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Taylor Bennett Talks The Importance of Bringing His ‘Coming of Age’ Show to Chicago for Free

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Taylor Bennett is bringing his live show home to Chicago. Partnering with Champion, the show, Coming of Age, will be a celebration of his hometown and, most importantly, free. Taylor describes the effort as one of the multiple ways that he and his brother, Chance the Rapper, aim to continue to want to put on for the people in their city.

Ahead of the show, Taylor Bennett spoke with The Source on why his Chicago show is so important to him, his recent experiences on national stages, and what made Champion the perfect partner to encourage his audience to “Be Yourself.”

I want to start with music. Your new album contains music and sounds from various genres. How complicated is it for you to create different ideas or sounds into one project?

Man, it wasn’t easy. I feel like, as an artist, it’s something that I don’t see enough of anymore. I wanted to make sure I amplified it a little bit more. I think there should be a creative risk whenever you put out a project. I think that if that creative risk isn’t there, what are you really doing? So with this project, I wanted to express myself on a level that I felt that I hadn’t before. I wanted my fans and myself to feel more comfortable. I wanted to try to make new sounds, which meant bringing in new producers, which meant bringing in more instruments, guitars, bass, drums, horns, and so many different things that I was never used to consistently.

You have the challenge of creating with all those pieces, but there’s also a level of growth within the artist. What have you learned about yourself as an artist but also as a person and father?

Something different about a lot of other artists and me is I’m independent. I’m fully independent. I don’t have a record deal, a distribution deal, or a publishing deal. So I can take as much time as I want between each project. I can do so many different things under the sun. The sky is the limit for me, and I never thought it could be as big as it is now. Shout out to Champion, the clothing brand; I have an amazing partnership with them to give me the different funds and things I needed to go to different schools and connect with my fans to create an environment for others to be themselves. I had never fully played a concert before, which gave me the ability to invest myself and be a little bit less comfortable than usual and try something new.

In addition, I have been able to move forward with my health mentally and physically. I sleep a lot more, a lot better. I cut out red meat and chicken. I exercise, if not twice, once a day. My favorite exercises are usually cardio. I think physically, but much more importantly, mentally, I’m much more collected throughout this project.

What let you know that it was time to make a change in both a physical and mental way?

It was my children. Um, I’m a father of two now, and when I found out I was going to be a father, I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine, and he asked how the balance in my life is? I was getting upset at him. I’m not going to lie. But then I started to think about it, and I needed to look more into my health. I started to think down the line about when my child was going to be an adult. How was I going to be able to interact with him during his teenage years? And how can I get to a space that not only can I feel better, but I can live longer for my children? Then I would say the second thing in 2018; I put out my project called Be Yourself. That was all about self-expression. And the cover out of it was me sitting in these kinds of rainbow, tighty whities, and I think I look handsome in it, but I don’t think it’s the most attractive picture of me, but it’s where I felt I was mentally and physically at that point.

What let you know Champion was the perfect partner for this state of your career?

That’s a great question. So, you know, first of all, growing up in Chicago, and I’m sure it’s no different for a lot of people in other spaces or places around America, Champion was the go-to. Everybody had Champion. Babies had Champion. Aunties had Champion hoodies. Grandparents had Champion. It’s a universal brand and growing up. There are not too many fashion brands that have always been as universal.

On top of that, as a kid, Champion prices growing up on the south side of Chicago were pretty affordable versus some other brands. So when I started thinking about my brand, which is Be Yourself, promoting positivity and I personally never felt the coolest walking around with merch with somebody else’s name on it. So when I made Be Yourself, I was thinking about the merchandise and how I give people something they feel is their own. So when I started to think about the different partners for this tour and the merchandise, it was perfect. This is the first collaboration that my brand, Be Yourself, has ever done.

I want to give Champion a huge shout-out; not only were they investing in Taylor Bennett’s career and amplifying my project, but overall that is what Taylor Bennett represents: independence and independent music.

You’ve recently been on some national stages in Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. How did it feel to be in front of those crowds that people may say aren’t your traditional audiences?

