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Dive deep into the creative mind of Taylor Bennett as he reveals the REAL reasons behind his latest hit ‘2 Much’ in this exclusive video. Bennett unpacks the layers of his new single, sharing personal insights and the profound experiences that shaped this powerhouse track. From transformative trips to Ghana to familial influences and his own artistic evolution, discover the rich tapestry of stories and inspirations that fuel Bennett's music. Don't miss out on this intimate look at one of hip-hop's most dynamic artists. Subscribe now for more behind-the-scenes content and powerful stories from the world of music.
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CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Taylor Bennett's Impact on Sway
0:49 - Black Star Line Festival, Ghana
2:09 - Taylor Bennett's Influence on Sway
4:45 - Taylor Bennett's Artistic Growth
6:54 - Experiencing Black Identity in Africa
9:33 - Economic Impact of Black Star Line Festival
11:17 - Kanye West's Influence on Taylor Bennett
17:27 - Taylor Bennett's Ghana-Inspired New Project
19:30 - Taylor Bennett's Real-Life Music Inspirations
21:40 - Representing Chicago Music Culture
27:55 - Listener Feedback on Chicago Music and Taylor Bennett
31:30 - My Block: A Chicago Story
32:30 - Making America Juke Again: Music Revival
34:05 - Taylor Bennett's Upcoming Album Tease
35:55 - "2 Much": Taylor Bennett's New Single
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
[Applause]
0:02
if I never said it before Heather
0:05
mhm my favorite family of hip-hop you
0:09
said it you said this my favorite family
0:12
of Hip Hop are here today mhm I tell you
0:16
man these folks changed my life they
0:18
enhanced my
0:19
life they Amplified my life they helped
0:22
me see my life through bigger lenses
0:25
beautiful I was able to identify my life
0:28
in a way that was oblivious to myself
0:30
speak on it and tell these good kind
0:33
people out the kindness of their heart
0:36
for no other reason but wanting me to
0:39
have this experience invited me to come
0:42
over to Africa to Ghana y'all get us b a
0:45
round of applause right
0:49
here for an amazing event M the black
0:53
Starline
0:54
Festival um that was rooted in
0:57
proprietorship Independence economics
1:01
education medicine all of these things
1:03
that we strive for for our
1:06
people um is what it stood and still
1:09
stands for I went to Ghana it felt like
1:11
I was there for two or three weeks me
1:14
too and I was only there for two and a
1:17
half days yeah I cannot believe the
1:20
experience I was able to have none other
1:23
like it in the in my career have I
1:26
experienced what I experienced with his
1:29
father Ken who's here his mom I got a
1:32
chance to meet his mom I met her before
1:35
I think at SNL yeah um but we got a
1:38
chance to Vibe yeah in Ghana in a c that
1:42
sounds amazing and this young man was
1:45
when I went to the event 50,000 people
1:48
showed up to this event in the crry that
1:51
the Bennett family put together our
1:54
people 50,000 people beautiful I landed
1:57
in Ghana and I didn't feel like I was
2:00
black I know that sound crazy that's
2:02
real I was talking about that yeah right
2:05
yeah we'll explain that let's dive into
2:07
that momentarily but I want to say since
2:10
this man put out the Taylor Bennett Show
2:12
back in
2:13
2013 come on man we've been doing this
2:15
for a long time when he released his um
2:18
debut album all the different thing
2:20
broad shoulders uh which he's had broad
2:22
shoulders to stand on his legacy is
2:25
cemented his bloodline is Royal his
2:28
father as a community activist as
2:30
parents have always done um good work
2:33
for the community for the people and it
2:35
it translated down to their sons or
2:37
chance a rapper Who's incredible as we
2:40
do know and this young man who had to
2:41
come under all of that
2:43
energy parents are F famous in the
2:47
community his brother is one of the most
2:49
famous people in Hip Hop and then here
2:51
he comes yeah man determined as little
2:55
brothers are yeah that's what we are
2:58
yeah that's what we are that's what we
2:59
are younger Brothers transparent in such
3:02
a brave way as he talked as we watched
3:04
him evolve as a human being and as he
3:07
explored different aspects of himself
3:09
his personality his sexuality his
3:12
intellectuality all the different things
3:14
that we watched evolved um and even
3:16
though he came under his brother's
3:19
Spotlight he carved out his own light
3:22
you should have saw this man in Acra
3:25
when he was managing this he was such a
3:26
boss out there my God you know he was
3:29
such a boss so I remember coming to uh
3:32
the sound check I think it was and and I
3:34
saw him on stage with a microphone
3:36
pointing people out and I came out on
3:38
stage and we took a picture of that
3:40
moment right I was so proud of you
3:42
Taylor thank you man I was extremely
3:44
proud of you and I felt like they can't
3:46
kick me out I'm with the boss I with the
3:48
boss they can't it down they shut it
3:50
down they could have kick they gave me
3:52
free rain Heather I was out there did
3:54
you try to grab a mic and get on the
3:55
show to and be extra I
3:58
did chance came up to me at one point
4:01
Taylor no needed to needed it what both
4:03
of them were surrounded hey sway we need
4:05
you to go out there and talk to the
4:06
crowd we instantly surrounded him I said
4:09
hey it's 50,000 y'all what y'all want me
4:11
to
4:13
say right it's
4:15
50,000 and your brother did something
4:17
that that made me laugh but it also it
4:21
also um made me um respect him because
4:24
of the respect he had for me chance went
4:27
I said what you want me to say I way do
4:30
what you do man you got it no literally
4:32
I was in that moment but it made sense
4:34
to me too cuz you said 50,000 people I'm
4:36
like if there's anybody here that's used
4:38
to talking to 50,000 people at a time
4:41
it's that guy it made sense man it made
4:43
sense right you're a perfect dude but I
4:45
okay no no let me introduce who's here
4:47
ladies and gentlemen this dude is he's
4:49
he's he's a well-rounded individual
4:52
beautiful human being incredible artist
4:54
you cannot put him in the Box you cannot
4:56
stereotype pigeon hole or marginalize
4:58
him he's here today the Visionary
5:00
himself give it up for the one and only
5:02
Taylor
5:04
[Applause]
5:06
Ben man it feels good to be home man bro
5:10
this is your home no this is really like
5:12
a home like every time I sit in this
