It’d be easy to continue throwing praise on Kids These Days for making music that’s beyond their years but I think we’re past that point. Good music is good music and this group has clearly proven they’ve got a penchant for making it. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

Photo by Peter Parker Lewis

Nice update from our brothers @ Ruby Hornet, delivering video content from the Digital Freshness event held last week in Chicagoland and featuring none other than CyHi. Expect more as the promising Prynce’s Closed Session is set to follow soon. 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 »

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 »

Brother Von Pea of Tanya Morgan was kind enough to let the masses into the methods of his madness, providing listeners with this Brooklynati sample mix, i.e. a breakdown of the samples used by the producer/rapper for the group’s sophomore album. Read the rest of this entry »

While she was in Chicago, the stars and moon aligned perfectly for Ms. Diva & Ruby Hornet allowing her to complete her part for the latest installment of the Closed Sessions project.  Read the rest of this entry »

October 1st to 3rd. A3C Festival, Atlanta, GA. Excited yet?

If not, here’s more reason to get hype.

Your beloved Section has partnered with SMKA Productions and the lovely Fadia Kader to bring you “A3C’s Perfect Attendance” showcase. Read the rest of this entry »

Over a light, bouncy piano, Mikkey drops a few precise bars detailing why he’s the best out of the Windy City, much of which I agree with. Read the rest of this entry »