I think that it was huge. When I’m doing a show, especially coming out of a pandemic, unless it’s a festival, crowds aren’t the largest. So it’s very rare that I get an opportunity to perform in front of a couple of hundred people. But when you do a show like Kelly Clarkson, or you do a show like Good Morning America, it’s not just a hundred people. You’re talking about millions. When I was a kid, we watched Good Morning America while eating breakfast. I don’t take this lightly, and it’s what a person has to offer through the TV screen. I was thinking about how I’m so blessed and also how thankful I am for someone to bring an African American, LGBTQ artist to their platform.

You are returning home for a homecoming show. What do you hope to bring to the people in the building when you touch the Chicago stage?

I’m excited. I’m a big fan of Jay-Z and his whole business mind, and I’ve done a lot of research on him. And one thing that Hov used to do a lot that we’ve also done in Chicago, me and Chance [The Rapper] is give back. That doesn’t mean it will always be a million dollars from Chance to CPS. Shout out to him because sometimes it can be as simple as doing a free show. So I’m excited because, on July 22nd, I will be throwing a free show. I get to see my city. A lot of different artists get success, and they move to California or New York. I’ve always lived in Chicago. My brother and I have always lived here. We walk the streets and are participants in programs. So it’s special for me to come back to the city, see people I see often, and then expose them to the things I worked on. But most importantly, it’s free. It’s a concert, but it’s a gathering of friends and family.

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Exclusive: Taylor Bennett Premieres “Don’t Wait Up” and Details Creating the Video

Taylor Bennett Premieres "Don't Wait Up" and Details Creating the Video

Taylor Bennett knows the weight of 2020 just like you. Through the pandemic and the rest of society’s hurdles, he is remained focus on his personal growth both as a person and professionally.

Both of those efforts are displayed in his new song and video “Don’t Wait Up.” The 24-year-old showcases his evolution on the new single bridging the elements of a new experience along with the reality of anxiety that one may feel while encountering them.

The video for the new release pairs Bennett with directing duo LAMAR+NIK, creating a unique experience of producing a visual with all three of the creators being in different locations: Chicago, Seattle, and Oklahoma.

Along with the release, Taylor Bennet spoke with The Source about the creation of this single and video, challenges that occurred along the way, and more.

You can see the premiere of “Don’t Wait Up” below.

What sparked the idea for the content of the “Don’t Wait Up” single? 

Taylor Bennett: Music has a purpose to evoke emotion and also communication. In the year 2020, not just me, but a lot of people were going through a period of detachment. Within that, you can also find more strength in your independence and this song is really an example of that. The ideology of understanding that you don’t need someone else to make you better, that’s on you. You can’t rely on someone else to make you happy that’s also on you. 

The video is extremely creative, essentially being a arts and crafts product, how was your response to the idea from LAMAR+Nik?

We shot this video in July during the pandemic and had to find a creative way to make a video because of the directors being in Seattle and Oklahoma and restrictions on production at the time. It was an amazing opportunity for us to look at new ways to illustrate my vision of the song in ways that I don’t think are common or you see all the time.

Lamar+Nik went crazy and really took my ideas and mixed them with theirs to create a whole world that brought my hometown to life. You’re definitely going to be seeing a lot more of their work in the future.

How did you first get engaged with that duo and what let you know to trust them with directing? 

Those guys were actually recommended through my talent agent Riley Folsom, and when I saw their work I knew we had to do something with them.

This release comes behind “Be Yourself Pt. 2,” which hinges on the idea of being yourself. What has continuing to remain to yourself taught you along the way?

I think a lot of us are pushed from a very young age to be who everyone else wants us to be. Whether it’s our parents, our friends, or social media or media in general. What I’ve realized is that by being myself through my lifestyle, my art, my business, and family, that’s where happiness is. It’s a freeing experience to be truly yourself and not have to live within other people’s expectations. My hope is that by making this stand in some ways I’m supporting others who are trying to find their own voices and be themselves

This video was shot remotely, during quarantine, how complicated was that for you and just work, in general, has been during this year? 

It’s been difficult for us, as it has been for everyone else this year. But as we discussed earlier, it’s presented us with new challenges and opportunities to make something more creative which is what we did with this video.

