SEARCH FOR: SPANK

Chicago is one of those places that’s known for a few things. Outsiders look at it as a city built on sports, hot dogs, deep dish pizza, and Italian beef. While this is true to an extent, it’s also so much more than that, but only the locals seem to understand this fact. As a music fan growing up here, the drill scene took over such a prominent part of my life that I feel like it deserves to be included in that aforementioned list of things we’re known for, and although it seemed like there was a moment where this subgenre began to waiver or not be as impactful as it once was, people like the DCG brothers are here to breathe such new, entertaining life into it that there’s no denying its revival is in full force. They just take such a different approach when compared to other legends who came before them, and that’s why new releases like their latest record “Jungle Life” are so essential. Produced by their go-to hitmaker Spank on da Beat, this is actually a cut from their project of the same name, so the No More Heroes-directed music video is here to …

I recently caught wind of Chicago producer SPANKONTHEBEAT after getting further into the libraries of other Chicago talents like the DCG Brothers and CP.  His talent and creativity have garnered him respect and a solid following, especially in the city. As he continues to produce beautiful pieces with talented artists to supplement his skills, his name will become a household one well-beyond Chicago. We’ll jump right into it from here, so allow me to introduce, for those who aren’t already hip, Spvnk Onna Beat. Lyrical Lemonade (LL) : Spvnk, it’s a pleasure to sit down and have a brief introduction to you as a person and an artist. Let’s get this off the table first: do you formally go as SPVNKONTHEBEAT, Spvnk Onna Beat, justspvnk — what do you prefer? Spvnk: I started as justspvnk reason being it cost $0 to just be you, but the ppl coined the phrase “Spvnk onna beat” off the production tag so I stuck with that as a stage name long as you replace the A with a V. LL: Take us through some of your recent work? Spvnk: I’ve been getting more into mixing the traditional 90’s early 2000’s way of producing with …

Characterized by a rapid pace of output, uncontainable energy, a lawless palette of samples to rap on, and the personality of their buzzing section of NYC, the emerging scene of Bronx artists, from B Lovee to Kay Flock, Dougie B, and a host of others, is taking over NYC right now. They’re moving at breakneck speed, and with each passing minute, these artists are becoming more and more inescapable in their home city and beyond. This isn’t just the Bronx and this isn’t just NYC anymore — the scene is making serious waves on a national scale, and B Lovee is one of the names positioned right in the center of it all. Earlier this year, among his rich supply of solo releases and collaborations spread around YouTube, B Lovee released a song called “IYKYK,” turning a Wayne Wonder sample into an instantly memorable track that pushed the Bronx rapper even further into the spotlight around NYC. As the song continued to move and the demand for new B Lovee music only heightened by the day, new music — some officially released and some leaked — rapidly populated the internet. Among the songs leaked was a track called “My Everything,” …

Mobile, Alabama is one of my very favorite regional scenes in the entire country and while they definitely have a distinctive unifying sound over southern-fried acoustic guitar beats, the artists here have shown the capability of much, much more versatility than is to be traditionally expected from a smaller, regional rap outpost like Mobile. As lyricists there are very few other artists who can compete with them, from hilarious punchlines to highly subtle double entendres and ad-libs which explain them, Mobile is carrying the torch forward both in influencing melodic rap, but just rap in general, forever altering the lyrical structures artists may turn to. EyeOfMobile on Instagram is the best source for keeping up with this diverse and talented area, and just recently he put me onto Mobile rapper Spank Lee who crushed his new track “Just Cause” where he walks and skates over the beat from the moment it drops with a menacing and streetwise flow that rolls off his tongue easily. I am eager to hear more music from Spank Lee in the future and am curious to hear what he would sound like on some more traditional Mobile production.

Although they might not be new names to anyone familiar with the Chicago music scene, DCG Shun and DCG Bsavv have been running the music scene for the past few months, and they’re a duo I can’t get enough of. Even though some of their songs might have a similar style, this sound is full of one-liners, aggression, and a hint of playfulness that puts a new spin on drill music, and I’m all here for it. Considering they have yet to actually drop a project, this doesn’t seem to be an issue considering they’ve amassed a notable fanbase that rides with them through it all, and after seeing their unforgettable performance a few weeks ago at the Summer Smash, that was all I needed to solidify these two hitmakers as stars in every sense of the word. Dropping new music is a regular activity for them, and that streak continues with their most recent Spank-produced record “Old Opps”, another straightforward heater that you’re not going to turn off anytime soon. Alongside this track comes a Diamond Visuals-directed music video that is as creative as all their other wild video concepts, and I had no choice but to. Share it …