5:14
chair like I get excited whenever I come
5:16
to New York even if I'm not coming to
5:18
the show just because I know there's so
5:20
much history that lies in not just my
5:23
career but my growth and like we talked
5:25
about my family like you know like I had
5:28
I was on here before I had children I
5:30
talked about having children I was on
5:32
here before I was comfortable in my
5:34
sexuality and afterwards I was on here
5:36
when I was just an artist and then
5:38
managing chance so it's just a thing and
5:40
I say this to you too I've always felt
5:43
like I knew you before I met you and you
5:45
were and I've said this before too and
5:47
I'm sure a lot of people agree the most
5:49
genuine person that I had ever seen on
5:51
TV because I spent a lot of time with
5:53
you in my living room and you always
5:55
just the way that you you speak like the
5:57
way that you come across to people is
5:59
always always been on like this level
6:01
you know so meeting you you being that
6:03
person and then getting to learn and
6:05
know you more there's nothing more I
6:07
could ask than you know you being a part
6:09
of the family so like man hey man hey
6:12
man once you ask me to be a part you
6:14
can't ask me to be out so I'm here yeah
6:17
once you and family you can't never
6:19
thank you man I'm proud to be a part of
6:20
your legacy man I feel good about that
6:22
I've been a part of a few legacies
6:24
Heather as you know like Who ah Tupac
6:26
maybe I don't know B JZ n
6:32
his
6:33
brother me now Taylor Bennett you know
6:37
you know Chicago most of their artist
6:38
all of
6:41
them all of them their cousin yay their
6:44
cousin yay they're all related all DK
6:47
all they're all related Chicago artists
6:49
all related all related we all cousin
6:51
all cousins ass family for real Taylor
6:54
thank you Kenny thank you thank you to
6:57
chance to your mom for that trip I've
7:00
been talking about it for 2 years bro
7:02
for real wow me too man yeah yeah it was
7:04
an amazing trip we all shared in it but
7:06
why did you both agree that you didn't
7:08
feel black when you landed what was that
7:10
feeling about though you want to go
7:12
first yeah I'll go well I'll go first
7:14
just because I don't know what you're
7:15
going to say and I don't want what
7:16
you're going to say to influence but
7:18
what I thought that s was going to say
7:20
is you know like growing up in Chicago
7:23
especially like an inner city like it's
7:25
very rare that you're surrounded by just
7:29
black people right and usually when for
7:31
me like when I was surrounded by black
7:33
people in my neighborhood it was not at
7:36
the same standard of when I would travel
7:38
outside of my neighborhood to go to
7:39
other places so there's almost like this
7:42
and I'll just say it like I think um
7:44
there's an ideology that also lives
7:47
throughout media and TVs and commercials
7:49
and music and all these different things
7:52
that for me I'll just say personally
7:54
kind of made me fear myself so like when
7:57
I was growing up it wasn't very often
8:00
like I said that either I was in a room
8:02
full of black people or I was in a room
8:04
full of white people it was always kind
8:06
of like a little bit of a mix so when I
8:09
got to Ghana it was the first time and
8:11
then also just to even bring it back to
8:13
the TV stuff like and you know I'll be
8:15
crazy but I'll be kind of looking at
8:16
stuff like a lot of the shows that I
8:18
watch growing up like all of the extras
8:20
if they were black and they were grown
8:22
they were like janitors or they were
8:24
like like it wasn't a lot of uh we were
8:26
just talking about the show the other
8:27
day um not just good times but what's
8:30
the moving on up he was
8:32
like like got a business I got the
8:35
cleaner living in the building with me
8:36
like everyone else that I saw on TV was
8:38
presented in like a certain way so when
8:41
I went to Africa not only on TV but also
8:44
in real life it wasn't that often
8:46
outside of probably my dad that I would
8:49
see black men black women working not
8:52
just at the general spaces but
8:56
controlling everything like every single
8:58
person when I got off was black and it
9:01
was a very interesting thing because at
9:03
then one point I was like [ __ ] I don't
9:06
even feel like I have to say that I'm
9:08
black yeah you get what I'm saying um
9:11
and that was a crazy feeling because
9:13
everyone around me was black and the
9:16
only thing I could think next to it was
9:18
like not only do I have to leave and I'm
9:20
not going to feel like this again but
9:22
this must be what the majority of other
9:25
people that aren't black feel like in
9:26
America you know what I'm saying so it's
9:29
weird man and not just America in a lot
9:31
of other places yeah that that part one
9:34
of the things that y'all did that I
9:35
thought was really impressive is you
9:38
guys hired all the workers 100% how many
9:41
how many people did y'all have to hire
9:43
you think overall man I can't speak to
9:46
like a specific number but definitely in
9:48
the high thousands we had vendors we had
9:50
individuals that worked on set we had
9:54
ladies I would say if when Taylor brings
9:56
up you know the fact that if you add the
9:59
vendors so one thing that was important
10:02
um that Chance's Vision was that we need
10:05
to make sure that the businesses the
10:07
local businesses can participate and
10:10
there was no charge to them in terms of
10:13
coming in just bring your business in we
10:15
just had to go through a process of
10:16
being registered and everything you know
10:19
was was in order um and then you talk
10:22
about the the the stages the staging the
10:25
engineers the production
10:27
folks security security yeah so if you
10:31
talk I was going to say when you I know
10:34
it's in the hundreds that we had to that
10:36
we hired but again it's 50 over 50,000 I
10:39
think one number said 56,000 free but
10:42
what there we go that's the thing
10:44
everybody who came it was a free
10:46
Festival wow CH paid for all of it it
10:50
was a free Festival paid for you know he
10:52
paid for us to be there yes he did he
10:55
paid the artist for Taylor to be he paid
10:59
and people really people don't really
11:01
know that but he he wanted to do this to
11:04
bring our people together from around
11:06
the world a whole diasp whole diasp and
11:09
while oh go ahead no go ahead see I'm
11:12
sorry me and because we get to talking
11:13
and we forget we on the show I just
11:15
wanted to say while we're on that topic
