For this special edition of our Crate Digging series, we’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by discussing 10 essential Chicago hip-hop albums with Mick Jenkins. Check it out below, and be sure to see our exclusive merch featuring our Hip-Hop 50 design at the Consequence Shop.
Mick Jenkins was an adolescent watching TV when he first heard The Cool Kids’ “Black Mags,” and it changed his entire world. “There wasn’t anybody we could touch in the city as a young person,” the Chicago rapper tells Consequence over Zoom. “As a as a high school kid, there wasn’t anybody representing my voice. I was in my freshman year of high school, maybe eighth grade when I heard it — I think I first saw it on a TV commercial. But they quickly became everything to me.”
It wouldn’t be the last hip-hop that helped Jenkins feel seen as a young Black man in Chicago. He cites Chief Keef, Common, and Kanye, pointing out moments that instilled him with pride for his city. Though quite a few of these albums landed at a formative time in Jenkins life (2005 to 2010, to be exact), he also nods to some major Chicago releases from the late ’90s: Crucial Conflict’s The Final Tic and Do or Die’s Picture This. He tells a wild story of watching a music video shoot for Do or Die while trying to buy some shoes: “Being able to see these legends like 10 feet away from me getting some work in while I cop some Yeezys is a crazy memory.”
For now, Jenkins is gearing up for the release of his newest effort The Patience, which arrives on August 18th featuring the singles “Smoke Break-Dance” and “Guapanese.” Pre-orders are ongoing. While he claims that the album is “less conceptual,” the joys of crafting it came from a simple desire: “I just want to rap,” says Jenkins.
So, gear up for the next era of Mick Jenkins by diving into the 10 Chicago hip-hop records that most impacted his life, from Lupe Fiasco to Vic Mensa and more. In addition, be sure to check out the exclusive Hip-Hop 50 merch available now at the Consequence Shop.
