All posts by Jake Krez

A writer/publicist/media hired hand from Chicago, Il who came up writing for the Chicago Sun Times where he helped break artists like Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Kids These Days and many more. Since then Jake has written for the likes of XXL, Complex, Noisey, New City, Billboard, DJBooth and many others while staying up to date on all things Chicago music and beyond.
Chicago Sun-Times, News

After whirlwind year, Chance the Rapper comes home

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ChanceTheRapper-10_26_13-Champaign-By Bryan Lamb

Story originally appeared for Chicago Sun Times.

The Chicago kid who released arguably the year’s hottest, free hip-hop album returns to town this week for his debut headlining tour, dubbed the “Social Experiment Tour.” For his first show home since he performed at Lollapalooza earlier this year, tickets to the first show sold out so fast that a second was quickly scheduled and just as quickly
sold out.

“The whole thing has just been crazy,” said Chance during a break from rehearsal last month. “I definitely thought it might sell out, but not as fast as it did. The whole show is different from what we’ve done before, so it’ll be cool to show it to Chicago.” Continue reading After whirlwind year, Chance the Rapper comes home →

Blog, News, RubyHornet

|Editorial| Why TDE’s ‘Top Dawg’ Isn’t Happy With GQ

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Last week, Kendrick Lamar added to the illustrious 2013 he has enjoyed by being named GQ’s “Man of the Year”, complete with cover story and a party/performance in his honor. What should have been a landmark event for the Los Angeles MC instead turned sour after the “Top Dog” of Top Dawg Entertainment (Kendrick’s Label), Anthony Tiffith, pulled Lamar from the performance at the party, citing problems with the way the story was written and going as far as to point to “racial overtones” in the article as a reason for the cancellation. While on the surface, the move may be viewed by many as a bad one by Tiffith, looking further into the reason why he made such a bold statement at such a traditionally celebratory moment demonstrates the growth of a genre not only in the product, but in the way it is marketed. Continue reading |Editorial| Why TDE’s ‘Top Dawg’ Isn’t Happy With GQ →

Blog, RubyHornet

[Review] King Krule at Lincoln Hall 12/11/2013

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Photo by Nolis

On a blistering cold Wednesday night on the North Side of Chicago, everything I thought I knew about British indie artist King Krule was blown away. The 19-year-old artist, formerly known as Zoo Kid, took the stage in front of a sold out Lincoln Hall crowd that seemed to be almost frothing at the mouth for him to play just a note. Cat calls from women likely twice his age rained down on him as the young artist sang with his deep baritone voice, resolute and certain in a way that permeated inner confidence. It felt like a small miracle every time he opened his mouth that Krule could produce such a powerful voice from such a slight package. Continue reading [Review] King Krule at Lincoln Hall 12/11/2013 →

Blog, Music Review

Vic Mensa Live At Reggie’s Recap

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Photo by Nolis

This past Saturday, Vic Mensa took over Reggie;s Rock House for his first solo headlining show since breaking up with Kids These Days earlier this year and dropping his solo project, Innanetape, in late September. The buzz Mensa has garnered since releasing the project was palpable, with tickets selling out a week in advance for the tightly-packed affair. Fellow Chicago acts Jean Deaux and The Hood Internet opened things up, appropriately getting the crowd going with a mix of genres that mirrored the kind of frenetically changing and eclectic backdrops Mensa utilizes throughout Innanetape. Continue reading Vic Mensa Live At Reggie’s Recap →

Blog, Music, Music Review

|Review| ShowYouSuck: “Dude, Bro”

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ShowYouSuck has been one of the more interesting artists in the Chicago landscape for a minute now. Since establishing himself as a witty lyricist and connoisseur of all things “rad” on his One Man Pizza Party trilogy, released throughout 2011-13, Show has carved out a niche unto himself with a character and personality to match. Continue reading |Review| ShowYouSuck: “Dude, Bro” →

Blog, Interview, Music

|Interview| Justin Rose Makes Ripples With ‘RoseWaVve Vol. 1’

