The Announcement:
Charles “Chill” Patton, who co-founded the respected label 1st & 15th with Lupe Fiasco, is a connoisseur of tight lyricism, stacking the label with some of the fiercest rhymers in Chicago and beyond. The executive continues to showcase his ear for talent on Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7, a new collection of standout songs from 1st & 15th artists.
Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7 is highlighted by “Crash Out,” an unheard single by Chill’s business partner, 1st & 15th co-Founder, and hip-hop legend Lupe Fiasco. A dissonant and confrontational anthem by the rap legend originally recorded for the Food & Liquor sessions, “Crash Out” finds Lupe showing off his dizzying lyricism over a beat by The Buchanans, who layer discordant piano chords and buzzing guitar riffs over a piercing snare drum.
Beyond “Crash Out,” the EP shows off the strength of the rest of 1st & 15th’s roster: rising rapper Jus Ray runs roughshod on “Sonic,” a new highlight, arriving with a music video. Served a beat from the legendary Soundtrakk, who combines a menacing low-note piano riff with thudding 808s, Ray takes off running like the titular hedgehog, stacking pugilistic flexes over the “arcade beat” and shouting out icons like 2 Chainz and Lupe himself. Just when you think he’s done, Ray hits back with an anchor coda to silence all doubters: “Grant some wishes, Wanda, Cosmo/N**** I feel like Timmy,” he spits
The 5-track EP is an appetizing sampler of what the label has to offer. Miami native Billy Blue works a drawly flow on the romantic “GOG.“ genre-bending duo TDK bring melodies on their “I’ll Run To You,” and lyricist Verse demolishes a Soundtrakk instrumental of his own on “Flowers.” Proving why 1st & 15th has been one of Chicago’s most vital labels for over two decades, Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7 EP is a formidable showcase, available on all platforms via 1st & 15th / Thirty Tigers.
“Crash Out” is the first salvo in a big year for Lupe Fiasco. The rapper celebrates the 20th anniversary of his Grammy-winning debut album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, embarking upon a tour this spring. Kicking off in May 14th in Sacramento, the “Lupe Fiasco Presents: Food & Liquor 20th Anniversary Tour” makes its way through major markets like San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and New York, before concluding with a rare hometown show in Chicago on June 11th.
In 2025, 1st & 15th released The Life of Pedro, a new album by Miami artist Billy Blue, and made noise with the release of Samurai DX, the deluxe edition of Lupe Fiasco’s critically acclaimed 2024 album Samurai. The new expansion features two songs from the Samurai sessions, the self-produced recent single “SOS” and the Soundtrakk-helmed “High Note,” plus remixes of original album highlights “Samurai,” “Palaces,” and “Bigfoot.” Featuring vocals by Troy Tyler, the new remixes add a fresh perspective to Lupe’s rhymes, changing up the style without sacrificing the soul. The record’s second half, and the vinyl version’s Side B, includes instrumental versions of the DX‘s five vocal tracks.
Stay tuned for much more from 1st & 15th in the near future.
Stream Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7: https://30tgrs.ffm.to/volumeseven
Watch Jus Ray’s “Sonic” (Prod. by Soundtrakk): https://youtu.be/sAE60JsDNBI
Buy tickets for “Lupe Fiasco Presents: Food & Liquor 20th Anniversary Tour” HERE
Chill’s Spotlight Vol. 7 tracklist:
Lupe Fiasco Presents: Food & Liquor 20th Anniversary Tour Dates:
May 14 – Sacramento, CA
May 15 – San Francisco, CA
May 17 – San Diego, CA
June 10 – New York, NY
June 11 – Chicago, IL
Please contact Michelle or Kevin for more info.
The Background:
With a career spanning more than two decades, Lupe Fiasco has continually redefined hip-hop’s creative limits. His 2024 album Samurai earned year-end accolades from outlets like The Needle Drop, Okayplayer, and FLOOD for its ambitious concept and razor-sharp lyricism. Building on the critical success of 2022’s Drill Music in Zion, praised by NPR, Complex, and The FADER, and many others, including Clash’s Jazmin Kylene, who wrote “Keeping us well-fed and in constant questioning, there is no doubt Lupe Fiasco is fulfilling his purpose and artistic servitude every time he obliges to step back into the dojo.” In 2023, the iconic Chicago native also settled into his position as a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he teaches “Rap Theory and Practice” and spearheaded the “GHOTIING MIT: Public Art” project. Off-stage, he leads several community initiatives, including We Are M.U.R.A.L., the Neighborhood Start-Up Fund, and Society of Spoken Art, while his single “Pound For Pound” now headlines the AAA game Undisputed. Catch him this summer on the “Dank Daze of Summer Tour” with Cypress Hill and Atmosphere, shutting down stages in multiple cities across the U.S.
Links:
Lupe Fiasco: official site | store | instagram | twitter | facebook | spotify | youtube | apple
1st & 15th: instagram