Los Angeles, CA

It’s night 11 of the Red Bull Sound Select Presents: #30DaysInLA concert series. This month-long music festival, which takes place in the month of November each year, attracts audiences for all over the world. This one in particular called for Chi-Town to stand up and represent.

The event, presented by Fake Shore Drive, gave us a look back on the past five years of Chicago Hip Hop and R&B. Aside from featuring Jeremih alongside a stacked bill of Chicago talent, there were also nods to the Windy City’s food and fashion culture along the way. While Fake Shore Drive started in 2007 as primarily a music blog, it has now blossomed into a full-fledged movement.

HipHopDX had the pleasure of catching up with the FSD founder and curator for Red Bull Sound Selects, Andrew Barber. Watch as he names the first artists to pop off in Chicago (Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Lil Reese, King Louie, etc.), followed by “G Herbo with Lil Bibby, and then Chance The Rapper exploded. (“Now he’s like the most famous person I know,” he remarked). Don’t forget Vic Mensa, who Andrew has known since he was 15 years old.

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Throughout the interview, we also discussed how Fake Shore Drive has evolved, Andrew’s own discovery of Hip Hop, watching Vic Mensa and Chance The Rapper turn into superstars, and the craziest show he’s thrown.

“I felt like Chicago, for it being the third biggest city in the United States, the scene was slept on. I would say within the last four, five years, it’s really exploded. I think people didn’t think it was going to last this long,” Barber stating, remembering his drive to start the website.

L.A. was in for a treat this night, as Jeremih proceeds to bring out The Game for “All Eyez,” Natalie La Rose for “Somebody,” and YG for “Don’t Tell ‘Em.” The night also began with a surprise performance by Chief Keef. It was truly a movie.

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Also, be sure to catch Andrew on The Drive on Shade 45 every Sunday night. Chicago Hip Hop is often slept-on but no one can ever accuse them of not having skills.