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Justin Rose does a little bit of everything. The 23 year old from New York City started off rapping before gravitating to what he calls the “addicting” process of crafting beats. I met him this past year at SXSW while hanging out at the Illmore after-party, wondering how I was still awake. Since then we have kept in touch as Rose has spread his forward-thinking production across his scene and city, linking up with the likes of NYC up and comer Kris Kasanova which garnered him a track on Peter Rosenberg’s curated mixtape earlier this Summer, as well as doing in-house production for Nakim. When I met him on the front end of 2013 there were still a lot of question marks around both of our futures. Nearly a year later, Rose has found himself bouncing around the vibrant and bubbling New York scene that have many bloggers across the country learning how to spell the word ‘Renaissance’. The growth and uprise of that scene in New York is due in large part to progressive, hungry and cross-platform artists like Rose who are eager to find a way to push the music and culture forward without apology. I was able to catch up with Rose over the phone recently as he was leaving the studio from working on his debut project, RoseWaVve Vol.1. to talk about what the year has been like, what he’s been up to and where things are headed for the young crafter. In exchange, he sent over this video for his track, “PARTY4ME”, which we are premiering here on Ruby Hornet. Give the video a watch below and get to know Justin Rose. Continue reading |Interview| Justin Rose Makes Ripples With ‘RoseWaVve Vol. 1’ →

Blog, Music

|Video| Eryn Allen Kane: “Hollow”

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If you’ve been really paying attention to my writing and the Midwest music scene, you may have heard of Eryn Allen Kane. If not, you’ll most definitely remember her once you have. The 23 year old singer/songwriter has spent the past year quietly working on her debut project in the annals of Chicago’s Fox & The Mule studios. With the project nearly ready and slated for a Spring release, Kane and co. decided to release this video for “Hollow”, a vocal avant-garde piece, inspired by expressionist paintings and shot by the talented Austin Vesely. Continue reading |Video| Eryn Allen Kane: “Hollow” →

Blog, Interview, Music

|Interview| Aaron Cohen Grows Earns His ‘Potential Fans’

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New York City has long been a dreamer’s city, a place where many a success was made and many a pipe dream shuttered. When it comes to hip-hop, it’s essentially Mecca. It’s where the music first took root, where B-boys and MC-ing first became popular. Because of that, NYC has long been seen as the place to make it, if looking to do so, as Jay-Z has reminded us for years. Seattle native Aaron Cohen made his way to the Big Apple looking for new opportunities aabout six years ago, diving into the bubbling scene that has many calling the current period the latest in a long line of hip-hop renaissances that have taken place in the birthplace of rap music. With an unapologetic rhyming style and an intimidating beard to match, Aaron Cohen hustled his way to the forefront of the underground scene in his adopted hometown. November 11, the Decon signee dropped his latest project, Potential Fans, a thrashing, complete project that stands to prove why Cohen deserves his own lane in the greater landscape of hip-hop today. I had a chance to catch up with the owner of the best facial hair this side of Action Bronson last week as he was getting off work and on the heels of the release of his latest project. It’s easy to feel the passion and drive in every word Cohen spits and speaks, check out my talk with one of the latest artists to emerge from the bubbling cauldron that is New York City today. Continue reading |Interview| Aaron Cohen Grows Earns His ‘Potential Fans’ →

Features, Interview, Music

Interview with The Tontons at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013

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tontons_rubyhornet_1bPhotography by Niraj Mehdiratta

Bands, in large part, reflect the scenes from which they come. This sentiment rings true for indie band The Tontons, who helped to open this weekend’s Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas with a pair of sets opening for Kurt Vile on Thursday night and another on Friday, as well as dropping their new video “Veida” on the Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog. The trip to Texas’ capital for the 8th annual music, comedy and action sports fest wasn’t a long one for the four-piece act from Houston, although it was the first time playing the three day end to festival season. Continue reading Interview with The Tontons at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013 →

Features, Music, RubyHornet

Vic Mensa Takes Over The Innanetape

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Photo by FragdFilms

It’s ten o’clock at night in late March and I’m fighting sleep. Sitting almost horizontal on a massive, black leather couch as my photographer, Bryan Lamb, and I watch Chance the Rapper racing back and forth from the booth behind us to the computer in front of us, occasionally taking frantic puffs from his cigarette.

His counterpart, Vic Mensa, lounges on a couch nearby, staring intently at a Macbook perched carefully on his lap, analyzing the first cut of the video for “DiditB4”, the lead single off his September 30 release, Innanetape directed by fellow Savemoney member Austin Vesely. The pre-rendered cuts are too quick for the computer and the screen stops on a scene of Mensa, in a white coat and goggles, holding a cow brain. “That shit was too raw, Austin drove to some farm to get it,” said Mensa. Continue reading Vic Mensa Takes Over The Innanetape →