Fundamentals. Core. Bottom. Origin. Beginning. Roots. Roots, what are roots? By simple definition, www.Dictionary.com defines Roots as a person's sense of belonging in a community, place, etc, esp the one in which he was born or brought up.It always amazes me to see the commonalities as well as differences among people raised in different parts of the country. Right when you think someone is very different, you find they have many similarities to you. Of course the differences will lurk but many times the similarities will bring you closer.
Music has that same type of connection to people that people have with each other. People from different areas tend to like different types of music but when the music is Good, this is when it becomes truly universal. Just like characteristics and traits of the human spirit, music takes on a persona that clashes with some but meshes perfectly with others.
My background is the Midwest, Joliet, Illinois to be exact, a city 30 minutes south of Chicago. Even within our small community we have differences from Chicagoans but tend to have more similarities. And the music is still universal.
My whole purpose for this article is to illustrate how great music touches everyone regardless of where a person is from. Its no secret, I have deep-rooted Chicago music roots proudly stemming from the midwest and with artists like Chaka Khan, Carl Thomas, R. Kelly, Common, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco and Twista to name a few, its safe to say I have been brought up on a strong Chicago Home based foundation.
Most times a song plays for its origins in its own region first and then typically spreads around to other regions of the country. That's usually why you hear an artist from your hometown bumping the song for months or YEARS and then it hits the radio and the rest of the world embraces the song that you've already been loving/hearing for the last 2 years.
For me, growing up in the Chicagoland area, we used to listen and love all kinds of Chi-Town artists for years to the point they could do no wrong before they hit the masses. I'm sure other regions experienced this as well.
To my surprise, many people all over the world share my love for Chicago based music as if they were born in Illinois too. Some may proclaim they love it even more (I doubt it but welcome the love either way).
I actually was curious as to what my favorite artists resumes contained and found that my favorite Chicago Based Producers have been very successful and their sound has traveled throughout the country expanding into all types of genres of music.
Like I said, Good Music Is universal.
Check out my 3 Favorite Chicago Producers production discographys. Once you read the production credits you'll say the same thing I said...
...DAMNNN, he made that!?? Yup!