11:17
and while we're talking about you know
11:18
just that vision of the Black Star Line
11:21
I think that you know when we talk about
11:23
chance and we see the different things
11:25
that he's done throughout his career
11:26
whether it's like the gramys or entering
11:28
the billboard with Acid Rap when it
11:30
wasn't even it's always things that are
11:32
very new and he's always the first to do
11:35
it and I think that when it comes to the
11:37
Black Star Line a big piece of myself
11:42
Not only was very happy but also very
11:44
inspired by the trip and some of the
11:48
greatest artists have the ability to
11:50
share their platform and expand the
11:52
perception of their listeners yes so
11:54
going into this album and what it's
11:56
sounding like shout out to my brother
11:57
Chance the Rapper I just want y'all to
12:00
know that that feeling of those 50,000
12:03
people it's there like it's musically
12:06
there the story The Narrative is there
12:08
and that's just the beginning so I did
12:10
just want to make sure that I said that
12:12
and Shout out out chance because he did
12:13
just drop a brand new record as well as
12:15
me buryed live last Thursday we play it
12:17
and it's going hard there go he's
12:20
killing it too on that he's he's doing
12:22
it right he's talking on oh no he's I
12:24
got to send you some of these other s
12:27
plays I'd brother plays his role down so
12:29
you know it was always from the very
12:31
beginning known that it was important to
12:34
us to see whether or not if sway would
12:35
be willing to come with us because what
12:38
people don't understand is at the level
12:39
I always call him The Godfather yeah
12:42
just that in the when I see whenever I
12:44
talk about you I tell everybody you are
12:46
The Godfather you've opened the door for
12:49
all of these artists for
12:51
generations for
12:53
Generation Taylor's
12:55
interview and and you know sometimes
12:58
when you need some people walk into the
13:00
room where they get involved they bring
13:02
legitimacy yeah they bring legitimacy so
13:06
I wasn't surprised I did I wasn't there
13:08
when it at that particular moment when
13:10
chance said you got it because he was
13:13
involved in all the front we knew oh my
13:15
God man listen do you remember that you
13:17
did something where you were doing you
13:18
were interviewing folks interv all the
13:20
cameras were around you uhhuh do you
13:23
remember I think I'm trying to remember
13:24
was this back remember no so remember so
13:27
the reason why we had you come out there
13:29
it was a big deal no it was a big deal
13:31
and I no but I understand cuz again how
13:33
many interviews do you do but yo and the
13:36
biggest thing to my dad's point was
13:38
always the understanding of the impact
13:40
again growing up watching you in my
13:42
living room that you have on the
13:43
community and also the respect that you
13:45
have and the legitimacy that you bring
13:47
to the genre so I'm thinking you don't
13:50
even see it man you walk down the
13:51
hallway at the hotel how folks look at
13:54
you people start walking behind you I
13:56
feel like I'm looking at a little people
13:57
period want to be
14:00
pict that was happening at the hotel
14:02
this was happening at the hotel I listen
14:04
man you you're so humble the hallway I
14:08
was
14:11
say he doesn't understand Kenny because
14:13
I think that sway he was so excited to
14:17
go and I think for us being his work
14:20
family you know as well the buildup and
14:23
the excitement he was just so excited to
14:25
be there he didn't know what to expect
14:27
but he knew he was going with good
14:29
people if that makes sense so you
14:31
automatically know that you you you're
14:33
protected and you're safe and your
14:35
spirit is safe he's family family family
14:39
he's protected my sons and and listen I
14:42
always I've always seen what he's done
14:43
for artists I mean basically generations
14:47
of of artists you know but he I talk
14:51
about you know legitimizing or giving
14:53
legitimacy his presence when he walks
14:56
everybody pays attention I can't even
14:59
understand how you don't remember all
15:01
those cameras around you there was a
15:03
period I came no it was crazy we had a
15:06
there you were talking you came out
15:09
there and it was the middle of the day
15:12
we it was before the festival even
15:14
started and we sat down in the middle of
15:16
the field and chance had his whole
15:17
camera team he was like I want yeah
15:21
stopped the sound check he was like we
15:23
talking I ran up on the stage and
15:25
stopped the soundtrack check because you
15:29
chance sound check it was another artist
15:31
in sound we was like y'all going to have
15:32
to calm down it was Toby and wig you
15:35
remember you remember hey Toby we love
15:38
you though we love Toby when you said
15:40
that I had to stop the soundtrack I know
15:42
exactly what you talking about we was on
15:44
the side I ran up there and I'm like I'm
15:46
I'm sorry I love y'all the Godfather's
15:50
talking right oh wow if y'all can give
15:51
me just a few M moments I promise
15:54
because you were talking and we but we
15:56
appreciate what they did at the concert
15:58
they're performance was
16:00
outstanding yeah man yeah that was um
16:03
shout out to Toby and wigway and all the
16:05
performers that was there it was
16:07
incredible uh Kenny thank you brother I
16:10
I really I really appreciate that and um
16:13
to answer your question too Heather it's
16:16
exactly what Taylor said when I landed I
16:18
saw the flight attended the pilot the
16:21
the the person who drive the taxi the
16:23
person at the hotel they check you in
16:25
the police officer everything it wasn't
16:28
NE necessary to
16:30
be you know that that that that
16:32
construct that constru that
16:35
construct black that word that's a
16:38
construct I don't know the 1500s 1600s
16:41
when it was introduced and I'm talking I
16:44
shouldn't be talking like this and I
16:46
feel you I agree with and that was to
16:48
give people uh that's how they kept us
16:50
separated you know when I was in GH I
16:53
felt garan yes well he came back last
16:56
night he came back and started walking
16:58
down hallways around here screaming the
17:00
black man is God and then we had to like
17:02
hide because we were like we're all
17:04
going to get fired and then we had
17:07
name g did he had a new name was G oh
17:11
that was my name every time I talk they
17:14
play this we play this hey welcome to
17:17
the show citizens blah blah we play the
