Cofresi puts the city on the map with his latest single and music video, DAYLIGHT! Making his way to Chicago suburb, Wilmette to film in front of the iconic Bahá’í House of Worship and its nearby beaches. Splicing in some shots of the Chicago city skyline, live show footage and a wicked aerial of the House of Worship, showing off its beautiful symmetrical architecture. Kyng Dyce and Matisyahu get the invite on the collab, creating an interesting dynamic between the hip hop and reggae vocals, with Cofresi’s future bass and drumming foundation. Another dope uplifting bass track by Cofresi, following up on his remix of LION KING and WARN YA by The Funk Hunters and Defunk, the Chicago drumming sensation never misses!
DILF; if one has to explain the acronym behind DILF then perhaps you should not even be reading an article about a prolific Chicago emcee by the name of CantBuyDeem. “Life’s too full I shouldn’t be hungry.” “Truth is, I was homeless the day I found out I’d have my shorty two years later had a Jag with the emblem.” These lyrics of the intro track POPS feat. Jae Haze stuck out the most. The idea of rags to riches, and how CantBuyDeem is flipping fatherhood into more of an attractive endeavor than most might think.
“Been a ‘pops’ for 14 years and still got that work!;” raps Jae Haze, reminding listeners of his crowning and longevity in being a father. Celebrating fatherhood is something clearly lacking in all musical forms, not just hip hop. CantBuyDeem taking this approach is swinging home runs far past left field. The next track on the collaboration LP by CantBuyDeem and DJ Skoli is ON BRO featuring Rank Jenson. A catchy, hype song about the respect and recognition, that goes along with building yourself up as a man and a business. CantBuyDeem references all of the different individuals and things he can promise his word, and that is on bro.
Track 3 is a skit, and features a voice over snippet from CantBuyDeem’s daughter talking about him being the smelliest dad in the whole wide world. Its quite the funny and poignant hip hop skit to go along with the theme of fatherhood. His skit placement fits perfectly and the structure of this record already is impeccable with its pacing. DJ Skoli’s production and engineering is on point; hearing CantBuyDeem’s voice and sound be so crispy on the record is really enjoyable!
Track 4 is Lil Goofy leading into another skit called Goofy. The song is a rolling bass filled beat with lil goofy repeated after every line referencing classic goofy behavior from certain shady and extra individuals. CantBuyDeem’s usage and wordplay with Chicago street language never ceases to amaze with his creativity and ability to inject layers of flavor into his song structures and hooks. A music video to LIL GOOFY by CantBuyDeem recently dropped on YouTube!
If you are a CantBuyDeem fan, then you are familiar that he is a native to the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. In this track 6, he honors his roots and influences being an Englewood baby with a string of lines all referencing different situations of his upbringing and lifestyle. “Englewood baby I’m fucking gorgeous,” rings out to end the record before another soundbite of his daughter cuts in.
Track 7 is a crazy sounding computerized instrumental with CantBuyDeem absolutely assaulting the beat with his memorable punchlines.”That booty blush when daddy spank,” to “if I want it you know ima get it, if I say I want it, I already got it!” There is something about this record that reminds one of prime time Carter albums by Lil Wayne. DILF definitely is a notable heavy weight entry into the CantBuyDeem catalog.
The last two records on the DILF LP are JOYSTICK and PUFFY Remix, both of which feature André “Ohni” Duvall. These two ending tracks are a little different in sonic vibes and production than the previous 7 records and offer a more relaxed, surprising ending to the album by CantBuyDeem. The collaborative LP put out by CantBuyDeem and DJ Skoli is the latest of an ever growing super catalog by the Chicago artists. If you are into Chicago music, DILF needs to be high on your playlist of Chicago albums this summer.
You might have heard of or have even listened to OVERLY DEDICATED, the legendary mixtape by Kendrick Lamar. In slight homage and reference to a portion of the great K.Dot’s catalog, RhymSter, the co-founder of Ever Evolved, started the Overly Dedicated Concert Series in Chicago Illinois to push artists live acumen, keep them sharp and create a community of music industry networking. Already on their 5th installment of the virtual shows, Overly Dedicated is raising the bar for live performances in the Chicago music scene.
Co-hosted by Scotty Rocks at his Dog & Pony Show TV Studios, together they bring in both local and national talent to perform via Twitch and Facebook live stream, to a vast online audience. They have featured recording artist talents you may have seen before such as Orlando Coolridge, CantBuyDeem, Hayward, Charmaine Makeda, Ro$e, RapCrush, Ivan L, Keem Singing, and many more! Overly Dedicated 5 airs once a month, last show being Friday May 21st at 7PM, featuring Chicago artists Big Homie, Azmattic, Essse, OG Poe, Pharoah, Monsoon Staraw, and Frostee Cavanero with contributing sounds from DJ Curt Henny! Reach out to Ever Evolved and RhymSter if you’d like the opportunity to perform at a live limited audience (also exclusive) Overly Dedicated event!