I’m dealing with the challenges of 2020 just like everyone else. But at the beginning of the pandemic, I sat down with my family and discussed how we were going to take this thing seriously and find new ways to to make sure our business would continue to be successful but to also use this time to restructure and make our business more efficient and profitable. When we come out of this pandemic in 2021 or 2022 we’ll be sharper and stronger than ever.

These two releases would lead fans to believe that more is on the way, are there any details about future efforts that we can know?

We definitely have more songs and videos ready to go, right now we’re focusing on releasing them one by one. My brother and I have been having conversations about ways that we can collaborate on future projects, so we’ll see what comes from that. It’s a family business; the independent Bennett’s! 

Ending this year what are you excited about? 

Spending Christmas with my family.

The post Exclusive: Taylor Bennett Premieres “Don’t Wait Up” and Details Creating the Video appeared first on The Source.

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Chance the Rapper, Common, Taylor Bennett to Headline Performances at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Common will headline the musical performances at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the United Center in Chicago. The NBA also announced Chance’s brother and rap artists Taylor Bennett, will take the stage at halftime fo the NBA Rising Stars Game on Friday, Feb. 14 .

The 69th edition fo the NBA All-Star game will go down on Sunday Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT to fans in over 200 countries and territories in over 40 languages.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Grammy-, Emmy-, Golden Globe- and Academy Award-winning hip-hop artist, actor, author and activist Common will detail the meaning of basketball to the city prior to introducing the All-Stars as they take the court. Chance the Rapper and special guests will then bring a collection of singles from his The Big Day album for the halftime performance.

Chance The Rapper and Bennett have also teamed up to serve as “NBA All-Star Ambassadors,” partnering with the NBA, the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago Sports Commission to develop community and fan-driven programs.

Chance made the announcement of his involvement at the third annual Night at the Museum event at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The event was hosted by his SocialWorks’ non-profit organization. The holiday event for youth and families is part of SocialWorks’ Warmest Winter campaign that aims to raise awareness and provide relief for individuals experiencing homelessness and extreme hardship throughout Chicago.  The event was supposed by both the Bulls and NBA Cares.

The post Chance the Rapper, Common, Taylor Bennett to Headline Performances at NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago appeared first on The Source.

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Chance the Rapper Announces New Tour Dates With Lil Yatchy and Taylor Bennett

Lil Chano, his lil brother, and Lil Yatchy are all going on tour.

Chance The Rapper announced his first arena tour back in July. The initial The Big Day tour included 35 cities and only featured rapper himself. Of course, there would be some surprise guests in certain cities. This came before he was blessed with his second child.

Earlier this month, Chano’s wife, Kirsten Bennett, gave birth to their second daughter, Marli Grace Bennett. During an appearance on The Ellen Show, Chance said that he missed a number of big moments with his first daughter, Kensli Bennett, due to his work schedule. He vowed to himself to not repeat the same mistake. Therefore, he is postponing his arena tour.

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I thought it over for the past week and I’ve decided to push back my tour. This year has been one of the greatest of my life; Marriage, new baby, first album etc. But with it being so eventful it has also been very strenuous having to divide my time and energy between family and work. When Kensli was born, I went on tour 2 weeks later and missed some of the most important milestones in her life, but more importantly I was absent when her mother needed me the most. At this point as a husband and father of two I realize that I can’t make that mistake again. I need to be as helpful and available as possible to my wife in these early months of raising Kensli and Marli. I apologize because I know how many people were counting on seeing me soon, but I hope you’ll understand and forgive me in time. Tour kicks off Jan. 15th and you can still get tix or your refund if you are unavailable at chanceraps.com & a few of the shows are still being rescheduled as well so stay tuned. I love you guys AND LITERALLY CANT WAIT FOR U TO WITNESS THIS SHOW 🙏🏾🙏🏾 SIDENOTE: 9/28 CHICAGO AT UNITED CENTER IS STILL ON AS WELL AS “LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL FEST” “IHEART MUSIC FEST” & “MIAMI BEACH POP FEST”! ❤