17:18
drums right all right man is black man
17:23
is God man hey man welcome Taylor and
17:25
Kenny back to the show go
17:28
yes sir so this new project is fueled by
17:33
this Gyan experience um kind of like
17:36
yeah definitely I think in terms of like
17:38
the self-expression and um just the
17:42
openness I think the idea to be willing
17:44
to create in a different space and to be
17:47
uncomfortable and I know you know like
17:49
the um latest project that I put out the
17:51
coming of age project was in that same
17:53
vein so like traveling there I was
17:56
already experiencing expressing myself
17:59
from a space of openness but then when I
18:01
went to Ghana and this was a big thing
18:03
and you guys know this and that's why
18:05
I'm so happy that we're having this
18:06
conversation today I was inspired to do
18:09
more research on the history of black
18:11
music so um I know last time that the
18:16
main thing that basically inspired the
18:17
previous project coming of age before
18:19
this new single too much was the idea of
18:22
looking into the roots of Chicago so you
18:24
got records row you got Muddy Waters you
18:26
got all of these like amazing
18:29
Chicago bus owners that were black and
18:32
that were totally killing the music
18:35
industry and then what happened when I
18:38
went to Ghana and that's what had
18:39
inspired me to get into rock and roll
18:41
and to feel comfortable because I think
18:43
a lot of times and I was talking about
18:44
this with a friend of mine yesterday
18:46
when you hear rock music even though
18:48
that's some [ __ ] Chuck Barry that's us
18:50
like we made that right but we have
18:52
gotten to a point where some of the
18:54
greatest rock and roll artists are not
18:56
black and if it's not like um I think it
19:00
was like the Rolling Stones that like
19:01
paid homage to Howland wolf and Muddy
19:05
Waters that a lot of them don't speak
19:07
about it and it's almost become a thing
19:09
where rock music isn't our so I felt
19:11
weird even going into it and then I got
19:14
that you know that that uh inspiration
19:18
to do it but then when I went to
19:20
Ghana I was
19:22
also and this is what you guys are going
19:24
to like I was getting back into hip-hop
19:25
I started to write hip-hop music ask you
19:28
that because one of the reasons why I
19:30
started doing the alternative rock is
19:32
like you said I do believe that a lot of
19:37
institutionalized
19:39
systematic realities are made as a
19:43
construct right so like I do feel like
19:46
me only listening to hip-hop music and
19:49
only doing things that I felt like I
19:51
should do based off representations of
19:53
things I'd see in the media was limiting
19:56
me from experience boing you a full
19:59
Artist as a full person like [ __ ] the
20:01
[ __ ] even a full artist like as a person
20:04
the music that I was constantly taking
20:06
in was only a fraction of what the real
20:08
world was but it was what people wanted
20:10
me to be you know what I'm saying so
20:13
when I had a conversation shout out to
20:16
an amazing uh artist and journalist from
20:18
Chicago named Cody Mack he was like yo I
20:21
see all the success you're have and I
20:23
love it he was like but I feel like you
20:25
can pull some of that positivity from
20:27
hip-hop and I think that we really need
20:30
you and I was like hip hop needs me I
20:33
was like oh [ __ ] I was like this what
20:36
I've been waiting for that's the Batman
20:38
signal and and I immediately like No Cap
20:42
but this was all like you said it was
20:43
very much inspired by the trip um and
20:45
also like you know the music and those
20:48
different things but immediately after
20:50
that when I came back to Chicago I was
20:52
like yo and you guys know this my
20:54
favorite rapper is Jay-Z and you know
20:56
like I love his raps but I also love him
20:57
as a businessman so like I've always
21:00
been a fan of how authentic and organic
21:02
he painted Marcy and how the feelings I
21:05
believe one of the reasons why Jay-Z was
21:07
so successful is because at a time of
21:10
fast food in the industry he was really
21:12
cooking and he was really not just from
21:14
the music but the videos were on point
21:17
everybody had the you had to have the
21:19
The Rock aware the [ __ ] on
21:22
the if you weren't you in the liced
21:25
place the sneakers alcohol and a lot of
21:27
that stuff even though like he still
21:29
does it he was doing that before he had
21:32
all the funds to really do it but he
21:33
understood the idea of perception and
21:35
also serving your your listeners and
21:38
your audience the best that you can and
21:40
people feel that like when you eat food
21:42
what they want to eat and I felt like
21:45
for me being independent there's a
21:47
perspective of Chicago that's only a
21:49
certain space that's been shown and that
21:51
includes myself as well um but the
21:54
history of Chicago and I know you guys
21:56
know this like house music Started With
21:58
Frankie Knuckles and um ghetto house
22:01
music and then juking and footworking
22:04
that has a history of over 40 plus 50
22:06
years like and something that we talk
22:08
about all the time that's super
22:10
interesting for hip-hop too and this is
22:12
what really made me do the new record
22:14
and all these other records that I got
22:16
coming is like when I was young my mom
22:18
used to love uh the love below like the
22:21
outcast record but because it was kind
22:23
of explicit she didn't play it in the
22:25
car so like when we would get home she
22:27
would usually play it maybe be in her
22:28
bedroom or somewhere else or I hear her
22:30
while she's cleaning and we're laying
22:31
down I Love Lil Wayne I couldn't play
22:34
that [ __ ] in my dad's
22:35
car because it was too explicit go DJ
22:38
what about okay go DJ yeah no I feel you
22:41
I wanted to play it that especially in
22:43
the car easy he was like n basically
22:46
bringing that up to say how love not
22:47
even how to love what the love for the
22:50
creative did for me and my family and I
22:53
don't think it's just us is there was
22:55
kind of a generational disconnect and
22:58
there was a separation that was
22:59
happening every time we entertained
23:01
ourselves based off the fact that we
23:03
didn't feel comfortable getting this
23:04
entertainment or showing it with each
23:06
other Juke music is something and not
23:09
even just Juke music but ghetto house
23:11
music house music and especially
23:13
footworking are all things that are
23:15
nostalgic to Chicagoans and we see them
