BACK TO YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

IN 1973, TWO COPIES OF JAMES BROWN'S SEX MACHINE ALBUM AT A BRONX HOUSE PARTY AND CUT AND MIXED THE SONGS.

THOSE BEATS NOT ONLY GOT THE PARTY STARTED BUT STARTED A REVOLUTION.

THE FOUNDATION OF HIP-HOP.

50 YEARS LATER IT IS A BIG PART OF AMERICAN MUSIC AND CULTURE.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE THESE HIP-HOP JOURNALISTS.

REPORTER OUT CW 26 CHICAGO, AND MUSIC CULTURE AND CANNABIS JOURNALIST.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.

BRANDON, HIP-HOP HAS EXISTED BEFORE WE WERE BORN.

WHAT IS THE FIRST TRACK YOU REMEMBER AND INTRODUCE YOU TO HIP-HOP?

>> WOW, HEAVY QUESTION, FIRST TRACK I REMEMBER?

I GREW UP IN THE 1990s, TUPAC, BIGGIE, DO OR DIE, BUT I THINK THE FIRST TRACK I RESONATED WITH WAS KANYE WEST, THROUGH THE WIRE.

THAT IS THE FIRST TRACK, THIS IS SOMETHING I CAN FEEL, I UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE, I CONNECT WITH IT.

>> IT IS OLDER THAN ALL OF US.

WE HAVE HEARD IT ALL OF OUR LIVES.

WHO WOULD YOU PUT ON THE MT.

RUSHMORE OF CHICAGO HIP-HOP ARTISTS?

>> THIS IS THE ALL-TIME -- OKAY, ETCHED IN STONE, KANYE OF COURSE, TWISTER, IS THERE A MINIMUM?

>> THREE.

>> KANYE, TWISTER, THIS IS SO HARD FOR THE LAST ONE.

I WOULD LOVE IT TO BE A FEMALE?

I LIKE THE BRAT.

SHE DOES NOT MENTION SHE IS FROM CHICAGO AS MUCH.

SHE IS A NATIONAL ARTIST.

WITH CHICAGO ARTIST THAT HAVE BEEN BLOWING UP, THEY WERE CHICAGO ON THEIR BACK, LIKE KANYE.

I DON'T KNOW IF DA BRAT MENTIONS IT THAT MUCH.

>> COMMON?

>> SOMEONE FROM THE NEW SCHOOL.

ONLY TO INTEGRATE EVERYTHING.

WITH THE LEADER OF THE DRILL MOVEMENT THAT TOOK OVER, HIM.

>> DO YOU THINK CHICAGO GETS A PLACE IN HIP-HOP INNOVATION?

>> I THINK THAT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN NOW.

FOR A LONG TIME, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT FULLY AWARE OF HOW CHICAGO BLACK MUSIC AS A WHOLE, DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY IMPACTS HIP-HOP UNLESS IT IS THROUGH GOSPEL, R&B, SOUL MUSIC, AND OUR HIP-HOP INNOVATIONS.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE SEEING A LITTLE BIT MORE NOW WITHIN A LOT OF MUSIC CRITICS.

EVERY MUSIC CRITIC HAS A FAVORITE CHICAGO ARTIST, WHETHER THEY REALIZE IT OR NOT.

MAYBE NOT ALWAYS BE AWARE OF HOW MUCH LOVE WE GET, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

I DON'T THINK THE MIDWEST AS A WHOLE GETS ENOUGH RESPECT OR RECOGNITION WITH HOW WE HAVE PUSHED HIP-HOP FORWARD.

THERE IS A LOT MORE WORK.

IT WILL TAKE A LOT MORE STORYTELLING.

>> IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT KANYE WEST IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST WRAPPERS TO COME OUT OF CHICAGO.

YOU DID A PODCAST ABOUT HIM, HOW BIG OF HISTORIC IS CHICAGO?

>> A LARGE PART OF IT.

CHICAGO IS A MIDWEST CITY WITH AN IDENTITY OF BEING AN UNDERDOG.

KANYE WEST HAS MADE THAT A BIG PART OF HIS IDENTITY.

YOUNG AND RESTLESS, THAT SAYING EMBODIES THE SWAGGER THAT PEOPLE FROM CHICAGO HAVE.

LOOK AT HIS CAREER, KNOCKING ON DOORS TO GET WHERE YEARS.

TO PROVE PEOPLE HE IS A GREAT ARTIST.

HE WENT TO NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES TO GET NATIONAL FAME BUT HE WERE CHICAGO ON HIS BACK.

COMMON, SO MANY OTHERS, LUPE FIASCO.

HE WEARS CHICAGO ON HIS BACK.

THE WHOLE CITY HAS BENEFITED.

>> WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE CHICAGO ARTIST MADE TO HIP-HOP?

I DID NOT REALIZE EVERYBODY HAD HEARD OF DRILL MUSIC.

>> IN THE RECENT YEARS, CHICAGO HAS DEFINITELY BEEN LEADING THE CHARGE FOR THE DRILL MOVEMENT.

BETTER OR WORSE.

PEOPLE ARGUE ABOUT WHETHER THE MOVEMENT FOR A POSITIVE OR A NEGATIVE THING, BUT THE REALITY OF A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.

THE DRILL MOVEMENT HAS LEFT ITS MARK ON HIP-HOP CULTURE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

IT STARTED IN CHICAGO AND MOVED ALL THE WAY TO THE UK AND NOW THERE IS BROOKLYN AND THE BRONX DRILL.

THAT STARTED IN CHICAGO, FROM THE YOUNG RAPPERS FROM CHICAGO.

IT IS STILL GOING WITH A LOT OF NEW ARTISTS.

A COUPLE OF NEW DRILL ARTISTS THAT I LOVE.

THERE IS A NEW WAVE COMING AND IT IS EXCITING TO SEE.

>> ALMOST OUT OF TIME, YOU SAID SOME WOMEN ARE THE ONES TO WATCH IN THE CHICAGO SCENE.

WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING TO SEE HIT IT BIG?

>> A LOT OF WOMEN TAKING OFF.

LIKE WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

AMARI BLAZE, MELLO BUCKS, WE HAVE CASHMERE.

THERE IS A WHOLE SLEW.

BAJA BANKS.

LIKE YOU WOULD NEVER BELIEVE.

>> WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THEM.

WE ARE OUT OF TIME.