The new Chicago festival that blows the others out of the water
I woke on August 19th thinking: "Fuck, another Sunday, and the NFL season aint even start yet." Little did I know it would unfold to be one of the best days/nights of my life. Pockets hurting, and stomach churning from too much dark liquor the night before had me yearning to turn the day around, but without the funds to do it. At 1pm I said fuck it, scooped some dutches, the homie, and we took off toward the festival. With no money for tickets, we walked the opposite direction of the massive crowds funneling through admissions. My friend Adrian and I heard Lucki performing and knew we had to see the Chicago legend live for the first time. With security on the outside, mere 100 yards apart, i turn to Adrian and let out a "Lets go." With adrenaline pumping through me, I scaled the 10 foot fence and hopped into the otherside with ease (Sorry Cole Bennett). In fear of security on the inside seeing me and pursuing me I instantly dart into the middle of the dense, high energy crowd that Lucki had gathered during his performance.
Backstage?
After opening a couple of pits during the Fat Nick set, I followed the route he took off stage, walking parallel to him with a 10 foot fence in between us. Soon he took a left and was out of sight and I was left in front of the enterance to get backstage, a mere 3 foot wide split in the fences, guarded by armed security. people were flowing in and out, familiar faces from the hiphop scene, and some, not so much. Producers, Plu2o Nash and Brent Rambo both walked by me as I tried not to fanboy out, little did I know these were just the first industry daps i would recieve throughout the day. Adrian and I had to get backstage, but security was in the way and fence hopping wasn't an option here. Smooth-talking it would be, which turned into emptying my pockets and forking up some cash in exchange to get taken backstage. We paid the man, and were on our way, left backstage under a white gazebo with green turf and white-leather couches laid throughout. The coolers of what seemed like unlimited free 312's was the first place I set up camp around. After a few dozen ounces of liquid confidence I started to wander, in an attempt to meet everyone and anyone I posssibly could. First it was Fat Nick, a real down-to-earth cuddly type fella, then it was Yung Bans as he made his way onstage, and then a murdered out Escalade pulled up to one of the trailers where the artists hung out before going on for their sets. As security gathered around the vehicle, so did me and my buddy Adrian. As the back-driver side door opened, who else, but Lil B the Based God emerges. For the first time I am utterly star-struck. Lil B holds a place in my heart as a hiphop icon and a social icon. His songs "Wonton Soup" and "Bill Bellamy" are associated with some of my favorite memories in High School. And here he was in the flesh, and before I could get a word out, he could see the fandom in my face and waved me over.
"Lil B I love you man, you're a legend,"
"I love you too brotha, appeciate it,"
We snapped a flick, and I went on my way not as to bother him too much right before his performance. The humblesness was what struck me most. No Hollywood superstar's or actors here, just a bunch of down-to-earth motherfuckers. As I review and approve of the pic I got with the Based God, I look up, and BOOM, there's Lucki. Speaking of down to earth motherfuckers, Lucki is the most down-to-earth of all of them. As I chopped it up with him, we talked about the Chicago hiphop scene, his cult following, and his performance, I didn't get a sense that I was talking to somebody who was way more achieved and famous than I. He gave me the time of day and I appreciate that in an artist. I mentioned how I just got a pic with Lil B, and Lucki was gone.
"Holy shit! Lil B! I never met him yet" he let out as he trotted his way over to the Lil B camp.
I need to roll up some weed and get myself grounded at this point. But I'm out of dutches, and apparently so is everybody else I found out, as Maxo Kream declared that I of all people, "need to find him a fucking Backwood." A group of beautiful young females just happen to come and sit down right next to me with a pack of dutches, after a little more smooth talking, I snag one off of the fine lady and roll it up, smoking her out of course. Anyway, the blunt was done and more hiphop legends kept pouring in. We get up and go seek out whoever we could find, again. This time, it happened to be Chicago don, and new 1017 signee Z-Money. Almost blinded by the jewelry I get in real close and take a selfie with the rap-star who seemed eager to appease his fans. Then it was Lil Skies, who popped out of his trailer to smoke a wood and chop it up with fans and peers. Then, Famous Dex, who comes off of the stage drenched in sweat and yells:
"YO FANS GUESS WHAT?!"
"Chicken Butt"
And that was that, until Ski starts to take the stage, surrounded by an entourage of security moving briskly. I still managed to get a dap up and a "Love you too vro," from the soon-to-be legend.
All of this excitement and not a damn thing to dampen it, the fact that I didn't have on a backstage wristband didn't seem to matter and literally everybody I talked to, gave me the time of day and didn't act like they were above me or talk down to me like one would expect from rappers charting on Billboard Hot 100 and selling platinum records. Nothing but goodvibes and blunt smoke from the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash.
We decided to hop out and catch Trippie Redds performance from the other side of the stage, to the announcement by security that we wouldnt be let back in if we left, cool with us, we had had a perfect day already. The crowds were energetic and not violent, people were all vibing together and it was an all around great festival. Shouts out to Cole Bennett for putting the whole thing together, and I'll forsure be back next year; this time, hopefully with a media pass.
