So I was driving around Chicago with the fiancee today, and I saw a billboard that put the nail in WGCI's coffin in my opinion. For those not familiar, WGCI is Chicago's "top" urban radio station and that's not saying a lot. The billboard in question is a WGCI ad that has pictures of Young Money (Wayne, Drake, Nicki, Tyga, Gudda, Mack Maine), and underneath it says, "We Are Hip-Hop." Now this may not seem to be a big deal, but WGCI is notorious for not playing Chicago based hip-hop artists on the radio. NY doesn't have this problem. Nor does LA or Atlanta or Houston. For some reason Chicago radio doesn't respect home grown artists. I mean, I've heard the Cool Kids once on the radio, meanwhile they're in NY doing concerts! What?!
Look, I know traditionally Chicago hasn't been a hip-hop powerhouse. We have been well represented in R&B, Jazz, Blues, Gospel, and Rock. Hip-hop is an afterthought. But let's look at the state of hip-hop in Chicago over the past 6 years:
2004: Kanye West - College Dropout
2005: Kanye West - Late Registration
Common - Be
2006: Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
2007: Kanye West - Graduation
Common - Finding Forever
Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's the Cool
2008: Kanye West - 808's & Heartbreak
Common - Universal Mind Control
Kidz in the Hall - The In Crowd
2009: The Cool Kids - Gone Fishing
2010: Kidz in the Hall - Land of Make Believe
Yes, I know. Quite Impressive.
Not to mention the 90's gave us Da Brat, Twista, Crucial Conflict, and Do or Die. Currently, Rhymefest, Vakill, GLC, and the Molemen are holding down the underground, and Kid Sister is on the rise.
AAANNND, we can't forget the tracks No I.D and Kanye have given to other artists.
I don't know what it's going to take for Chicago stations to play these artists instead of so much of the mindless drivel that is presented to us as hip-hop. I think we as consumers need to stand up to these stations and demand our homegrown lyricists!
Do you.
