Various Artists – Asylum Records & MTV2 Present My Block: Chicago
Asylum Records (released 10/3/06)
Rap/Hip-hop
You know what? I was really excited to hear this album.
Having been in L.A. for the last couple years, I’ve really come to realize that there are quite a few things you can grow to miss about living in Chicago. Sure the weather sucks, its hyper-segregated, and sometimes it doesn’t have an identity at all. But I’ll be damned if I don’t miss being there a lot of the time.
I get particularly homesick when I hear about rappers from the Chi blowing up on the national scene. Things have always been tough on rappers in the Midwest, but I think its fair to say that Chicago gets it the worst. Detroit, St. Louis, and even Cleveland have had full-blown moments in the sun. Chicago has had occasional successes but considering its size and talent pool, one would have expected that the scene would have long ago opened itself up for worldwide inspection.
One day, Chicago’s going to have a NY/LA day in the limelight, but what becomes very evident in a few listens of MTV2’s My Block: Chicago is that this day is far from now.
I mentioned that at one point I was excited about this thing. Once I actually read the tracklisting, I was able to see this for what it is…
…an excuse to sell a few units off of Kanye’s rap children.
I’m tempted to state that there was no research put into this whatsoever. If it weren’t for the inclusion of DTP’s Shawnna and this Gemini person, this entire offering could have been titled Touched by Kanye. Out of fifteen tracks, nine feature ‘Ye-approved artists like GLC, Lupe, and Twista. That is not to say that these aren’t some of the best that Chicago has to offer, but for a compilation called “My Block“, very little effort is put into ensuring that this disc represents the scene in any more than a “best rappers to make it out of the city” sense.
The compilers also fail at producing a project that makes any sense out of the polar extremes that it presents. There are many artists in Chicago that could have been placed between a sensitive, conscious Common tune and sign-stacking, hood-worthy Speedknot Mobstaz joint. The absence of a bridge between the two leaves a disjointed vibe for the casual listener. Most will choose between the extremes and no pay any attention to the other half of the album. Some selections from rappers like Psalm One or Kids in the Hall may have filled the gaps nicely, and the fact that both of these acts have highly acclaimed national releases available is a further testament to the lack of time taken to choose songs.
Don’t let my rant deter from checking out Shawnna’s joint on the disc. “In Tha Chi” was a good look for her here. Instead of the crunk shit that she’s being marketed with now, she presents a song here that genuinely and proudly captures some if what it means to live in my hometown and I appreciate her for it…
…and I admit through gritted teeth that Lupe’s “I Gotcha” is pretty fly too.
I promise not to hate so much in 2007.
OpenMikeEagle
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