On this throwback episode of The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Grammy Award-winning songwriter and Chicago native Dave Giles II for a deep dive into Hip House, Chicago house music and the city's evolving relationship with hip-hop.
Dave, co-writer and producer of Beyonce’s hit song “Cozy” from her #1 album Renaissance, remembers growing up in a Chicago where house music wasn't a separate scene; it was simply part of everyday Black life, from radio and skating rinks to block parties and neighborhood venues. He and Donwill revisit pioneers like Mike Dunn, Chicago's Black club culture, and the unique style of rapping that developed alongside house music. Dave breaks down:
The connection between the geography of Chicago's house era to the neighborhoods that later became central to drill music
Examines how housing displacement, demolished public housing communities and neighborhood upheaval reshaped the city's culture
Common's memories of Chicago nightlife
Hip House's connection to hip-hop's Jamaican party-rocking roots
Dave's Grammy win and work on Beyoncé's Renaissance
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