The North Coast Music Festival is kicking off its inaugural performance this weekend in Chicago, and a host of Hip Hop heavyweights are set to join in the celebration. Artists like De La Soul, Jay Electronica, Nas, Damian Marley, Lupe Fiasco and many more are slated to hit the stage during the three day festival. A number of rock and electronica acts will also grace the Chicago festival’s stage, including artists like the Chemical Brothers and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Tickets and a complete schedule of events can be found at the festival’s website. With complete three day passes to the festival sold out, individual tickets will now be available for $40 for each day.

Zion I member Zumbi and Trackmaster producer The Are have officially teamed up to form a new group called the Burnerz. Losing no time, the duo has wrapped up the recording of their debut album, which will feature gueat appearances from the likes of the Grouch, OneBeLo, Martin Luther and C-Holiday.

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“Instead of going through layers of editing, we tried to capture the initial emotion of both lyrics and beats for this album,” said Zumbi. 

Although the Burnerz’s debut LP won’t hit stores until October 12, the duo is planning to leak a series of songs not appearing on the album every week up until the release.

Finally, Alaskan emcee Koshir is preparing to release his debut album White Girl Diaries through Montana-based imprint Wapikiya Records and SMC Records. Boasting features from artists like Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Cool Nutz and Luni Corleone, the album finds Koshir working within a variety of different rap sub-genres.

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“I want to be that one that was doubted, that came from nothing and made something better,” he said. “I feel like it’s time to do something different. With White Girl Diaries, the people behind it and the money behind it, it will actually get to some ears, some people that actually have influence.”

White Girl Diaries drops this October 5.