Hip Hop Here

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 13, 2006 8:40PM

Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage Month is almost half over. What have you done to celebrate it? If you have yet to feel the flow, here are some recommendations:

* There’s still room enough on the bandwagon for you, so pick up copies of Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco’s new albums. Rhymefest’s Blue Collar dropped earlier this week and Fiasco’s Food and Liquor has an official release date of August 8th though it leaked to the Internet faster than nip slips of Lindsey Lohan.

* Chicago hip-hop is known for a rapid-fire style that leaves Lady Sov in the dust. Don’t believe us? Get down to the Wicker Park fieldhouse (1425 N. Damen) on July 29th for Rhyme Spitters III, where MCs will compete for a $3000 prize and bragging rights. If you think you’ve got the skills, registration is from 12 – 1 p.m. Then catch the final 32 as they battle it out at Double Door that evening at 9:30 p.m. Other Hip-Hop Heritage shows are going down at Morseland and Sonotheque. Abbey Pub and Hot House are venues to keep an eye on for other shows in the future.

* The Screen The Power film festival goes down as part of the 2006 National Hip Hop Convention. Screenings and events will take place at the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library, Virgin Megastore and Subterranean. Events include a screening of the Rhyme Spitters II competition, a documentary on Phoenix, IL, and the local indie hiop-hop mystery film Holla If You Hear Me.

* Galapagos 4’s history of Chicago hip-hop is a good read if you’re looking to know how the scene developed (though it unfortunately stops at 2001). While you’re at it, read up on house and hip house, too.