Chico B. Day

Despite being born in Atlanta and raised in the southwest suburbs Kanye West’s home whether by choice or association is in Chicago. After winning two Grammys the bond between Kanye and his adopted city was stronger than ever. Soon after Kanye brought home the Grammy for “Best Rap Song” (Jesus Walks) Mayor Daley announced that February 27th 2005 would officially be “Kanye West day” in Chicago. Kanye West and his fantastical ego decided the best and only charity he could give his city, was to allow it to see him in a free concert, to be held on his day.

Even though, to avoid massive crowds, this once-in-a-life-time show was not publicized, word about this free concern leaked out to thousands throughout the city, including my friend. On February 26th, while browsing through internet blogs, he came across an opportunity that seemed to good to be true. He called to tell me about this “free Kanye concert at the House of Blues,”! Really? The concert was going to be a tribute to Chicago, including other Chicago born rappers Twista, Bump J, and Common. All of our doubts of the concert faded when we saw the scores of people lined up outside the House.

Considering that the House of Blues is general admission and a small capacity of about 600, we tried to show up as early as possible. For us as that was about an hour and a half before the concert began. We got in line with no idea if we came early enough to get in. After a few failed attempts to count up the line in front of us, we had to settle for the insecurity of maybe, hopefully, possibly getting in.

While waiting impatiently in line, our sole entertainment was another, albeit much lesser known, Chicago based rapper. A young Caucasian man, named Chico B, who had just been released on bail, decided what better place to rap than in front of a thousand people who aren’t going anywhere. He announced himself with the usual Hip Hop zeal and confidence, and he started to spit some actually bearable acapella lines. Holding up and shouting out his compilation disc, he was sure that if he could only get in to this concert and hand Kanye his disc, he could take off just like Ye.

Back in reality, my friends and I were getting closer and closer to the door of the concert. After we were 20 or 30 spaces away, I was sure we’d be seeing our icon, but with a radio message and a slight nod, the security guard shut the door of our hopes. To say the least we were exasperated. As angry as we were, the look on the face of Chico B was heart wrenching. Chico wouldn’t allow this opportunity to slip, he and hundreds of other frustrated fanatic fans decided to force their way in. All at once everyone was rushing the door, trying to push the security guards down; to think, all of this to see some famous suburbanite.

As the situation progressed, pushing turned shoving turned tackling. It wasn’t long until the cops came to settle the raging mob. Mace was sprayed and a fan or two was tackled, nothing you wouldn’t expect from a small riot. My friends and I left before the situation grew too out of control, never knowing how live the concert must have been.

Even though I’ll never know about the concert , if “Jesus Walks” was the first or last song played on the schedule, I still look at the experience positively. Maybe seeing Kanye and his short stature (5’6, 5’7) would have ruined his iconic figure for me, but more realistically the only positive I can draw from the experience was that I saw Hip Hop in its truest form.

No, I didn’t see the artists with the notoriety, the radio play, or the fame, but I got a chance to see Hip Hop where it begins. I saw a young pained man, with nothing to lose trying desperately to get his word out there. Chico B might not have the mass appeal or the even the talent, but to see his passion in its earliest stage is worth a trip to 329 Dearborn street with a couple of real good friends any day.

Kanye opted not to hold another concert despite his latest Grammy trophies. Perhaps this more than anything Ye does illustrates that the bigger you get the farther you get from the “heart of the city”.

Word is Bond- Macken

Special Thanks to Obi and Saif “We Raw”

Street Musicians

“Don’t pay them any attention they’re not artists, they’re just trying to get money”. My mother would always recite these cautions when passing a street musician on the CTA or the corner of a busy intersection. As a young child I would accept this message, and would never pay attention to the musical creations and renditions that were happening beside my everyday on my daily commute. Needless to say, payment for these money making mongrels wasn’t in my vocabulary.

One February morning during my regular CTA trip to my elementary school I saw a small and elderly Asian lady sitting on the platform bench adjacent to mine. From a down-trodden, dirty, worn-out black bag, she lifted a two pronged instrument. It was a cello with a small make-shift violin attached to the top. She began to play both of these instruments intermittingly, while regaling, through song, the pain of her childhood. The performance, though well written and well rehearsed, wasn’t the greatest musical creation. None of that mattered because the passion on her face, and the memories alive in her voice were real enough to chill one’s spine and awaken anyone’s compassion. It would be hyperbole to say it changed my life or my actions, but it definitely altered my perception of these courageous entertainers.

