The Extra Shift Show brings together a lineup of up-and-coming local rappers operating in a diversity of styles. These days this sort of showcase is unfortunately sporadic in north-side clubs, despite the events curated by Chicago multimedia outlet Real Ones. I hope the Extra Shift Show leads to more variety in grassroots hip-hop programming, and the venue might be a good omen: Bookclub occupies the former Elbo Room space, and Elbo Room hosted one of Chicago’s most important regular hip-hop parties, Blue Groove Lounge. Tonight’s bill features five MCs plus DJ Peach on the turntables. F.B.E. raps in a throaty murmur over dreamy arrangements, and on the 2023 single “Whatever” he adopts a tumbling triplet flow. Kyn moves back and forth between blown-out party tracks (“FreakNik,” “Kyn Shxt”) and sultry R&B-flavored numbers (“Love Doctor”) with a cool air and sharp focus. IGoByLC drops bars with a heavy swing over jazzy instrumentals that deliver a serious kick. Brax10’s smooth, Auto-Tuned verses coast over gently undulating melodies punctuated by electronic hi-hats. Intellect RFG can bend any rap style to match his sunny disposition—on March’s self-released Four SZN’s, he gets almost singsong for the lovey-dovey standout “Be Mine.”
The Extra Shift Show Featuring Intellect RFG, Brax10, iGoByLC, Kyn, F.B.E., and DJ Peach. Mon 9/1, 6 PM, Bookclub, 2871 N. Lincoln, $15, 21+
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Leor Galil (he/him) started writing for the Chicago Reader in 2010. He joined the staff in 2012 and became a senior staff writer in 2020.
Galil mainly covers music, with a singular focus on Chicago artists, scenes, and phenomena.
He’s won a handful of journalism awards; he’s won two first-place awards from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (for music writing in 2020 and arts feature in 2022) and a Peter Lisagor award (for Best Arts Reporting and Criticism in 2022).
Galil lives in Chicago. He speaks English and can be contacted at lgalil@chicagoreader.com.