23:17
at a very early age so like I don't know
23:20
if you guys have ever heard of the BB
23:21
bican parade but in Chicago there's a
23:23
parade on the south side of
23:25
Chicago the what parade it's called the
23:27
bud bicin
23:29
you could call it the bud for right um
23:32
but the whole idea is that it's a parade
23:34
on the south side and there's all these
23:36
different organizations uh sum are drill
23:38
teams So for anybody that's not familiar
23:40
with drill teams they kind of have these
23:41
different drills that they do with like
23:43
I just posted one on my Instagram by way
23:45
I just saw that all right there we go so
23:46
you know what I'm talking about um
23:48
anybody else that don't go check it out
23:50
right about your Instagram at Taylor
23:52
Bennett make sure y'all check it out um
23:53
it's a great example but
23:55
footworking um the band
23:59
um a lot of I would say similarities if
24:01
you've never been to bikin of maybe what
24:03
you would see at like a HBCU performance
24:06
or a battle of the band so it's all
24:08
about the drums it's all about the
24:10
movement and it's a very Community
24:13
organized thing that happens every year
24:15
and it means the world to Chicago so
24:18
like these different things have been
24:21
going on so long within Chicago that
24:23
after I had gotten past like the Muddy
24:25
Waters and the Sam cooks and I was in an
24:30
understanding of something that directly
24:32
related to me because when I was a kid
24:34
we threw Juke parties yeah so like Juke
24:36
parties all you need is a basement and
24:38
some stroll lights and some tracks or
24:41
some ghetto house music which uh could
24:43
be you guys might be more familiar with
24:45
like DJ cashmir he made the
24:47
percolator perc make way for the percor
24:50
that was like kind of the the moving
24:53
from house music to more of that and
24:55
then what did they that that's what they
24:57
call ghetto what did they call that perc
25:00
so genre would fall under ghetto house
25:03
music GTO cuz Juke music isn't there's
25:05
no real such thing as Juke music it's
25:07
more of like the environment and the way
25:09
that you dance so King King Charles for
25:11
example oh [ __ ] come man y know I know
25:14
man come on I know you know I know you
25:16
know shout out King Charles man King
25:19
Charles man so for example that culture
25:21
is that footwork or is that that's
25:23
footworking okay so I mean but
25:25
technically footworking started off in
25:28
the Juke culture and then it expanded in
25:30
the same way that Juke expanded from
25:31
ghetto house music into something that's
25:33
its own community so it's a lot of
25:35
people shout out to them that you know
25:36
are King Charles incredible he been
25:39
spreading around the world yeah yeah
25:41
shout out Tech shout out um shout out
25:44
man man shout out Subzero shout out all
25:46
the guys that pulled up to my party last
25:47
sat I threw a big ass Juke party so
25:50
that's what we doing with this too is
25:51
like the ideas like I was saying I like
25:54
this it's about building the community
25:56
right so like we're throwing these
25:58
parties like almost every other weekend
26:00
and they're cracking and they're Juke
26:02
parties and it's all about people coming
26:03
out and dancing and having a good time
26:06
but it's also our people you know what
26:08
I'm saying and it's also about us
26:10
capturing and now having the ability to
26:12
push this content to the mainstream cuz
26:15
for Chicago like Juke culture footwork
26:18
Culture House music culture it means the
26:21
world to us and I think sometimes what
26:24
I'm seeing is that some people don't
26:27
know that yet mhm you know and you know
26:29
it's always about showing the whole
26:31
Chicago so again like kind of in the
26:33
same way that Jay-Z was like I'm going
26:34
show an authentic way of New York it
26:36
inspired me to say I'mma open this
26:38
studio we gonna have three Studio
26:40
sessions open at a time we invited all
26:42
Chicago producers all Chicago artists
26:45
all Chicago directors all Chicago
26:47
graphic designers and we packed out this
26:49
studio every Sunday for about 12 Sundays
26:52
with probably like 50 to 60 people and
26:55
that also came as a challenge and I
26:57
don't think this idea just exist in
26:59
Chicago but I was having the same or
27:01
another conversation with Cody Mack
27:03
where he was saying that he felt like
27:05
maybe I was just different and the way
27:07
that I which I agree everybody's
27:09
different but the way that I viewed
27:11
going after certain things was different
27:13
than the the grind that other people had
27:15
I was like no I was like people just
27:16
don't have the access you know what I'm
27:18
saying so that was also a challenge that
27:20
we did to do that and he executive
27:22
produced and helped me work with it
27:23
along with Chris Mento my father and
27:25
zakor uh forever man shout out to him
27:28
but overall the whole idea was like
27:31
we're going to do this for Chicago by
27:33
Chicago and we're going to pay an
27:35
authentic vision and then shout out to
27:37
the Director D gains the legend uh that
27:40
worked with Chief Keef and did I don't
27:42
like and did Lil Durk and Lou and he's
27:45
was and still is like the most legendary
27:48
director from Chicago say his name d
27:51
games bring him up
27:54
hereit gam come on up man so the name of
27:57
the project is
27:58
the name of the brand new record is too
28:00
much and um it's featuring King Louie
28:03
and la la too much and we calling it a
28:06
Chicago record and it's it's getting
28:08
cracking right now all right we gonna
28:09
play that in a second shout out to King
28:11
Louie one our first broadcast remember
28:13
the first time I went to Chicago to do a
28:15
broadcast King Lou yes came through man
28:19
we see I always see him every time I
28:20
would go to Chicago I'll see he's
28:22
Chicago man all right listen you got
28:24
some people on the line a lot of people
28:27
let's go through them fellas uh people
28:29
uh quick question we got Ryan on the
28:32
line what's up Ryan go ahead up Ryan
28:34
what's good hey hey I just want to say
28:37
man I totally agree with with what
28:39
Taylor is doing sway you are the Hip Hop
28:41
Godfather you have been a documentarian
28:43
for Juke I don't know if you remember 18
28:45
years ago you came to Chicago and did my
28:47
block Chicago and you gave us that
28:49
Spotlight and here we are 18 years later
28:52
we're here 18 years later with Taylor
