MIXTAPE: SAVO- "FLIP THE TRAP"

Traxster Inc. affiliate Savo drops off a brand new 10-song mixtape titled Flip The Trap.

MUSIC NEWS: LUPE FIASCO'S FULL OPEN LETTER TO MEEK MILL & DRAKE

To rappers from a rapper…simply write your own rhymes as much as you can if you are able. Ghostwriting, or borrowing lines, or taking suggestions from the room has always been in rap and will always be in rap. It is nothing to go crazy over or be offended about unless you are someone who postures him or herself on the importance of authenticity and tries to portray that quality to your fans or the public at large. Then we might have a problem. Some of the most pivotal moments in rap have been ghostwritten verses. This leads to a bigger point. Rapping is not an easy thing to do. It’s takes years of work and trial and error to master some of its finer points. Respect from other MC’s comes in many formats. Sales, live performances, realness etc but the one thing that is the most important is the raps themselves at least in the eyes of other serious rappers. The phrase “I’m not a rapper” gets thrown around as if it’s a badge of honor. And that’s fine. If rap is a side hustle for you or just a come up then by all means may the force be with you. But I know a lot of MC’s where rap is the first love and the first thing they think about when they wake up and the last thing they think about when they go to sleep. Rappers who pursue the art form with this level of intention may not become rich and famous off selling their raps to a wide audience but that has never been an accepted metric to begin with in terms of quality or level of skill. The vast majority of rappers will never sell 100 records in their lifetimes let alone millions. But that’s not the point, the point is that what pursuing the craft gives us in terms of the intangibles is something that record sales or fame could never represent. We achieve a mastery of language and poetics that competes on the highest levels of discourse across the entirety of human history. We express ourselves creatively and attain a sense of liberation and self-esteem via this sacred mode of creation and communication

Modern Radio and the commercial realm of music has injured rap. It set up ambiguous rules and systems for success that don’t take into consideration the quality and skill of the rappers craft. It redefined rap as just being a beat driven hook with some words in between and an entire generation has surrendered to chasing the format instead of chasing the art form. While mastering any format should be the pursuit of any self-respecting rapper including the commercial format it must be kept clear that it is just one of many formats and that you should strive to master all of them. The art form is kept alive and progressive in the activities of the tens of thousands of rappers around the world who are everyday trying to think of that next witty bar. Trying to put that crazy verse together while at work. Trying to find that word that rhymes with catapult so they can finish off that vivid story rap about their childhood. Meek Mill struck a nerve accusing Drake of having a ghostwriter and the entire rap world reacted on all sides of the fence because rap is alive. It’s active and it feels. Its rules and traditions are vibrant and responsive. I enjoy both these brothers music and find inspiration and appreciation from both of them. I remember being in Toronto at Goodfoot years ago and it was a stack of CD’s on the counter and the guy behind the counter was like “Lupe you gotta take this CD. It’s my mans mixtape.” I didn’t really pay it any mind I took it to the car and looked it over and just kind of set it aside focused on other things. I vividly remember saying “what kind of rap name is Drake?” The rest is history. Once while in Philly I went to do an interview in a shabby and very hood basement studio complex. I peeked into one of the rooms and it was this tall kid with his shirt off bouncing up and down in the booth with an energy that was electric. I gave him my regards. He gave them back. I think I mentioned something about him cutting his dreads. As I left I remember him rapping something about being a boss. The rest is history. At the end of the day, for better or worse, rap is alive even if some of its greatest moments are written by ghosts.

SPORTS: BLACKHAWKS SELLING HOME ICE

The Blackhawks are selling their home ice. No price has been announced.

The Blackhawks took to Twitter to ask fans what their "goal" for the championship ice is. You can tell the team what you'd do with the ice by tweeting with the hashtag #MyIceGoal.

