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I won’t keep beating the fact that Chicago has the most diverse, talented pool of musicians in the entire world because I know that’s a fact that I have typed time and time again, so you’ve probably clued into this fact by now. Out of everyone here, though, NNAMDï is one of the most underrated, over-talented individuals I can think of, and while his cult following is always cheering him on, I love when he drops something new so I can join in on the fun and talk about something that is always going to be unique and unforgettable. After announcing a new album set to release on October 7th called Please Have a Seat and his signing to a label called Secretly Canadian, he surprised us with an insanely addicting new self-produced record called “I Don’t Wanna Be Famous”, and this is one that I can’t relate to, but I somehow understand at the same time in this strange way. Obviously, I’m not famous, but NNAMDï talks about not wanting all the attention while still wanting the money and listens, and this is something that so many artists probably agree with, but they just don’t talk about it. While …

Look, if I am being completely honest, as I normally am, I hate diss songs and disrespectful records. I understand that they have a place in the music world and have existed pretty much ever since the first hip-hop song was created, but I just feel like music tends to be so much better when you’re making it from the heart and not just rushing to put something out in an attempt to piss someone else off. Even the legendary rap beefs that have ensued over the years haven’t been my favorite, but I get that they’re never going to go away, so I just need to get used to them. I try to never show these songs any attention because that’s just not what we do here at Lyrical, but when I heard Lil Nas X and NBA YoungBoy were getting together on their Take A Daytrip and Cheese-produced track “Late to Da Party”, I knew that this was one I couldn’t miss out on. I mean, it’s not a diss track to another artist, it’s a diss to BET after some questionably homophobic moves were made, and considering this wasn’t a duo that I ever expected to team …

I know I have mentioned this in the past, but the underground music scene is the segment of this industry that really influenced me heavily and crafted my taste in music. Some may look at this as a flaw, but I personally see it as a massive advantage because I now have a completely different outlook on music, even if it is a mainstream success. I honestly aim to give everyone who shaped my taste credit, but there are just way too many people to name, and I do my best to show these emcees my appreciation whenever I get the chance. Some names that come to mind include the late, great 6 Dogs, BBY GOYARD, Lil Xelly, 909Memphis, Larry League, and plenty others, but that is just based on looking at old SoundCloud likes and taking a stroll down memory lane to reminisce on what first brought me into an entirely new world of sonic styles. The list is much more extensive and all-encompassing than just the aforementioned emcees, though, and one person who I would be remised to leave unmentioned is Candypaint, someone who I have been listening to way back when they had a Lil at the …

Lil Durk is a legend in all different meanings of the word, but it doesn’t take me to tell you this statement to understand that it is a known fact. He changed the way the world looked at Chicago as a music hub, and even though he might not have been the first drill artist to receive recognition for his craft, he was definitely one of the founding fathers and he does it better than anyone else, some may say. I mean, he doesn’t need to build up weeks of momentum and anticipation to drop a project, because whatever he puts out is going to top charts and receive critical acclaim, and that is no different when looking at his album 7220. While this was already a lengthy project, he wasted no time putting out the deluxe version which added 14 entirely new records and over a half-hour of new things to listen to, so he basically put out two albums in a matter of months, and I’m sure he still has a lot more left in the tank to finish this year out strong. I was hoping he would be another special guest at this year’s Summer Smash Music …

Preface Yes, this article is super long and tedious, my bad…. Forewarning, if you’ve already read my other recaps for each individual day, skip to the end for a few words of admiration to the LL family, from me! Every year, the Summer Smash seems to get bigger, better, and more insane than ever before, and 2022 is definitely no exception. Unfortunately, I missed the first year or two because of one reason or another, so 2021 was actually my first time experiencing this event live and in person. At the same time, though, I had been to various other concerts hosted by LL dating all the way back to Lil Uzi Vert’s first-ever Chicago performance way back in April of 2016, so I know how we throw down at live events, and I also know just how loyal, supportive, and turnt up our fans get every chance they get. 2022 had some curveballs thrown at the team including a detrimental storm that almost paused the entire festival, but thanks to the consistently hard-working and ride-or-die group of individuals who put this fest together, the show went on without a hitch! I just want to clarify that this article is …

