Will Gates is a video director, film maker, and a co-founder of WBMZ Chicago Internet Radio Station and Open World Films. Open World Films is a Chicago-based film company in which targets artists in various stages of their career to create new, original, and reasonably-priced productions. Will and his team at Open World Films specialize in the following services:

- Music videos
- Promotional videos
- Documentaries
- Short films
- Feature films
- Corporate Events
- Concerts
- Commercials
- Special Events
- Private Events

Also, Will has worked with the following people:

- L.E.P. Bogus Boys
- Mikkey Halsted
- J.Ivy
- Hood Fellaz
- Parkay
- Bo Deal
- Dude n Nem
- Rick Ross
- Raheem Devaughn
- Chella H
- Sly Polaroid
- Do or Die
- Lupe Fiasco
- Isoar Films
- Jay Stonez
- Jhon Blu
- Dat Boy Hot
- Aau Production

Check out CHHC’s interview with Will Gates on Gowhere Hip Hop:

Located in Chicago

(773) 617 – 5892
openworldfilms@gmail.com
www.openworldfilms.com
Twitter:  @WILLGATES
Facebook:  facebook.com/openworldfilms

This record is filthy.  It almost sounds live from the back of a jazz club.

The ways artists have started rapping when one would least expect it is truly refreshing.

The simplicity in beats while still paying attention to detail by the young up-and-comers certainly should make 2012 a great year for the genre.

Originally intended for #Section80 but will at lease be getting treatment on BJ’s Valentine’s Day release of Pineapple Now-Laters.

That’s February 14th in case you had trouble.

Click the album artwork below to download!

For more head to his website HERE!
Follow BJ on TWITTER!

G-Scott will be coming to town on January 27th to open for Wichita native, XV at Schuba’s.  Details on the Shows Page.

In the meantime he’s provided the first look at his new effort, Weekend in Los Vegas.

Produced by G-Scott himself, the beat is absolutely crazy between the lullaby sounds, emphatic horns and a trickiness throughout that would scare Boo from Mario Bros.

Click Here To Download “HA$H”!

Follow G-Scott on TWITTER!

Watch the video for “Pressure” below!

Khaled M. brings us the Official Video for “Lights Out”.  I thought he was going to knock the bigger guy OUT at the end.

The record is produced by Chitown’s own, Killa.  That blended with Khaled M.’s poetry-infused rhymes make for a track loaded with power.

I’ve been keeping up with him ever since our previous post and let’s just say it’s been no easy task.

This Chicago emcee has been performing all over the world and is really going to make nose in 2012.

Check out the video for “Lights Out” below!

Check out THISISKHALEDM.COM designed by CHHC Founder, Lara Phillips!
Follow Khaled on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

To blow me away after hearing an artist’s debut once through, it takes a certain dynamic and attention to detail.

To put it in perspective, other recent projects that struck me instantly were Kanye and Jay-Z’s, Watch the Throne, and Kendrick Lamar’s, Section 80.  And now…Love Junkie.

That’s it.

When I listen to Tia London the feeling of, “this one’s got it figured out” quickly comes over me.  She’s the total package.

She sings, rhymes, and serves up a medley of swagger, grace and sincerity.  Now I am paying attention!

Surrounding a well-placed feature from Chicago’s own Mikkey Halsted, Love Junkie, is 100% Tia.

Tia opens up to her ever-growing fan base on her first major release which indicates a true passion and honesty to the music.  One second she is flirtatious but never hesitates to stand up to all the fellas.

If I were a psychiatrist, my diagnosis would read, Tia London – Love “Junkie”.  After getting some things off her chest, she may have found the cure in this album.

Expressions of love both gained and lost, exes, and everything in-between interact with the music as The Legendary Traxster truly impresses.

The production is one major stand out as speeds and moods change sometimes within records.  Traxster is certainly making Chicago proud.

Ladies, go download this.  Gentlemen, burn it for your girl and draw some hearts on it, tell her you love her and don’t piss her off.  It makes for a better winter.

