This week the playlist will cover Chicago’s 10 under 25. The playlist includes funk artists, rappers, and rock bands.

1. 1. Joey Purp
      1. Joey Purp just came out with an album, QUARTERTHING, and it is beyond fantastic. Purp is known to work with many members of Savemoney, a Chicago rap collective whose members include Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Towkio, I went to one of his concerts recently, and he has endless energy. Purp just inked a deal with Caroline Records, a subsidiary of Capitol Music Group, so be on the lookout for more of his success.
   2. Ravyn Lenae
      1. Ravyn Lenae is 19 years old. However, last year I saw her perform, and she has the stage presence of a 30 year old.On September 17th, she was a special guest alongside Kanye West at OpenMike Chicago. That alone is indicative of her talent. She combines soul, R&B, electronic, and Chicago house music perfectly, which leads her to be one of the most exciting Chicago artists of today.
   3. Whitney https://www.thesedays.news/whitney/
      1. Whitney are a relatable, youthful, rhythmic guitar rock band making waves around the country at showcases such as CMJ and South by Southwest (SXSW). They sound like Neil Young if Neil Young was part of a sad–eyed boy band. Expect amazing things from this upcoming band that sounds like it was made in the wrong generation.
   4. Ric Wilson
      1. I saw Ric perform in earlier 2018, and it was one of the best shows of my life. His instrumentals are deeply rooted in soul, and his lyrics are reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s. He is also more than a rapper, he’s an activist who presented to the United Nations at age 19. He works consistently with Parker Alums Eddie and Izzie Burns ‘16, which is how I found out about him. I am so glad I did.
   5. Manwolves
      1. Manwolves is a band out of Evanston. Before you stop reading, they aren’t like the other suburbans. The six-member band follows the growing trend in Chicago of combing hip-hop and jazz. When you listen to their music, you can hear the close friendships that the members have. This band is one of the most exciting acts to come out of the Chicago Scene for a while.
   6. TheMind
      1. TheMind started his career as a member of THEMpeople, a production collective that worked with many artists in Chicago. He is soft-spoken, which is evident in his raps. Because of his background as a producer, he self-produces most of his songs. He only has one full album out, but check out his features on artists’ songs such as Noname, Chance the Rapper, Smino, and Saba.
   7. Grapetooth
      1. Grapetooth is fully inspired by ‘80s Japanese new wave. They only have three songs out together, but both members of Grapetooth are well established in the Chicago music scene, with one half being part of Twin Peaks and the other half being a renowned producer. They just sold out a show in NYC with only these three songs, so once they come out with more, they are sure to blow up.
   8. Joseph Chilliams
      1. Joseph Chilliams’ character transcends rap. He is wickedly funny, very intelligent, and a kind person. The aspect you see the most of in his rap is his humor. He isn’t a joke rapper, he’s just a rapper with jokes. He is known for his work in West-side based rap collective PIVOT alongside Saba, but also frequently collaborates with other rappers. I saw him last year perform, and he is as funny onstage as he is in his songs. Check out a song from his new EP in this week’s playlist.
   9. Phoelix
      1. Phoelix is known for working in the background for many artists that have been on these playlists. He is a vocalist, producer, engineer, instrumentalist, and more. He has released two solo albums: GSPL and TEMPO. He combines funk, neo-soul R&B, and rap, like many other artists coming out of Chicago, and he is one of the most successful at doing so. Listen to his song “Drip” in this week’s playlist.
   10. Luke Titus
       1. 21–year–old Luke Titus got his start at School of Rock, where many Parker students frequent. He was a drummer then, and still is now, although he is more proud of his distinct voice. He is conceptual and catchy, and mostly self-produces. He recently split from the band Woo Park, and this is just the beginning in his next chapter.