A post shared by Chance The Rapper Owbum (@chancetherapper) on

The 3-time Grammy Award recipient has announced new tour dates with his little brother, Taylor Bennett and Quality Control’s Lil Yachty. Lil Boat has enjoyed a quietly successful year, after releasing two projects in 2018. His songwriting on City Girls’ “Act Up” took everyone by surprise. The platinum-certified anthem broke into the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. In his announcement post, Yatchy encouraged fans to get the mosh pit tickets to sing every word to Lil Boat 3. Fans should expect a new project before the end of 2019

Taylor Bennett released his 3rd studio project The American Reject back in May and looks to gain more momentum during this 28 city tour. Catch Chance The Rapper, Lil Yatchy and Taylor Bennett in a city near you. Tickets can be purchased at chanceraps.com.

 

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Gay & Hip-Hop: 5 Emcees That Will Change the Stigma of Homophobia in Rap

We hope the entire LGBTQ community and those that consider themselves allies had an amazing Pride Month for the entire duration of June!

As the Pride festivities comes to a close today, we wanted to identify that longstanding issue between those who proudly identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or any nonconforming sexual identity and the heteronormative and oftentimes hyper-masculine behavior that Hip-Hop has been built on for decades now, while also standing firmly against any kind of hate that may have resulted from that complicated relationship. Thankfully, we are progressing into a more inclusive era of human interaction, and there are many rappers who are helping to lead the way into a brighter future.

Keep scrolling for a look at five rappers who we feel will push the culture of Hip-Hop into a world that embraces the LGBTQ lifestyle:


Kevin Abstract of Brockhampton

As one of the forefront members of the highly popular “boyband” rap collective known as Brockhampton, Kevin Abstract has made it known countless times that he in fact a proud gay Black man. The 22-year-old came out in 2016, and proudly boasts his longtime boyfriend Jaden Walker on social media. Plus, he was one of the stars in Calvin Klein’s recent “I Speak My Truth in #MYCALVINS” campaign. Keep speaking it, fam!


Young M.A

One of the illest MCs to touch a mic in today’s era of rap, male or female alike, Young M.A is truly putting on with an unapologetic take on what it means to be a lesbian in Hip-Hop. The way she handled that unfortunate back-and-forth with Kodak Black earlier this year alone was worthy of respect, and we see her continuing to put on for the “AGs” that can finally see themselves represented in both her lyrics and personality. The story of her sexuality is broken down perfectly during her 2018 interview on Noisey’s The Therapist seen above.


Lil Uzi Vert

You don’t have to “be” gay to show your Pride — that’s essentially what an ally is. Lil Uzi Vert has been doing so since his first run-in with mainstream success just a few years ago, especially with his flamboyantly fly outfit choices and mannerisms. Just a few days ago, he flexed on IG (seen above) rocking Nike’s latest BETRUE. collection for 2019, complete with a rainbow-themed tee and the new Air Max 720. Looking good, fam!


Taylor Bennett

Even with a jaw-dropping girlfriend and beautiful newborn baby boy — what’s good young Charlie! — Taylor Bennett is very vocal about the fact that he is, in fact, bisexual. It’s a topic that plays a lot into his music, visuals for singles and most recent interviews, and he’s proving that sexuality doesn’t always have to fit into the box that society so often likes to put people in. Along with his big bro Chance the Rapper, Taylor Bennett is a much-needed voice in revolutionizing rap for the better.


JAY-Z

Sometimes it starts from the top, and it doesn’t really get much higher than Shawn Carter when it comes to the rap game. As his mother Gloria Carter identifies as a lesbian herself, JAY-Z has one of the most personal connections to the LGBTQ community. However, the power he holds in changing the stigma of homophobia in Hip-Hop lies in the fact that, quite honestly, he used to be one of the main perpetrators of emasculating his foes with “F bombs” and derogatory bars during the earlier part of his career. It’s his strength in seeing those flaws, standing in his mistakes and ultimately being able to rap about them like he did with “Smile” off 4:44 (seen above) that truly makes him the biggest pioneer in bridging that gap between the two warring worlds. We see you, Hov.

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