28:54
about to take it to the next level and
28:55
making you know making America Juke
28:58
again
29:00
because Juke is a is an Juke and
29:04
footwork is an expression of an emotions
29:06
for Chicagoans right it encompasses the
29:08
pain the trauma the happiness the
29:10
success that we have here it's that
29:12
physical outlet that Chicago on Tab to
29:14
be able to let go so you know it also
29:17
speaks to that blues and that gospel
29:18
culture that we have here in Chicago and
29:20
for him to put a spotlight on it and
29:22
really just amplify Jew culture it is
29:24
time it is time it's been a long time
29:26
coming and I'm so happy little that you
29:28
are doing this for the hey we here we at
29:30
the top of the charts I Would S we
29:33
bringing we bringing the whole Chicago
29:35
culture to the front lens that's what we
29:37
doing I appreciate you chicag I here to
29:40
support you hey Ryan Ryan you were you
29:43
were in that dock you were in the doc
29:46
yes you sent you thatc like two week ago
29:49
right pull up the video I'm right there
29:51
standing a big white XT talking to you
29:54
you were talking to me Kiana and also uh
29:58
these guys I know this
30:00
dude [ __ ] man y'all giving me
30:03
chill yeah we threw we threw a came to
30:05
the neighborhood we yeah it was a whole
30:08
block
30:09
party yo everybody came out it's bro
30:12
that's what we do like it's a whole
30:14
thing hey thank you so much for for even
30:17
calling in funny how the world work
30:20
funny how the world work because Chris
30:22
Chris Mento his brother and I are best
30:25
friends and I came out to Taylor's party
30:27
the other night and that party is what
30:29
Chicago is all about okay it's all about
30:31
not the drill music Chicago has been
30:34
painted a bad picture with the drill
30:35
music but Taylor has a unique
30:37
opportunity to change the narrative in
30:39
Chicago with this Juke culture he has it
30:42
appreciate it man and we taking get
30:44
these kids out of the street and stop
30:45
killing each other by way of getting
30:47
back to juking you have that opportunity
30:49
bro and I'm here to help if you need my
30:50
assistance bro I appreci shout out to
30:52
you family hey we throwing more Juke
30:54
parties next week next week next week so
30:57
make sure you slide to the next we got
30:59
to pull up we going to be out there in
31:00
the
31:01
18th we're in Chicago May the 18th oh
31:04
we're going to throw a big ass Juke
31:05
party for y'all that's a thing then we
31:07
would have to thing we got a we got a
31:09
part got an event we have a charity
31:11
event we're doing on what day May 18th
31:14
that's Sunday yeah that's Saturday throw
31:15
a just th a Juke Party On th Saturday
31:18
yeah that's Satur okay maybe Saturday
31:19
night I will throw a Juke party for sure
31:21
on Saturday night age get her to agree I
31:23
already said I'mma beat here Saturday
31:25
night yeah Saturday night
31:28
I'm free after 10:00 hey Ryan you're a
31:30
citizen man thank you brother hey Ryan I
31:32
do you know what he's speaking about is
31:35
18 years ago uh we took
31:37
MTV and we used to do a series called my
31:40
block and we wanted to do exactly what
31:42
you're talking about I was 22 years old
31:44
when you came out and interviewed us I
31:46
can't wait to look back at that tape and
31:48
I'mma remember see back at that tape I'm
31:50
standing right next to you big white
31:52
shirt shy tame it we're coming back
31:54
hopefully Taylor just opens up you know
31:55
I brought him this big white too
31:58
ran you know I brought sway his T-shirt
32:00
got me a Juke t-shirt straight from the
32:01
south side we got an airbrush make
32:03
America Juke again make
32:06
americae man come on I got that when you
32:08
come to the Juke party you make sure you
32:10
on the night of the
32:12
18th sou yes sir from the back of the
32:15
Yard Man and I could Juke too Ryan don't
32:18
stop don't don't get me
32:21
out doing too much there we go I mean
32:24
it's it's not as fast as King Charles
32:26
but yeah man Ryan list real quick we we
32:30
did this docu series and went inside of
32:32
Chicago and we covered you culture we we
32:35
we we went in every neighborhood I
32:38
remember interviewing Ryan Fest in the
32:39
alley you know um we we went to we
32:43
wanted to uncover and show everything
32:45
that made Chicago great um in this in
32:49
this docu series so I do remember it bro
32:51
and I I remember going to that about
32:54
timing you know what way and I cut you
32:56
off it's all about timing all about
32:58
right now at that time 18 years ago
33:00
Chicago was not ready but now given all
33:02
the thing that's going on with our youth
33:04
Chicago is ready for a change and this
33:06
can be the push so like I'm all behind
33:09
this campaign of making America Juke
33:12
again because it's time there you go my
33:14
man Ryan you a super citizen man in the
33:16
morning good shout out to my good folks
33:18
the shahim Reed the Sha Le's the you
33:21
know the Rous the different people who
33:24
came out uh ran Dukes for uh My Block
33:27
Chicago houon we did Puerto Rico we did
33:30
all these Memphis that's when I first
33:33
metti and people didn't know who yti was
33:36
at that time crazy
33:39
wow man every time they come here we
33:41
usually end up crying you be crying you
33:44
know well Taylor be crying tougher I
33:47
always cry yeah I'm a little bit tougher
33:49
no I was ready to cry as soon as you
33:51
started the thing but I told myself I
33:52
was like whatever he starts saying in
33:55
the first five
33:56
minutes hold tell don't let him that's
33:59
usually when I get him the first five
34:01
and I'm looking at him yeah let me tell
34:03
you what else about you to make you
34:04
great you know um when the album coming
34:08
man the album's coming soon yo me and
34:10
ch's album is coming soon y'all doing a
34:12
joint album or separate separate albums
34:14
man um but you know it's a beautiful
34:16
thing when it's a family business and
34:18
then you're also independent um even
34:20
like we just mentioned he dropped the
34:22
track buried alive I dropped the track
34:23
too much we released on the same day so
34:26
like you know wasn't like we was like oh
34:29
months and months and months before we
34:30
going to do this it was just like this
34:31
is what we want to do this is how we
34:32
going to move you know we have the
34:33
partners lined up and you know so uh it
34:36
could happen whenever you know but I'll
34:38
say for sure with my music I'm back to
34:41
hip-hop and I'm really back not just for