After that moment I would look at these street musicians with a greater intent and curiosity. It started with cello-violinist vocalists, and soon my curiosity spread to R&B/Dance groups, to spoken word poetry, to keyboard pianists, to one-mic rap performances, and to many other various assortments of musical talent. I began to realize that the fact that these artists were on streets and train stations did not inhibit their musical artistry but in fact heightened it. To combat the sounds of the city, while trying to deliver your message and perhaps make a small bank is more noble and courageous than most people (including my former self) realize. Disobeying my mothers warning, and anticipating the character of these unsung artists I began to slowly approach some these musicians to ask them their history and how they got interested in their particularly type of performance.

Through their responses and their artwork I started to understand that although some of these artists are simply desperate for a some temporary income, the majority of these individual’s first priority is to express themselves creatively, and pursue their passion; if only between the roars of passing trains. I compensated the lady that day, and to this day I make a small point to help those who are particularly heartfelt in the work. To those whom pour their passions to the half-listening commuters of the Chicago transportation system, you have my appreciation and good wishes.

Macken

Album Review: Common's "Be"

Along with The Roots, Lauryn Hill, and the BlackStar brothers (Talib Kwelli and Mos Def) Common has firmly secured his position as a significant director of the second alternative rap movement. Common has grown a loyal following with his Liberal verses laced with cadenced jazz rifts that draw direct correlation with the trailblazing conscious rappers of Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Common in his latest album is able to accomplish the feat of staying true to his background while branching off into more commercial audiences.

Three years removed from the controversial “Electric Circus” production, Common seems rejuvenated and focused with the state of the art instant classic “Be”. The 2002 released Electric Circus received mixed reviews, with many experimental tracks that didn’t serve the smoothness of Common’s style and consequently seemed to drag on even though the album did have many noteworthy tracks.

Perhaps it was his friendship with the up and coming Kanye West or perhaps it was his breaking off of his connections with Erika Baduu but “Be” was a breath of fresh air for most Common fans. Produced mainly by Kanye West, Common seems to have found his voice and his true message with this heart-felt and consistent album.

A compact and thorough album “Be” maintains its focus with steady 70’s jazz and R&B rhythm’s that serve as a platform for Common’s lines rather than a overshadowing it with gaudy production. “Be” is reminiscent of an “Illmatic” or “Black Star” album because of its short production, one sole guest-appearance and complete lack of fill in tracks. Both Kanye West and Dilla deserve tremendous credit for one of the best produced albums that keeps a common sound without boring its audience.

From the very first track Common seems sincere and focused as he allows one of the great introductory lead-ins in recent memory. The exponentially upbeat track “Be” is a song that the most lyrical Hip Hop fan will find himself repeatedly vibbing-on even though it is a two minute track with only : 45 seconds of verse.

“Be” is the type of Album that has a few stand-out classics and no disappointing tracks. The lead single is “Corners” which was released previous to the album but still neatly fits into the album’s foundation. This track boggles the hip-hop psyche describing all of the Chicago urban temperament with only rhyming one consistent syllable(s) per verse.

Common’s verses throughout the album are tight and imaginative but do not show his true rhyming potential as one of the best lyricist of all time. He keeps most of his lines basic but effective as he describes the many elements of his surroundings. From his ill-gotten love affair’s “took em out to eat but they wasn’t really eaten, might of got a lil head but I wasn’t really cheatin”-Faithful, to his progression as a man and a father “waiting for the lord to rise I look into my daughter eyes, and realize Imma learn through her. The messiah might even return through her.”-Be. Common still flexes his muscles as a great lyricist but does not bog down his meaning with eccentric rhyming schemes.

By far his most commercially successful record “Be” hits with the breadth of Common’s unique approach. This work for Common is a crossover album that delivers him into previously unknown commercially successful territories but also serves as a return to the basics of conscious Hip-Hop.