estelle @ MoMA Party in the Garden in 2009 (NYC) (more by Ryan Muir)

As seen on BrooklynVegan, Kanye West went "H.A.M" on twitter last night, according to Questlove. He spoke about the government, the credentials of his resumé, education, and much much more.

In not-related, but loosely-related news, Estelle (who Kanye did "American Boy" with) is set to play the Double Door on February 3rd. Tickets are on sale now.

"Chicago's prodigal son returned home this week for the Watch The Throne tour stop. And [on 12/1], Kanye West brought his homie Jay-Z along for a neighborhood visit, likely to family and friends.

A hometown hero can't go back to the Chi without seeing his people. Mr. West surprised residents around the 77th St./South Shore area just ahead of the second and final WTT show at the United Center.

Once folks found out he and Jay-Z were outside on a neighbor's lawn, the whole neighborhood mobbed them with cameras." [The YBF]

Continue reading "Kanye West brought Jay-Z to the old neigborhood (while in town to play the United Center)"

Kanye West & Jay-Z @ United Center on 12/01/2011 (photo by Andrew Morgan)

Kanye West & Jay-Z aka The Throne played their second of two Chicago shows on Thursday night (12/1), at the United Center.

The Tribune's Greg Kot attended the Wednesday night (11/30), show..

With Kanye West at his side, Jay-Z removed his cap about halfway through Wednesday's bursting-with-hits "Watch the Throne" concert, the first of two at the jam-packed United Center.

Like just about everything Jay-Z does, it was a small gesture that spoke volumes. The MC glides with stealthy grace, and spent the first hour of the show with his head bowed, his movements minimal. Like a gangster or poker player who doesn't want anyone to read his next move, his eyes were constantly shaded by a dark Yankees baseball cap. His power was in his voice, an instrument that betrayed no outsized emotion, made pronouncements in a cold-blooded monotone, chose words with surgical exactitude.

Both setlists, and some videos are below..

Continue reading "Kanye West & Jay-Z played two nights @ UC (video, setlist)"

Kanye West @ Way Out West Festival in Sweden

First, Kanye West & Jay-Z announced a tour. Then it was partially re-routed, which knocked down the two Chicago dates to one. Now the entire tour has been set right and we've got our two dates back. Whew, that was a lot.

The duo will play the United Center on November 30th & December 1st. Tickets for the second of the two shows are still available, and we'll keep you posted when the other is going on sale.

All updated dates are below.

Continue reading "Kanye West & Jay-Z expand tour (2 nights once again @ UC)"

Watch The Throne LP Cover

Watch The Throne aka Jay-Z and Kanye West will be releasing their collaborative LP on August 8th.

Tickets for their October 6th & 7th performances at the United Center go on pre-sale tomorrow, at 10AM CST. Password: WTT.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday (8/8), at 10AM CST.

UPDATE: The entire tour has been rerouted. Now they'll only play one show at the United Center on December 1st. All ticketing info remains the same.

All dates, and more information on Watch The Throne can be found at BrooklynVegan.