I have been with Lyrical Lemonade for almost 3 years consecutively, so it goes without saying that I have gotten tapped in with plenty of exciting up-and-coming artists throughout that time. Even before, I was keeping my ear to the ground in order to stay tapped in with the underground scene, so I guess I have been closely paying attention since probably 2015 or even earlier. Some talents truly get me excited about where the current trajectory of the industry is headed, but I’d be lying if I said DC the Don wasn’t one of the main artists that I am most thrilled about. Back in February, he dropped his album My Own Worst Enemy, and while I love the title very much, I enjoy the journey that he takes us on even more. Building off of the name, DC rotates through 22 songs that combine RAG3 KIDD and DONNY’s juxtaposing sounds as they seem to battle with one another. These two alter egos are different versions of DC, the first being much calmer and more romantic at times while the second is full of rage and anger, so the way that these two characters are represented and built out …

Slump6s is an artist who I haven’t quite learned too much about at this point in time, but he is certainly someone who has caught my attention and gets me excited for another new emcee who is putting on for the current generation of hip-hop. I first heard him through collaborations with hyperpop emcees like ericdoa and midwxst, but his verses on these records left me wanting to hear so much more, and after reading some of his bio, I am even more in on the Rochester musician. Most talents nowadays seem to just pick up a mic and go, but Slump actually learned how to play the clarinet, trombone, trumpet, and drums in his school’s band, so this background gives him much more of a head start as far as his music knowledge and his masterfulness goes. At the beginning of the weekend, Slump dropped a brand-new EP called B4GEN, so coming off of a memorable performance at last weekend’s Summer Smash, it’s clear that he is on a hot streak unlike anyone else. Luckily, 5 new songs that lasted over 10 minutes long wasn’t enough because he even dropped an Everywhere & Nowhere-directed visual for the project’s closing …

In the wake of Cochise’s 2021 debut Benbow Crescent, few artists have made me eagerly anticipate their upcoming records like him. A year and a handful of singles later – Cochise returns to us this week with THE INSPECTION – a tightly-woven collection of tracks primed to decorate your weekly rotation all summer long. Inspired by Inspector Gadget and Florida’s plugg scene – Cochise’s newest LP shows his signature sound evolving outwards while still sounding as concentrated as ever. Though tracks like “TURN IT UP” and “HALO” may sound like heightened instances of the young artist returning to form, THE INSPECTION is full of tracks that see Cochise trading in his psychedelic energy and adopting a more hard-hitting hip-hop register. Chief Keef and Yung Nudy even appear as guests on “HUNT” and “NICE” respectively, and tracks like “PROFESSOR PROFESSOR” see Cochise holding nothing back as he delivers cleverly-written bars with ah high-octane ferocity. Perfect for old and new fans of Cochise, THE INSPECTION is a record that is nothing if not worth the wait. With more music and visuals likely set for release before the end of the year, there’s never been a better time to be a Cochise fan. Check out Cochise’s …

Preface Every year, the Summer Smash seems to get bigger, better, and more insane than ever before, and 2022 is definitely no exception. Unfortunately, I missed the first year or two because of one reason or another, so 2021 was actually my first time experiencing this event live and in person. At the same time, though, I had been to various other concerts hosted by LL dating all the way back to Lil Uzi Vert’s first-ever Chicago performance way back in April of 2016, so I know how we throw down at live events, and I also know just how loyal, supportive, and turnt up our fans get every chance they get. 2022 had some curveballs thrown at the team including a detrimental storm that almost paused the entire festival, but thanks to the consistently hard-working and ride-or-die group of individuals who put this fest together, the show went on without a hitch! I just want to clarify that this article is solely based on my own experience and not from the point of view of anybody else. I know this isn’t the typical article I may normally write, but I figured it would be a good stroll down memory …

Let’s be honest, Drill music is the new sound of New York. Drill originated from Chicago with artists like Chief Keef, Lil Durk, G Herbo, Fredo Santana, and many more. Drill music is greatly influenced by trap music, which emerged in Atlanta, Georgia. Production, flow, and lyrics are key characteristics of drill music. Nxrre from Brooklyn, NY is widely known for creating drill beats for NY artists like B-Lovee, Bizzy Banks, 26AR, Ciggy Blacc, Ronsuno, and many more. What started as a hobby in 2018 turned into a full-blown career in 2019. Nxrre began reaching out to managers and artists until he had the opportunity to work with Smoove’L, Stunna Gambino and Justin Rarri. Staying true to his culture, The rising producer always tries to give his beats a Spanish/Reggaeton type of Bounce. This allows Nxrre to stand out amongst other producers. Even though Nxrre is very known for drill, his catalog is versatile with anything from RnB, reggaeton, trap, melodic, and house music.  “I have a lot on the way I’m not going to lie, but me and JabariontheBeat have a highly anticipated song on the way with Stunna Gambino and NoCap. Me and ShoBeatz have a lot together as …