We over here at The Smoking Section consider ourselves major along with everyone else we associate with. Our friends DJ RTC and Virgil Solis over at Ruby Hornet recently got pinged by Bing to discuss the principles of friendship and how they continue to boost their brand. Read the rest of this entry »

Good musicians embody their environment and convey their entire life experience through their music. After one listen of YP’s No Sleep, you’ll know he’s 100% Chicago from his slang all the way to bone-chilling production he wishes to serve as the template for his 24/7 grind. Bleeding 773 with his every act of microphone malice, the young Bull links up with not one but two Chi-Town powerhouses in RubyHornet and DJBooth and uses his spotlight to deliver a project stuffed with realism while others would squander their new audiences’ attention with surreal fluff. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s safe to assume that by now we all know sleep is the cousin of death. But for anyone needing a refresher course, let YP’s “No Sleep Intro” serve as your reminder. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s fascinating to follow the trajectory of some of those old soul or jazz joints that were hot when our parents were our age, and trace them through time to see how various artists flip, alter, and incorporate them into music that is relevant today. Take for example, “Bumpy’s Lament” by Isaac Hayes. It was first covered by Soul Mann & His Brothers, then famously sampled on “Xxplosive” from 2001, and later on Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady”. Now Million $ Mano has flipped it once more for The BFK’s latest assault on Hip-Hop. Read the rest of this entry »

With the ridiculous amount of music we’re flooded with on a monthly, weekly and even daily basis, it’s easy to take for granted all the work that goes into producing just one song (yeah, TRA & El Prez what you guys mentioned a while back finally sunk in). If you ever get the chance to get into a studio with any musician who’s more than halfway serious about their craft, take the opportunity. It will give you a new perspective on things. For those who’ll never have the opportunity to witness it in person, Ruby Hornet & LRG’s Closed Session series is a brief glimpse into this process. Read the rest of this entry »

In a weekend that saw 18,000 ecstatic concert-goers swamped in hives to enjoy Pitchfork’s annual music festival, the sweltering avenue of W. Chicago found another reason to be excited about an live event. Yelawolf, the Alabama smooth talker who commanded the rookie spotlight with his immaculate mixtape Trunk Muzik earlier this year, had finally made his way to the Windy City. Read the rest of this entry »

Mic Terror never ceases to amaze. Although the press release says this one “throws a nod to Peabo Bryson, Teddy Pendergrass and Morris Day” might be a stretch but you better believe Can I Borrow A Feeling? hearkens back to a different time in our music. Simply put, it’s fun. He raps, he harmonizes…and he gets delightfully raunchy on this tape full of quirky odes to the ladies. As trite as that potentially sounds, the kid with the Gumby pulls together a collection of songs that hit Venus from all angles. Shaking your winter love in search of summer bunnies? This is your soundtrack and one that will provide ample entertainment and laughs along the way. Sample “Your Favorite Song” below, stream the full tape before downloading and make your own decision. Read the rest of this entry »

Mixed by DJ RTC, today brings us Rhymefest’s Dangerous: 5-18 mixtape, which serves as a prelude to El Che. A mix of scrapped album tracks and a few other notables, this should be a good addition to the archives. Read the rest of this entry »

The artists assembled and music created here should sufficiently speak for this project. But in case there’s a need for a formal introduction, read below.

The Closed Sessions EP Vol. 1 contains 14 tracks, and 9 original songs, all created at SoundScape Recordings in Chicago, IL. The songs were created under a simple idea, take talented artists, put them in a studio with other talented artists and producers, give them access to high quality production, and just get out of their way as they do what they do: create great music. Read the rest of this entry »

From la inbox…

“Last week we released “Happiness Before Riches” a new Closed Sessions joint featuring Bun B, GLC, and BJ The Chicago Kid. This new video tells the story behind the song, documenting the scene at SoundScape Studios including how Bun B was brought into the fold, the Weathermen’s clutch production, and the making of a great song that almost wasn’t. Watch the video.”

Download — Bun B, GLC & BJ The Chicago Kid – “Happiness Over Riches”

[RH]

Before technology caused dramatic change, artists and producers would all hunker down in dark studios, bouncing ideas off each other to craft music. It’s in that spirit that Ruby Hornet’s DJ RTC and co. gathered artists across the map to do short, on-the-spot recording sessions they’ve chosen to compile and release called Closed Sessions Vol. 1. With “Happiness Over Riches,” Bun and GL take production by The Weathermen and an obvious chemistry to lay down their version of lyrical scripture. Read the rest of this entry »

A Dozen Things About DJ RTC from Ruby Hornet on Vimeo.

The good folks over at Ruby Hornet, Chicago’s Hip-Hop blog du jour, have more talent than meets the perusal of the site. Virgil is actually an accomplished photographer and DJ RTC just doesn’t have the title because it sounds cool. Read the rest of this entry »