34:43
hip-hop but I'm really back for the
34:46
throne of this [ __ ] oh [ __ ] okay I know
34:50
it sounds crazy toar battling out here
34:51
you you going have to go through a few
34:53
battles no I will say I'm definitely
34:56
ready to go through all the battles but
34:57
secondly it's two different Thrones so
35:00
like you know like there's like the
35:01
throne like [ __ ] is like yo I got the
35:03
it's more of like I love hip-hop so much
35:08
and I love music but my first love of
35:11
music was hip-hop so it's like mcing
35:16
rapping [ __ ] Heather you know what I'm
35:19
talking about you know what I'm saying
35:20
like Heather be like I really like
35:22
hip-hop and you guys know there's been
35:24
so many different hip-hop artists like
35:25
Bianca Shaw that I've worked with and
35:28
yeah I got a passion for it to the point
35:31
where I understand the impact that it
35:34
has on us so I almost and I know this
35:36
[ __ ] sounds crazy I don't really feel
35:38
like I got an option you know like y'all
35:40
just heard you know um Ryan Ryan on the
35:45
phone I don't think a lot of us feel
35:47
like we got you know like too much but
35:49
it's it's time to do you know what I'm
35:52
saying time to do we got your back too
35:55
Taylor Bennett hey man I want to thank
35:57
y'all for coming up I normally put you
35:59
to work I'm going to give you a pass
36:00
today oh you crazy you're out of town
36:03
right you saying you wasn't going to
36:04
have me rap huh yeah I was going to give
36:07
you a pass I know he lying no no I was
36:09
going to give you a pass today want to
36:12
shout out the people that's on the you
36:13
know you got a lot of people on the ho
36:15
man shout him out sway all right I want
36:17
to shout he don't believe nothing I'm
36:19
saying like youing basic and Chicago he
36:22
said the new record he got is good for
36:24
Chicago culture he's talking about too
36:26
much we're going to play that
36:27
momentarily madg says congrats on his
36:29
new song um Dre says big big him up for
36:32
making the song another folks from
36:35
Chicago Taylor Bennett is a advocate for
36:38
Chicago shout out to Taylor for doing
36:40
his thing you got a you got a lot of
36:42
listen Chicago telling you like it's
36:44
going down right now in Chicago like it
36:46
is like you know and I'll just say this
36:48
too cuz I've been on here a lot of times
36:51
this is probably like the biggest wave
36:53
of a song that I felt and I've also you
36:56
know a lot of music you can write and
36:57
it's like I'm writing this because this
36:59
is how I feel but I really feel like
37:01
Chicago is embracing this and the reason
37:03
why I made the record was for my city so
37:06
every time that we talk about it I feel
37:08
honored you know what I'm saying
37:10
absolutely man um Taylor Bennett y'all
37:12
the song he's talking about the new
37:14
single is too much with King Lou and la
37:16
la too much too much uh Kenny I want to
37:19
thank you for those powerful words man
37:21
you my brother brother you know and I
37:24
and I appreciate every time man and I'm
37:26
humbled in your presence and um the love
37:28
that your family has shown me is so pure
37:31
well we thank you ah thank you man I
37:33
still ain't got I still ain't got the
37:35
dinner at home yet but uh man how they
37:38
took you to Africa bro they took me to
37:40
Africa but they didn't you know take to
37:42
the chicken over everything hey no we
37:45
could definitely and it's what's cool is
37:48
that now that I know that that's what
37:49
you mean by dinner I'm super way more
37:51
fat like let's do that come to the crib
37:53
I hate I mean we got amazing food but
37:56
you know going out with your family it's
37:58
like man we could do this at the crib
38:00
yeah what's your favorite place to go
38:02
out um in Chicago yeah so my favorite
38:05
place to go get food in Chicago is is
38:07
herold's chicken for sure that's where
38:09
we got robbed yeah okay yeah wasn't
38:13
because not Harold's Chicken it's just
38:15
that neighborhood I was that's what
38:16
that's the chicken spot I was trying to
38:18
remember my first thought was you could
38:19
get robbed anywhere so I was like okay
38:21
that has nothing to do with Harold's
38:23
Chicken Harold's Chicken is the bomb
38:24
okay yeah Harold's Chicken is the bomb
38:25
okay so that's what you like to eat um
38:27
yeah for sure I love heroes chicken um I
38:30
would say like like hang out like where
38:33
we go out though yeah um a lot of times
38:36
like shout out to the Promontory like
38:37
that's a huge venue on the south side
38:39
it's in High Park um and it's like a lot
38:41
of different kind of parties that go on
38:43
there not just like you know
38:45
specifically uh African-American but you
38:47
know African nights and you know all
38:50
different kinds of like I know they have
38:51
some Jamaican stuff going on there yeah
38:53
like virtue and High Park yeah virtue
38:56
and High Park
38:59
delous no I mean of course oh wait wait
39:01
no hey don't get me in trouble Chicago
39:04
home of chicken and waffles Chicago home
39:07
chicken I love y'all all right you ask
39:09
me where I like to go ah there you go
39:11
like to go to the Valley of the
39:16
highas
39:18
it's let's go DB drop a beat on him he
39:22
don't even know what it is Taylor
39:24
Bennett give me something turn that up
39:26
me something they telling me I got to
39:28
give the kids something yeah yeah yeah
39:31
yeah yeah yeah yeah they want to give
39:33
them motivation want to give them
39:34
inspiration but the man's manipulating
39:36
everything that I've been saying go up
39:38
uh hold up uh go up uh show enough uh I
39:43
told them [ __ ] that I'm back from the
39:44
throne it's off of the Dome invasion is
39:46
home I really been grown I came up off
39:48
of the show I'm back with sway yes
39:50
that's today and now I will never pass
39:52
away or pass it off I keep rapping off
39:55
of the top like my tap slipped off or my
39:57
hat slipped off I got a couple different
39:59
things that I'm trying to say but I'mma
40:01
get them out at the end of the day the
40:03
day gonna end that's what big glow
40:05
steady saying shout out to Big glow man
40:08
I'm big glow T every single time that I
40:10
come through spraying they know that we
40:12
collapse and it's tragic and what
40:13
happens is Magic I pull it out of the
40:15
Hat it's a trick matter of fact it's not
40:17
it's a wish if she want to know she
40:19
could get with this she could get with
40:21
that but I don't get with this you you
40:22