In the Chicago music landscape, there are so many artists that it can be hard to really make a splash in the scene that others are going to notice, whether it’s in the city or out. That’s why, when an artist starts to make some noise no matter what stage of their career they’re in, I have no choice but to listen up. Not too long ago, I was put onto Chicago’s very own FastMoney Ant, and even though he really only has a handful of songs out at the moment, he is amassing some crazy numbers and even more loyal fans. Considering he hasn’t released a ton of music quite yet, I was beyond excited to check out his latest Spank on the Beat-produced song “Hawk Em” as well as the Diamond Visuals-directed music video. As it begins, we’re introduced to tiptoeing, almost haunting piano keys and impactful synths, but when the beat drops, off-kilter percussion and booming 808s enter into the picture for an unbelievably rowdy foundation. When Ant comes in, he enters with such enthusiasm and passion which I believe might be leveled up by his slightly higher-pitched delivery. While the beat might sound a bit more …

Southeast Washington, DC artist Baby Fifty is back dropping consistently again after a brief hiatus but this hasn’t stopped his fanbase from growing, as his breakout single “Spank His Ass” reached one-million views on YouTube, but Fifty isn’t stopping there and has released several videos in the past month and is starting to gear up to drop prolifically again, just as he did to initially stamp his name into a scene that has historically not shown a lot of support to new artists, especially those coming into the game without a co-sign. My favorite of his recent visuals is “Lankmark” which sonically resembles much of his other music that is powered by a deep and menacing piano melody paired with percussion equal in bravado and simplicity, courtesy of London Beats. Fifty’s unique and carefully metered flow can shine perfectly over these instrumentals and has consequently influenced the entirety of his city and suburbs into starting to rap in the same way, whether the other artists realize it or not. I hope as 2020 rolls on Baby Fifty continues this streak of dropping videos and earns the respect he deserves from his area and continues to be as uncompromisingly experimental as …

To put it plain + simple, there aren’t any new artists out of Chicago who are hotter than DCG Shun + his brother DCG Bsavv. These two have been making some major noise for a minute now, putting out hit records one after another that are usually alongside excellent music videos, and today they are back with their latest visual for “Not A Diss”. The brothers teamed up with No More Heroes who presented this video, and they executed a genius idea where the two brothers did a spin-off of the famous movie Friday, and it’s a 10/10 if you ask me. The song itself finds the brothers trading bars for two minutes straight over some amazing production by their good homie SpankOnTheBeat, it’s an upbeat record where they talk their shit + create an all-around excellent release. Take some time below to get acquainted with some of Chicago’s finest! Directed by Mark Walters

Baby Fifty has been one of my favorite artists for months now and it has been a privilege to watch him grow as an artist since I first came across his goofily titled yet deadly serious track “Spank His Ass” that first introduced me to his distinct DMV lingo, and since then Fifty has never failed to continue working hard at his craft and has released a prolific amount of music in a short amount of time. The eighteen-year-old rapper is no fool, however, and he is acutely aware of his increasing notoriety around DC and the subsequent pressure that is attached to hype. Baby Fifty is in no hurry to sign to a label and to this day will toy with A&Rs entering his DM, showing both severe trust issues and a fiercely independent spirit that is unable to be tamed by a manager or staff. Most recently he unveiled his new visual for “Shoot Like That” and this new Hustle produced single is perhaps the most emotionally charged material we have heard from Baby Fifty yet and he simultaneously meshes very personal details about his mental health situation, in addition to insights to a grimy life of crime …

DC is cranking out new rappers seemingly on a daily basis and for some time now Baby Fifty has consistently proven to be my favorite from this crop. His first visual to begin gaining a great deal of traction was his enthusiastic video for “Spank His Ass” that began to go viral for the absurdity of the title that is a very real slang term in his area and these intricacies of the DC scene are some of the most interesting elements to me. Baby Fifty raps with a calm assuredness that has been honed over time and he has become a face for the youth in his city that is facing some of the highest crime rates in America. His newest visual for his track “Fuck Da Opps” is a concise and triumphant statement from Fifty, asserting himself as the most real and the hardest artist in DC. With every release Baby Fifty is building up more and more momentum and he is showing little sign of slowing down anytime soon.