With all due respect to New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami,
the epicenter of the rap universe in 2016 just may be Chicago. With
young stars ranging from Chief Keef to Chance The Rapper to Lil
Bibby to Vic Mensa, the Windy City continues to push the boundaries
of hip-hop music and culture. The latest artist to emerge from this
hotbed of talent is Mick Jenkins, a gifted lyricist who has built a
strong buzz online with a series of acclaimed mixtapes. Now, one of
those collections will be available in physical format for the first time
ever, with a limited-edition vinyl pressing of "The Water[s]" set to hit
stores soon. Originally released online in late 2014, "The Water[s]"
features appearances from fellow rising stars Joey Bada$$ and
Noname Gypsy, plus production from Statik Selektah, Kirk Knight,
J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, DJ Dahi, and many more. XXL called the
project an "indisputable success", declaring Jenkins "a formidable
opponent to some of hip-hop's most highly regarded MCs".