Really showing off her boss status, Alise Da Boss shows you why it is in her name! Recently releasing ALL NIGHT, accompanied with a music video, not only as a reference to celebrations, but to the hustle! “I keep going going going, all mother f**kin night. I only sleep when I’m dead, I gotta get this money right. I stay balling, got that mother fucker drip, they stay callin…” Alise sings on the chorus. Confidence in her lyrics as she counts her bands in her lair, which include a hot tub and massive luxury bed, commanding groupies and acrew of hydraulic trucks in her music video. Draped in jewelry and high fashion, Alise Da Boss looks like she is at the top of her game! Exciting to hear what she has coming next!
Keep Singing & CantBuyDeem never SKIP A BEAT when it comes to making dope tunes. It only makes sense they combine their talents onto a single track, and they went a little further with a music video for their collab SKIP A BEAT. The R&B singer and hip hop aficionado compliment each others style sharing the chorus, with Keem rocking the final verse following Deems opener verses, over a menacing yet melodic beat. “You don’t know the half of it” Deem preaches while Keem doubles up with, “cant walk a mile in these shoes, I don’t skip a beat“. They two acknowledge their individual history and their convictions as they grow to insure sustainability in their life for them selves, their craft and loved ones. SKIP A BEAT debuts as the first single off a collab compilation project, called the LEAGUE CHAMPS, between Chicago artists and Ever Evolved Studios, ranging multiple genres from hip hop, house and metal. The two have a handful of features and drop this taster to tease and foreshadow the LEAGUE CHAMPS LP out June 15.
To say romance makes us think up wild ideas is an understatement! Thankfully we have creatives like Sherrell The Artist that help us process those emotions through music. An R&B artist from Chicago, giving her that edge in her attitude, with a slight hip hop and rap influence, lets her mind go and her passion to guide her on her debut LP, I THOUGHT ABOUT KILLING YOU. Followed up with a concept music video release and a performance on Ever Evolved x The Dog + Pony Show live stream event O.verly D.edicated 3, Sherrell is making big steps in 2021 already.
I THOUGHT ABOUT KILLING YOU, though intense in its title, it contains 7 tracks that are sensual and introspective. Alone her voice is amazing, and in a live setting as she was performing on OD3, it is captivating, as if she was a natural born entertainer. It is even more evident through he performance in her music video for NIGHTS ALONE, as she shows an unlucky number that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. A hit single setting the tone of the LP. Her range does not stop there, really shining in the details of I THOUGHT ABOUT KILLER YOU.
Starting off gentle with AIKO FLOW, Sherrell’s singing quickly joins with the beat, giving life to the LP with her sultry chorus, “Don’t want to go outside, let’s hotbox the covers.” Confessing and wondering in her next track WHY DO WE, singing on the chorus, “We stay fucked up, we like the drugs more than each other… So Why do we do this,” getting deeper lyrically, as well as with the bassline. Getting ever more energy towards the middle of the track with NIGHTS ALONE and DON’T WANT IT, setting her own personal standards for love in the latter track, and reproclaiming her strength in SCARED OF THE DARK. RUNAWAY, a personal favorite off the LP, goes even further to spotlight her range vocally, singing melodically on chorus. Closing off introspectively with INSANE, the LP leaves you wanting more off the energy of the bassline and her flow. A instant masterpiece for her debut LP, Sherrell the Artist has earned herself an endless amount replays, and she still has momentum.
Back with another track, StankNasty is keeping his fire strong with a collaboration with Mikey B. Taking a familiar tune from the Verve, A BITTER SWEET SYMPHONY, turning it into a hip hop influenced tune with a new beat battern. Rather than the somber feeling the original tune is known for, the two artists turn it into a feel good track with their lyrics, on HOLD IT DOWN. Mikey B coming in speaking, “I ain’t trying to ride a first class flight, or live a first class life. Just tryin to reach new heights. Seein’ angels in the sky, leadin’ me on the path to greatness, as I overcome every challenge on the fly.” StankNasty ends off with a good note “Nothing but love in the game raise you glass now cheers, stay motivated, rise to the occasion and have no fear.” Another uplifting song to add to your playlist to keep your day goin smooth, in anticipation for Stank Nasty’s EPIC-EP.
Ill Gordon coming in with a hot message throughout his whole MY PENMANSHIP EP release. Dropped with a music video for DON’T STOP, once you go through listening through this whole project you just want to get up and hustle. As the first single, DON’T STOP is a powerful release, with strong motivating words right off the bat. “With a little bit of vision and some ambition, making all my life dreams coming to fruition, don’t make no excuses just accept the truth.” A hustlers audio bible to get yourself pumped up for the day with the exception of ON MY MIND, dipping into R&B with B. Shantele, to help you get the paper and the girl. Already equipped with projects like CaILLgraphy and ILLionaire this year, he got a playlist to get your mind set for a big move.
