10 New Chicago Rappers To Watch Out For

We combed the blogs and the streets to find the newest rap acts popping in Chi City.

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For a brief moment in the mid-aughts, it looked like Chicago was finally going to have its big moment. Kanye West was the hottest new thing in music, and the careers of Chicago vets Twista and Common were back and bigger than ever. Bump J landed a million dollar deal, Rhymefest was next up, and a kid from the Westside named Lupe Fiasco was blessed with a rare co-sign by Shawn Carter. The Second City appeared to be the next Atlanta. But then—well, it didn't really happen.

However, over the past few years, Chicago has been making a major comeback. Acts like L.E.P. Bogus Boys, GLC, Mikkey Halsted and Naledge (Kidz In The Hall) have kept the city hot, dropping stellar projects and generating much buzz and attention for the Chi.

While you may be familiar with all the aforementioned, Complex wants to introduce you to 10 New Chicago Rappers To Watch Out For in 2012 (listed alphabetically). This new crop of MCs range from street rappers to possible crossover sensations, all of whom are ready for their respective moments in the sun. Who said there's no love for the City of Hella Haters?

Written by Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive)

Follow @ComplexMusic

Chance The Rapper

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Chance The Rapper

Twitter: @chancetherapper

Pros: He can rap very well—in multiple styles.

Cons: Not enough material in the marketplace. Will he live up to the hype?

Essential Listening: His project 10 Day isn't out yet, but you can peep this song off it.

Hailing from Chicago’s Southside, Chance has one of the more distinct flows and voices of any new artist in the game. Fresh out of high school, this young spitter is already selling out venues and taking meetings with labels–all without even dropping a proper mixtape.

Chance’s intricate wordplay, and vibrant sing-songy flow has drawn comparisons to early Eminem and The Pharcyde. Even when he’s menacing it sounds like he’s smiling on the track. With his debut mixtape, 10 Day (written and recorded during a 10-day high school suspension) due out in Spring, we’ll finally get a chance to dissect a full body of work.

Chief Keef

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Chief Keef

Twitter: @campaignsosa300

Pros: Already a star in Chicago, Keef’s embraced by the streets, the kids and the critics—at only 16.

Cons: Can he stay out of jail?

Essential Listening: Bang!

Relatively unknown outside of high schools and pockets of the Southside, Chief Keef didn't catch the media's attention until a video of an adolescent boy losing his mind as he celebrated Keef's release from jail landed on WorldstarHipHop in January. At that moment the world was introduced to a 16-year-old who was already considered a star in his neighborhood—and we were late.

Keef's viral hit "Bang" was already an anthem for teens across the city (with 400K YouTube views), but once the blogosphere caught wind, the clip shot to over 750,000 views. Shortly thereafter Lil B jumped on the remix, and Soulja Boy contributed a verse to another of Keef's hits, "3Hunna."

With alleged interest from Bad Boy, Def Jam and a host of other labels, it's been rumored that Keef has affiliated himself with Soulja Boy's SODMG click. Love him or hate him, Keef’s unapologetic gang and gun talk has made him the most polarizing figure in Chicago hip-hop.

Kids These Days

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Kids These Days

Twitter: @KidsTheseDays

Pros: A fresh-faced, multi-cultural band of singing and rapping teenagers. How could this lose?

Cons: Certain members could flee the group for solo endeavors.

Essential Listening: Hard Times EP

Coming from all corners of the city, Kids These Days are a seven-piece band of energetic teenagers, featuring a rapping front man, a blues-rock trio, a female singer, and a kid who goes hammer on the horns.

Their most recent EP, Hard Times was well-received—incorporating hip-hop, jazz and funk in their destined-for-Top-40 sound. The group has already toured the country and was one of the most talked about acts at Lollapalooza 2011.

The Kids’ rapping frontman, Vic Mensa, is also a force to be reckoned with on the solo tip. With a handful of solo joints and mixtapes under his belt, Vic could have a breakout year of his own in 2012.

King Louie

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King Louie

Twitter: @1987RudeBoiKing

Pros: Louie already knows how to craft hooks, pick beats, and inject hilarious ad-libs. Has industry luminary John Monopoly on his side.

Cons: We’ve yet to hear his long-awaited and longer-delayed potential breakthrough, Dope & Shrimp.

Essential Listening: #ManUpBandUp Pt. 1

With a style best described as a pot of gumbo, Louie hails from Chicago’s notorious Dro City neighborhood, and hopes to bring his arrogant attitude and unique dialect to an industry that has somewhat shunned Chicago street rap.

Louie’s local hit “Too Cool,” made a splash on radio and has been a club staple for months, prompting 2 Chainz and Red Café to jump on the remix. Most recently he partnered with a local pizza chain for a limited edition pizza box, and has created a small frenzy with his new dance, “The Val Venis,” which spent days as a Twitter trending topic (in Chicago), prompting the actual pro wrestler Val Venis to contact the rapper.

Recently inking a deal with John Monopoly (Kanye West, Shawnna) and Larro Wilson’s indie label, Lawless Inc, Louie plans to drop his drill-hop masterpiece, Dope & Shrimp in the Spring.

Lil Durk

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Lil Durk

Twitter: @lildurk_

Pros: Already has a cult following, plus he’s a beast on YouTube, and is now beginning to garner national press.

Cons: Lots of competition in Chicago’s drill-hop scene. Can he stand out?

Essential Listening: I’m A Hitta

With his local hit “I’m A Hitta” racking up almost 300,000 YouTube views, Lil Durk is making waves throughout the city with his unique brand of drill-hop. As melodic as it is gangster, Durk’s music could be best described as a hybrid of A$AP Rocky and Waka Flocka. Representing Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, Durk’s first post-jail release, I’m Still A Hitta, is due out in March. In pockets of Chicago, YouTube views are worth their weight in gold, and with close to one million total views on under his belt, Durk is truly on a road to riches.

