The early 2010s were a boom time for Chicago rap. The city proved much deeper than its connection to Kanye West, yielding internet-approved favorites like Chance the Rapper, Chief Keef, Noname, and many others. In a brief retrospective, Luis Hernandez of These Days talks to a handful of industry folks involved in the scene’s breakout year of 2012, focusing in particular on Keef’s Finally Rich and Chance’s 10 Day. Insightful moments include DJ RTC of Closed Sessions remembering how he hosted MTV for its “Sucka Free” documentary series, and artist manager Beleisha “Lyrical” McCulley noting that drill rapper Sasha Go Hard deserved more exposure.

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