Midwest hip hop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Midwest hip-hop is a style of hip hop that refers specifically to hip hop music originated within the Midwestern United States.

1 Inception & Expansion
2 List of Midwest rappers
3 External Links

[edit] Inception & Expansion

[edit] Chicago, Milwaukee & Cleveland

Midwestern hip hop's first dose of popularity was associated with fast-paced rap styles, when rappers such as Chicago's Twista, Milwaukee's Rico Love and Cleveland natives Bone Thugs-N-Harmony were first recognized nationally in the mid-90's. Chicago subsequently became one of the principal cities of the Midwestern scene, harboring several locally popular acts, including Do Or Die and Crucial Conflict; the former being a fast-rapping trio associated with Twista, and the latter of which was a group with a decidedly down-home, country sound.

Chicago soon became known for more than fast rapping with the rising popularity of Common Sense, protege of producer No I.D., who put flippant battle raps over a jazzy backdrop. Other rappers in this vein included Vakill, who also gained some notoriety in Chicago. Da Brat, a female Chicago native, also had a hit in this period with Jermaine Dupri's label So So Def.

Milwaukee has emerged to be a crucial force in the hip hop community when rapper Rico Love signed with singers Ushers label and released his single "Settle Down" to the world. It opened up the market for up & comers like Streetz & Young Deuces who already won some awards and made appearances on numerous mixtapes and magazines & Paperchase who is all over the mixtape scene.

[edit] Detroit, St. Louis & Kansas City

Elsewhere, Detroit began developing its own scene with a bevy of acts including Insane Clown Posse and Esham, who put something of a horrorcore twist on hip hop. Slum Village, and later their producer J Dilla with a solo career, each gained some growing recognition outside their local Detroit area, mostly through working with Native Tongues-associated acts such as Common and A Tribe Called Quest. Eminem, a white rapper with a bent towards battle raps, slapstick humor and angst, was one of the first rappers to have a thoroughly visible career, beginning with his signing to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment in 1999.

He brought with him his Detroit-based group D12 and friends Obie Trice and Royce da 5'9", increasing the Detroit scene's popularity. At the same time, St. Louis rapper Nelly hit with a smash single and album, Country Grammar in 2000. Nelly and his St. Lunatics collective went on to a career driven by commercial singles, while Eminem, D12 and Obie Trice formed Shady Records and proceeded into national and international consciousness. But in Detroit they are mainly are into the Gangsta Rap scene. The best known gangsta rappers from Detroit are Blade Icewood, K-Doe, Street Lordz, Esham, Rock Bottom, EastSide Chedda Boyz and Big Herk.

Kansas City, Missouri has burgeoning underground Hip-Hop Scene, with many artists actually declining from signing with any type of record labels. Tech N9ne has gained international noteriety for his eccentric apearance and his pioneering lyrics and hooks. Tech N9ne also started the label Strange Music with friend and rapper Big Krizz Kaliko. N9ne has also worked with the likes of E-40 and Insane Clown Posse. Other notable rappers from the Kansas City area include: Solé, who has since dropped out of the rap game to focus on parentthood with her husband rapper Ginuine. In 2004 Anthony "Fat Tone" Watkins, a Kansas City rapper, was killed in Las Vegas, Nevada. The murder was suposedly in retalliation to the murder of Mac Dre, a Bay Area rapper associated with the Hyphy movement, whom Fat tone was a prime suspect in the case. Mac Minister was taken into custody for the death of Fat tone. Local rappers frequently perform at venues such as the Grenada, El Toreon, and the Beaumont Club.

[edit] Kanye West & G.O.O.D. Music

In 2004, Chicagoan producer/rapper Kanye West broke the scene with his multi platinum debut, College Dropout on Roc-A-Fella Records. He became an industry commodity, reworking and repopularizing Wu-Tang producer RZA's style of speeding up Soul instrumental and vocal samples to fit hip hop beats. The style became known as "chipmunk soul". The same year, West produced two hits for Twista, "Slow Jamz" and "Overnight Celebrity"; these led to the rapper's first platinum release, Kamikaze. In 2005, Common signed with Kanye's GOOD Music, West also being a student of No I.D. This led to Be, Common's second gold album, which some said revitalized his career.

Kanye attempted to push longtime associate Rhymefest, a Chicago battle rapper and ghostwriter; his support helped carve the MC a local niche and some national attention. A guest spot on West's 2006 sophomore album, Late Registration, also solidified the buzz of up-and-coming Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco, whose debut album Food & Liquor was the #1 rap album in the country upon its release.

[edit] Current & Future

Currently, several Midwest acts are verging on national recognition, including Kansas City's rapid-fire MC, Tech N9ne who co-owns Strange Music which is home to other Midwest artists including Kutt Kalhoun, Skatterman & Snug Brim and Big Krizz Kaliko. Minnesota duo Atmosphere and Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek are also notable artists from the Midwest. Rawkus Records, a once-popular label associated with underground acts such as Black Star and Pharoahe Monch, recently reincarnated itself with the signing of several Chicago acts including The Procussions, Streetz & Young Deuces , from Milwaukee, WI, also been doing their thing and getting national and international recognization on the internet and in magazines especially with their award and mixtape appearances. Kidz in the Hall (made up of Knaledge and Double-0) and Panacea. Chicago-based production team The Molemen has also been making waves, with acclaimed reviews at AllHipHop.com and Scratch Magazine upon the release of their rap star-studded album, Killing Fields. The Midwest is considered to be very popular in equal levels with the Dirty South. Unlike the West Coast, East Coast, and Southern genres, Midwest rap seems to have no (if not, very little) interest, or reference of competition with other regions.

While the Midwest recently lost some of its most supported acts, namely Proof of D12 and J Dilla, other artists stand to uphold the area's scene. Royce da 5'9", long eluded by commercial fame, is currently working on an album with DJ Premier and may sign with Nas's The Jones Experience; Lupe Fiasco has announced his next album, anticipated by a (mostly internet-based) cult following. Kanye West and Common have also both announced their next albums on GOOD Music, to be released sometime in '07. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are also releasing their 7th studio album as a trio (Flesh-N-Bone is in jail liable for parole in 2008 and Bizzy Bone left the group, Bizzy is also releasing an album this year titled A Song for You. On April 17, 2007 will Strength and Loyalty, be released of Interscope/Full Surface, with the singles I Tried feat. Akon, and Lil L.O.V.E.. Rumored appearances from one time rival Twista, Mariah Carey, The Game, Akon, and many more plus production from Swizz Beatz , Big Boi of Outkast , Polow da don , Three Six Mafia , Nao da Matrix , Kanye West and many more .