Rockie Fresh

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Rockie Fresh

Twitter: @RockieFresh

Pros: Consistently sells out shows in Chicago, and has toured the country with major acts. Possible XXL Freshmen 10 cover boy.

Cons: He’s yet to drop a hit record.

Essential Listening: Driving 88

If you don't already know the name Rockie Fresh, well you've presumably been under a rock. Garnering plenty of blog love and national exposure, Rockie is the only rapper on this list to be selected as a potential XXL Freshmen 10 cover recipient.

Rockie's sound and look are ready-made for the Billboard charts—dude has serious crossover potential. And with his latest mixtape Driving 88 generating over 100K views on Datpiff, it's clear many feel the same way.

He's already sold out half a dozen shows in his hometown (an incredibly tough market for local talent), and has toured the country with Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and Wale. With Rockie set to embark on his third nationwide tour in the Spring, he's a must see while he hits your city.

Sir Michael Rocks & The Toothpick Clique

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Sir Michael Rocks & The Toothpick Clique

Twitter: @SirMichaelRocks

Pros: Most crews are significantly weaker than the boss, but with TPC that’s not the case. And at only 23, Sir Michael already has years of music industry experience under his belt.

Cons: Fans screaming “WE WANT THE COOL KIDS”

Essential Listening: Tris J Tris World

Complex says: It’s still Cool Kids for life, but the artist formerly known as Mikey Rocks is now embarking on a solo career—and is bringing his Toothpick Click along for the ride. Sir Michael, who’s also affiliated with Curren$y’s Jet Life Recordings, rounded up some of Chicago’s finest—as well as some childhood pals—to form the collective. Exhibiting a different sound than that of his work with Chuck Inglish, the Toothpick Clique (or TPC for short) consists of Tris J, Shorty K, and frequent Cool Kids collaborator and sexy round-the-way-girl Tennille.

Tris J is an obvious TPC standout, as his deep voice and distinct drawl stole the show on Sir Mike’s single “Too Short Back.” On New Years Day, the Tris Man dropped one of the year’s hottest mixtapes with Tris World, featuring production from Lux Luger and Cardo. With the team captain already a proven star, he now has a strong bench to back him up.

Treated Crew

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Treated Crew

Treated Crew f/ M$M, Gzus Piece, John James, Sulaiman “Love Me Sexy”

Twitter: N/A

Pros: No weak links, and a handful of members are already industry tested and approved. Connects in high places.

Cons: Will bubbling solo careers get in the way?

Essential Listening: Mic Terror Riverdale: The Musical

Coming together like a 2012 version of the Wu-Tang Clan (or more recently, Odd Future) is Chicago’s Treated Crew. Named after a popular Chi-Town slang term (treated = disrespected), members of the Treated Crew began making music together in high school, but the solo success of some derailed plans for a group project — until now.

Putting their flourishing solo careers on hold for the greater good of the group, Million $ Mano (Kanye West’s DJ), Hollywood Holt, and Mic Terror plan to use their international recognition and clout to help shed light on rising MCs like Sulaiman, Gzus Piece, Jon James, and Lee Majorz. Up-and-coming producers Nez & Rio (Schoolboy Q) and Thelonious Martin (Action Bronson) round out the collective, adding even more value to their debut, which is set to drop in the Spring. With their genre-bending production and edgy wordplay, this is one crew you’ll want to keep on your radar. The definition of power in numbers.

Tree & Project Mayhem

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Tree & Project Mayhem

Twitter: @ProjectMayhemIL

Pros: They appeal to the streets, hip-hop purists and hype-beasts — all while making incredibly cohesive projects. Plus Tree is making a name for himself on the solo tip.

Cons: They haven’t dropped a group album in almost three years. The public needs to hear more of them together.

Essential Listening: Tree The Tree EP

Project Mayhem, the dapper dons of Chicago’s Westside, have been bubbling in Chicago’s underground circuit for the past few years. Accepted everywhere from the grimiest of hip-hop spots to the poshest nightclubs in the city, Project Mayhem’s sound is a healthy mix of traditional boom-bap, with party-starting appeal. Over the past year we’ve seen a group mixtape, and a slew of solo releases, but with their album Middle America on the horizon, hopefully Mayhem can jump to the next level.

Official/unofficial member Tree, from the now-leveled Cabrini Green housing projects, has seen his profile rise considerably over the past six months. Seemingly dropping new projects monthly, Tree’s latest works have received love and recognition from some of the Internet’s top sites. His off-kilter flow and unique production style are a breath of fresh air in genre plagued by copycats. It would be wise to explore his catalog if you haven’t already.

YP

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YP

Twitter: @YP27

Pros: He already has a deal.

Cons: Risk of getting trapped in the major label system.

Essential Listening: Still Awake

Being the overachiever that he is, YP has already inked a major label deal—as of February 8, 2012 he’s an official member of the Universal Republic roster.

Repping Chicago’s Eastside, YP makes lyrical street rap, with pop sensibilities (think T.I.). His underground banger, “Who I Be,” was a mix-show smash, and the perfect set-up for his biggest project to date, Still Awake. Displaying skills as a storyteller, and inflicting piercing punchlines, YP’s dizzying wordplay proves he cares more about what he’s saying than dumbing it down for his audience.

After dropping Still Awake in September of ’11, YP headed to L.A. for a long weekend, but ended up staying for a few months to work and take meetings. What ensued was bidding war for the young rapper, which ended with YP aligning with Universal. Look for his new project, No Doz, coming in March.

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