(link below)

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150724/near-west-side/blackhawks-selling-home-ice-heres-what-chicagoans-say-theyd-do-with-it

MUSIC NEWS: CHIEF KEEF TO TO HAVE SECRET LOCATION BENEFIT SHOW

Keef had previously planned to throw a benefit concert for Harris’ family, but as the New York Daily News reports, that won’t be happening. With Keef realizing he’s unable to return to his hometown due to outstanding warrants for unpaid child support, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel has now banned a plan concert that would see the rapper performing live via hologram.

Despite the Redmoon Theater pulling its support Keef’s camp says the show will go on. An Instagram video teases the concert, which will take place at a secret, yet-to-be-announced location, and urges those listening to “stop the violence.”

(link below)

http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2015/07/chief-keefs-hologram-banned-chicago-will-play-secret-location/

MUSIC: HEARTY2RAW- "WHOLE LOTTA" (PREVIEW)

Dope indie artist Hearty2Raw sends over just enough of a preview of his new record "Whole Lotta" to build anticipation for the full release.

Follow everything @Hearty2Raw

MIXTAPE: SONNY- "V ONE"

Sonny offers up a new project 12 tracks deep solely produced by Jacob Rohde entitled "Volume One".

NEWS: GBE MEMBER CAPO SHOT & KILLED

Capo, rapper out of Chief Keef's Glo Gang, was shot and killed around 1:40PM today in his hometown of Chicago's South Shore, Fake Shore Drive reportsvia Chicago Tribune.

A 1 year old boy was struck and killed by the shooter's vehicle in the escape. Two suspects are in custody.

NEWS: TASTE OF CHICAGO KICKS OFF

Taste of Chicago – the world's largest food festival – is July 8-12, 2015 in Grant Park. Admission is FREE.

SPORTS: JIMMY BUTLER DEAL OFFICIAL WITH BULLS

“Chicago is where I wanted to be. I love playing here. I love the city." - Jimmy Butler

The noise about Butler possibly opting for a shorter-term deal was real. The Bulls squashed that option by presenting Butler with a five-year max offer. With the NBA announcing a salary cap of a record $70 million, Butler's max deal starts at $16.4 million and comes to $95.3 million over five years.

VIDEO: TY MONEY- "HALF"

Ty Money - Half [filmed by TevDesh Productions]

From the popular mixtape released a few months back Cinco De Money

VIDEO: MICK JENKINS- "P'S & Q'S

Mick Jenkins — the Chicago artist we recently named one of the 25 Best Rappers Under 25 drops off a hot visual for the acclaimed record P's & Q's.

MUSIC: PRIVAZY- "AWARENESS"

Indie artist Privazy Is back to put listeners up on game with this one. Take a deeep breathe and listen as he puts witty rhymes together to express his frustrations of society on the "60" produced track.

Twitter: @privazymusic

MUSIC: C-ZAR- "I LIVE IT"

BANGER ALERT: “I Live It”, is the official first single from Get Money Clan rapper, C-zar, which will appear on his debut EP, “Before The Glory”. The single is now available for exclusive download on Reverbnation. The solo effort was produced by popular Chicago producer and native, DJ Bari, and mixed and mastered by DJ Phinisey of Remedy Recording in Seattle, WA.

www.getmoneyclan.com

IG/Twitter: @Czar_of_gmclan

SPORTS: BULLS GET A STEAL IN THIS YEARS NBA DRAFT

Arkansas big man Bobby Portis is heading to the Chicago Bulls with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after a breakout sophomore year with the Razorbacks. Portis is the first player from Arkansas to be drafted in the first round since Ronnie Brewer in 2007.

Portis averaged 18 points on 54 percent shooting and nine rebounds as a sophomore, and Arkansas finished second in the SEC behind Kentucky with a 26-8 record. The team lost in the SEC title game to the Wildcats, but Portis was named the SEC's Player of the Year over Kentucky's constellation of stars, and his Hogs still earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, then beat Wofford in their opening game. North Carolina knocked out the Razorbacks in the third round, but it was still an impressive year for Portis and the team.

(link below)

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/6/25/8695773/bobby-portis-2015-nba-draft-results-toronto-raptors