know you know you know you know uh you
40:25
know they tell lies like Pinocchio I
40:27
could tell by the way they pke their
40:29
nose they don't want to talk to me cuz
40:30
they know that I only goes never froze
40:32
but I got three kids at home and they
40:34
love to watch Frozen they love to like
40:36
Moana they like to watch anything no
40:39
dramas but I be straight snapping on
40:41
this piranhas and if I put them to sleep
40:43
they got on their pajamas I am a great
40:45
dad and I stand on that [ __ ] we got
40:48
footwork and all the kids need a new mix
40:50
they want to tell us s drugs we don't do
40:52
that [ __ ] man I'm counting up money
40:54
stupid ass little [ __ ] I got the money
40:56
on me and I got the rec label LLC I put
40:58
it on a calculator it's a decimal cater
41:00
I meant to say it's way too manipulated
41:02
if I crippled them then I ain't mean to
41:04
say I really did it ooh ooh ooh yeah I'm
41:07
straight rapping and then if it's not
41:10
then it's still going I'm flowing uh uh
41:12
uh hey you know what I could you know I
41:15
could keep going but I actually wrote a
41:18
specific for Chicago that I got to do on
41:21
your show you want to do that right now
41:22
can we do it right now okay all right I
41:24
like that off the top of the head that
41:26
that's a true
41:28
I know you got to go to the next oh you
41:30
listening okay the next show it's 6:00
41:34
tonight
41:36
okay I'm like I wasn't going let me hear
41:38
that written let me hear that
41:40
written okay you got another be for him
41:42
D go this for you no beat no beat it's
41:45
just Acappella cuz I want him to hear
41:46
the words if that's cool what you said
41:48
okay no I want to AC capella all right
41:50
let's get it
41:52
Chicago kicked out the CTA smell like we
41:55
had to walk home all of the guys live
41:56
under Street Life parents is not home
41:58
smoking on my roof cuz my mama left out
42:00
for Costco now she went to Costco I hope
42:03
she get some waffles cuz actually should
42:05
pick me up from Mad Insanity holding on
42:07
my own head run my arms cuz you abandon
42:09
me looking at this TV and looking
42:10
outside society's plans for me someday
42:12
stand outside with all the guys there
42:14
with the sty and do they PL are free ser
42:16
and dismantle dreams I don't want to
42:17
know about everything I be scared to go
42:19
outside social anxiety searching
42:21
entirely it's a variety through so
42:22
variety I see necessity all in a recipe
42:24
I don't feel special I need some
42:25
accessor especially when I'm that bad
42:26
Ain catching me testing me wrestle me
42:28
this is my legacy something I better be
42:29
greatness ahead of me death in the back
42:30
of me this my anatomy took on some
42:32
felonies FES casualties hate that I got
42:33
to look back at a track and react it's
42:35
only some chattering that [ __ ] is
42:36
shattering feels like the dagger is
42:37
having you harder than ever but I canot
42:38
measure in treachery you canot manage my
42:40
destiny aiming a record some record it
42:42
took me a second to get it together but
42:43
now it's forever no matter the weather
42:44
my rhetoric better matching my happiness
42:46
with a little cheddar trying to progress
42:47
I a't trying to be clever cuz me and bro
42:49
just had a dollar we love 50 Cent cakes
42:51
and enough money in a world to make
42:53
somebody feel safe but there's so much
42:55
love in a world when somebody Fly Away
42:57
that they could take 1 million followers
42:58
right down to their grave so I got
43:00
questions for these labels and they
43:01
partners is paid have you ever ow to
43:03
lost your partner to a k and now you
43:05
popping pills today cuz you got moves
43:07
you got to make to that drill [ __ ]
43:08
louder can have a fing out today and the
43:11
real trick is they monetizing every play
43:13
from the record that you spent at a jail
43:14
cell where you lay facts facts facts
43:18
what if I told you your life was part of
43:19
a business and even if you don't rap
43:21
somebody gets a percentage you could
43:23
work inside the office or work inside of
43:25
a prison it all looks like a in school
43:27
suspension said it all feels like we in
43:30
here pretending as a clock spins one
43:32
more time for New Beginnings it's the GU
43:34
in me manmade time I don't feel it now
43:36
rock with me one more time if y'all feel
43:38
it cuz it's way too much love in this
43:40
world to be concealing know it's tough
43:42
love like big said in my city this rap
43:44
money don't change lives it makes a
43:46
distance allows them to present us
43:48
persistence and US submission treat us
43:50
like politicians elect the views that
43:51
you sponsor he ain't turn to a monster
43:53
we just been supporting nonsense Shing
43:55
on all us the conscious how we the Ty is
43:57
the internet's influential and infinite
43:59
out of school how we going to have them
44:01
learning lessons still figuring out the
44:02
rules who's the real hater if be
44:04
yourself isn't cool the independent
44:06
route gave me many doubts but I've been
44:08
in plenty bouts without any clout the
44:10
gift I have is words nerve and money I
44:12
could Splurge you see that reup gave me
44:13
Freedom just like Jay say in his songs
44:15
I'm a rapper not a hustler don't you
44:17
ever get that wrong I flunked out of
44:19
college sending Gmail in my songs to
44:21
SoundCloud Spotify Apple title all cuz I
44:24
believed I could fly out towards the
44:26
sunrise to pass my alumni cuz I was
44:28
always dumb High used to run the streets
44:30
where my ideas could break a treadmill
44:32
now my work outstanding I still get
44:34
depressed though the plug still my best
44:36
friend the light that Sparks up every
44:38
issue that I lost rest in still cave in
44:40
my chest down like Pirates Investments
44:42
they lied the world gets bigger I'm
44:44
looking at three sons the ties going
44:46
rise but that I Glocks go Fe fum cuz one
44:48
thing I W be is dead beat in the street
44:51
son Chicago the Great Chicago Stand Up
44:54
Chicago stand up York Chicago
44:58
he's headed for the
45:00
thr man let's do it Taylor Ben
45:03
Chicago I love it bar son bar son I love
45:08
you brother thank you thank you for
45:09
seeing us today man than come on man
45:12
Kenny I love you brother let's
45:14
experience this disc record together
45:16
let's do it all right Tracy this is the
45:19
brand new kri Lamar official response to
45:22
Drake it's called Euphoria yo Pap
45:24
responses
45:28
n
45:30
[Music]
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