Thank you Tia.  You just made 2012 a lot more interesting as the competition for top Chicago R&B artist continues to be a tight one.

Support Tia and Download Love Junkie HERE!

Check out the Official Video for “Nothing On You” below!

Follow Tia London on Twitter!
Follow The Legendary Traxster on Twitter!

So it’s been a while since we had anything on the blog.  Hope everyone had a wonderful and tryptophan-filled Thanksgiving.

While usually this segment is meant for mixtapes, I had to budge and make an exception.  I’ll be honest, I did not give these Chicagoans the time of day when they burst onto the scene.

Now Kidz in the Hall have come into their own and just released their newest album, Occasion, last Tuesday.  I have nothing more to say than purchase this.  Support the locals and really connect with some incredible Hip-Hop.

Purchase Occasion on iTunes HERE!

Check out the video for “Occasion” below!

Follow @NaledgeKidz and @double0KiDz on Twitter!
Like Kidz in the Hall on Facebook!

Lizzie Wicks wears many hats.  While the outfit she has on always reads “dancer”, Lizzie tosses on a new cap to choreograph, model, educate, perform, act and so much more.

While calling Brisbane, Australia home, she has built up a YouTube following surpassing 3.7 million hits.  Lizzie regularly teaches dance classes at the Mad Dance House, a venue that opens it’s doors to any and all levels of experience.

Some of her credits include work with Harley Davidson, Australian Idol, X-Factor, Adidas, Nike, Big Brother along with an impressive list of others.

With all of this credibility built up through her hard work and dedication, people want Lizzie.  This past summer, Lizzie jetted out of the land down under and came to the states for two very exclusive workshops in Hollywood and Chicago.

We were there for her two-day clinic at the Visceral Dance Center on July 2nd & 3rd and got to witness Lizzie at work.  Her most unique attribute isn’t just her ability to move, but the way she pushes everyone else to be great is amazing in itself.

Thanks Lizzie.  Your opportunities are only going to snowball with the skills you possess as a dance icon and the positive emotions that stem from your roots.

Check out the footage of Lizzie’s stop in Chicago below!

CHECK OUT WWW.LIZZIEWICKS.COM FOR UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVES!
FOLLOW LIZZIE ON YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK AND TWITTER!

Yung Berg hits us with his newest project, Reality Check.  Features include Ya Boy, Lil B, Mikkey Halsted and a Tupac sample.

The stand out feature however is Mia Rey, a singer, writer, model, and dancer from Miami.  She’s soulful but edgy at the same time and matches Berg’s style at the same time.

The wordplay is dynamic, explosive and provides laughter and intrigue all at once.

Songs like “Don’t Stop” have an alternative feel showing the range Yung Berg can perform with.

Then “Magical” is a rough and dark record with an entourage of features that surpasses entertaining.

My favorite track after one listen through is “Shoulda Coulda Woulda” with Mikkey.  Just one that you hit up first when you are scrolling your “Recently Added” in iTunes.

Must download (and not because it’s free) because Yung Berg really grows up on this effort.

P.S. the artwork is bada**!

DOWNLOAD REALITY CHECK HERE!

“Good things come to those who wait” might be the most overused and anti-motivating phrase available in society.  While patience is a trait we all must use, the Hip Hop game is without a doubt the exception.

Fans, the music itself, blogs, record labels, other artists, producers, DJ’s, photographers; none of them are waiting.  In 2011 success is all about going and getting it.  It might take a while to reach, but it sure won’t be sitting idle waiting for those that lack determination.

Chicago emcee, The Official Mav (aka Maserati Mav, Mav Matics, M.A.V.) doesn’t fall short in that burning desire to be great…in anything he commits to.

Growing up in the city’s ABLA housing projects on the Near West Side and later moving to the South Side, Mav always had a tendency to entice trouble on the streets, but was a committed student and frequent rapper.

Hitting the books led to an opportunity to further his education and he took advantage, attending the University of Illinois from 2002 to 2006.  Upon graduation, however, Mav wasn’t thrilled with the progress his talents behind the mic had made.

