Thirteen's Island Deal Shifts Chicago Hip-Hop
A new major label release anchors a fragmented local scene that critics struggle to define but fans increasingly embrace.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
Thirteendegrees° released Ghetto Hipster through Island Records in August 2026. The move marks the first major label entry for a group of artists often grouped under the hashtag #NewChicago. The album features production from Dutch artist Gyant and channels hazy, atmospheric textures. It represents a sonic departure from Thirteen's earlier work, which leaned on the lo-fi crunch of 2000s blog rap.
The movement surrounding the rapper remains difficult to categorize. Promoter Jah Pool curated a compilation titled New Chicago, Vol. 1 in October 2025. That release juxtaposed disparate styles, moving from Fuego Baine’s R&B-inflected vocals to Kioracks’s aggressive bass-heavy rapping. The collection attempted to map a scene where artists operate independently. Despite the lack of a unified sound, the compilation helped cement a shared identity for the local underground.
Lil2Posh emerged in April 2025 with the mixtape Fiesta Boy. That project embraced the chirpy, lo-fi aesthetics of bop, a style that originated on Chicago’s west side in the early 2010s. Since then, Posh has shifted toward glacial, minimalist beats on his September release Beezy Spears. He describes his early career in the ten-minute track Last Call. The song references an April 2025 show at Reggies Rock Club where he performed alongside Thirteendegrees°.
Two months after that local show, Thirteen brought Posh to the Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash festival. The pair also performed at a pop-up in Wicker Park with scenemate Kels!. During that event, the trio took turns performing on top of a Mercedes-Benz truck. These live appearances helped solidify the connections between the artists involved in the movement.
Other contributors to the scene prioritize distinct vocal approaches. OkDeazy released Voters Fatigue in July 2026 and Falling Up in January. His flow relies on relentless drive and sample-based instrumentals. Kels! issued the EP Live Like This in April 2026. That project features digital distortion and bass drops that create a relaxed, cradling effect under his half-sung verses.
Xella Red released Free Lunch in August 2026. She pairs a muscular, battle-ready flow with mellow, down-tempo instrumentals. Her tracks utilize weathered midwest emo riffs and airily strummed acoustic guitars. C4Y followed with More and Counting in October 2026. He masks sharp, nimble verses under layers of screeching Auto-Tune and overwhelming bass.
Your Stepdad continues to produce at a rapid pace. His June 2026 album Glowop Genesis is his second full-length release this year. He previously brought south-side veteran Vic Mensa onto his October 2025 project BlackAlt. The artist also contributed a collaboration to the Jah Pool compilation. A tri-city show featuring Trippie Redd, K Suave, Gigi Holland, and Lil2Posh is scheduled for November 5 at the Aragon Ballroom.
Source: Chicago Reader