Coming across another Chicago artist that takes lyrical content and flow to the next level. Blac Samurai, focuses greatly on lyrical content more so than he does the production on his tracks, however the beat is equal in quality; it just caters to, or emphasizes the words. Armed with a few singles and an EP, Blac Samurai also recently released a full length album called COMPENDIUM. Now with that title, you can tell this artist owns a dictionary, and does not mess around with his words.
Once the beat drops you instantly get that old school, boom bap vibe on the first opening track PLAY ME CLOSE. Blac Samurai was looking for an old school and alternative sound and he nails it, with the balance between old and contemporary styles throughout COMPENDIUM. His next track, U WANT, sounds more modernized, with trap influenced beats, bass and hi hats, snares, but still heavy on a lo-fi ambient energy. This will be the consistent theme throughout the LP, you can comfortably play it out without disrupting its own flow.
Samurai notes that this COMPENDIUM is an album that has taught him patience, evidently from his lyrics in MASK. “Why do you continue to hide these emotions, how can you understand someone else when you never understood yourself, have you ever asked for help?… How do you really feel? Just take off the MASK…” Followed by a beautifully sung verse within the same idea, and a commentary that goes even deeper within the lines of self understanding. KELLY ROWLAND really captures the Notorious BIG 90’s R&B essence, and some Pusha T within DNA and HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW INTERLUDE, with some A$AP Rocky inspiring tracks like KNOW THAT and BRAND NEW on some acid rap. As those artist come to inspire Blac Samurai, he establishes his own flow, style and energy with COMPENDIUM, the full 12 track album is a good one to put on repeat; and he really saves the best one for last, with the smooth jazz hip hop vibes, rightly named WILL BE CROWNED.
New EZY Era is a Chicago born artist with an enigmatic sound. Raised in the multicultural suburbs of Chicago his sound blends as much as his surroundings.
Gridlock Andy
GridLockAndy is a 22 yr old Music Producer from Chicago. He started his music career at 17 making beats in his spare time from home. Eventually moving to his first music studio in 2013. In the beginning of 2014, he moved to his second music studio which was in the back of a cellphone store where he learned how to audio engineer. Later that same yr he teamed up with Rhymster, Frekwenzy, Z3ndoctor, and Will Balonos to rent I studio room in the highly acclaimed Fort Knox studios where they currently house the Ever Evolved headquarters. A could of yrs later in the the spring of 2016 he release his first beat tape “Is Andy Real?” sporting neo-jazz hip hop tracks that defines his sound.
RhymSter
RhymSter
Julian Rodriguez, aka RhymSter, was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. The interest to take on music didnt catch on until he graduated high school in 2010. Looking back on his past, he realized that all his life his family had exposed him to different genres of music such as 80s-90s Hip Hop, Jazz, Rock, Oldies, Soul, House, R&B, & various types of Spanish music. In a way, he was already preparing himself for what was to come.
Julian was a solo artist for some years building his skills and relationship with fellow partners/producers Frekwenzy & GridLockAndy. After some time Julian linked with William Bolanos, Founder of Ever Evolved, to establish a vision that both of them shared musically and creatively. During the time of building the company Julian expanded his creativity into production as well as taking on the business side of Ever Evolved. A jack of all trades is what you can call him.
William Bolanos
EverEvolved Owner
Born and raised in Chicago, Il. I started EverEvolved as a music blog to promote conscious creative music from Chicago. Throughout my life i have been entertained by music of all genres. Music is my one consistent love and seeing it promoted in mainstream television networks in such negative and lazy form, i decided to take matters into my own hands. Making it a mission to open minds to the underground and artists who create original music out of passion rather than greed.
Working along side Rhymster and Frekwenzy at Fort Knox Studios, we quickly transformed EverEvolved into a music studio, event and promotion company. With this platform we not only promote music, we create it and bring it to an audience directly. Hoping to inspire and bring talented individuals together. We aim to create a future of music with class, soul and original style.
Frekwenzy
My name is Ken and I am an engineer/ producer/ and graphic designer out of EverEvolved Studios located near Montrose Blue Line train station in Chicago, IL.
I specialize in EDM and trap based production. I tend to enjoy creating beats from scratch with the people I work with just because I believe in the artistry. It’s always fun to create something organic from scratch. What usually happens in one of my sessions is I would start working on a beat with a lyricist and we would bounce off ideas and give each other critiques.
Xandr
I started gaining an interest in music from a young age. Eventually taking guitar lessons when I was in 6th and 7th grade. Then later into highschool I was musically involved with some friends in a band for a while which just brought me closer and closer to music. Which ultimately lead to me picking up Ableton which completely changed my outlook on music altogether.
As far as to why I do it….well it’s just a part of me. Sitting down to compose and edit music always gives me a really calming rush. Especially knowing that I came from dreaming about as a kid to being here right now.