Chitown love struck Mav in the biggest way in 2008 when Twista recruited him for his compilation tape, Whose Got Next.  On “Dirty Fresh”, he caught the attention of the Midwest community and larger publications including HipHopDX.

The buzz grew to Twista then hosting his I Got Next 2 Mixtape, building a production/management company, Gladiator Village Entertainment, and now his most recent project, Spirit Killers.

The tape takes off with “Catch My Breath”, a bass-heavy thrill ride with high-pitched synths to match smooth lyricism.  The track has also received praise from WGCI’s “Download or Delete” segment receiving a 100% Download Rating.

Other highlights include “Nothing Changed”, Mav’s declaration that after everything he’s been through, he’s never forgotten where he’s come from; a common positive theme amongst Chicago artists.  “Put ‘Em Up” gives the listener an “anthem feel” that personally I’d like to hear live to go along with how it sounds in the car.

“Be Hopeful” expresses the emotions of Mav losing his sister to cancer, a disease that we all can relate to.  The video has blasted the internet, surpassing 33,000 views already.  Real definitely recognize real with those numbers.

The future is bright for The Official Mav after his graduation to Spirit Killers.  His relentless nature affects his music, business, and family.  For that, his credibility cannot be challenged.

Thanks Mav.  Stay competitive, stay hungry, and stay humble.  After listening to your story and music, I surely will.

Check out the video for “Be Hopeful” below!

Download Mav’s Spirit Killers Mixtape at TheOfficialMav.com
Follow Mav on YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

CD Baby continues to educate and borrows David Roth of the band, The Mighty Groove, out of Boston, MA to discuss this topic.

Hip Hop is one of those genres that are performed in the most random of spaces in front of all types and sizes of crowds.  So it’s always tough to judge just how much even the biggest names in the game are grossing per visit.

Roth breaks down four generic but key points of emphasis when it comes to knowing your limits.

– Don’t Put a Price tag on Yourself
– Know Your Competition
– Know Where You Fit In and Take Advantage
– Don’t Make it a Win/Lose Situation

He notes that if you put a number to your name, that is all you might ever get.  While artists shouldn’t shoot for the moon, it’s important to set a value to your live show and stick to it.

The biggest judge of what you should be asking for is what your competition has been suggesting.  Finding out that information prior to a tour or a show can be critical.  This way artists won’t be laughed at on either side of the fence.

Somewhat similar to the first point, once you know what your peers are getting, it’s time to find out where you fall on that spectrum.  The strongest point is the final one and Roth states that “you devalue yourself, your brand, and service when you take shows for less than you are worth.”

There’s that word “brand” again.

Fraternities bring in names like Wiz Khalifa and certainly are not paying him six figures to do so.  Nor are some of the even bigger names getting close to that number.  Finding out the real information would require asking the individual camp’s themselves.

However, there is some chatter throughout the web as to what these guys (and gals) are pulling in.  Below are some of the numbers that I have put together based on some of the more credible resources.

$100K and Up Crew 
T.I., Rihanna, Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne, Justin Bieber, 50 Cent

$50-$99K Team 
Drake*, Kid Cudi, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Akon

$20-$49K Players
Pitbull, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa*, Nicki Minaj, Keri Hilson, Waka Flocka

I could not of course list everyone that I came across but I did have to include names like the Biebs because let’s face it, he’s a part of every genre at this point.  The majority comes from the $49K and under pool by far (which makes sense).

Asterisks for Drake and Wiz stem from not really knowing what the heck they make.  Some sources have Drake at $155K and most saw him at about $80K (more realistic) for his current college-heavy tour with Kendrick Lamar.  Wiz on the other hand raps about reeling in “$100K a showwwwww”, but some suggest he’s still closer to $50K than anything.

If you’re out there let us know what your asking price is.  Local and National acts are welcome to comment.

Thanks again to another informative CD Baby resource.

To read the entire article GO HERE!