The Block Beat multimedia series is a collaboration with The TRiiBE that roots Chicago musicians in places and neighborhoods that matter to them.
Written by Tiffany WaldenPhotography by Pat Nabong
Video by Jiayan “Jenny” ShiShot at Ellis Park, 3520 S. Cottage Grove
Unfortunately, not everybody saw the projects that way. That’s part of why Chicago started demolishing Ida B. Wells in 2002, tearing down the last building in 2011.
“A lot of people try to judge me off my music,” Katie explains. “I rap about survival and experience. I tell stories. I’m not out here riding around with no gun, shooting up nobody, but I used to be real trigger-happy growing up.”
- Katie dropped these two videos in May to preview Rebirth.
The next chapter of Katie’s career has finally arrived, though, and she’s excited about where it might take her. In May, she dropped two music videos on YouTube to build hype around an upcoming project: one for the hard-hitting single “Errthang” and another for “Verified,” a radio-ready track with emerging Chicago star El Hitta. She also says there’s a documentary about her life in the works.
“I was going through depression for the last couple of years. I was ready to work. Then I couldn’t,” she says. “You know the industry will fuck you over if you let them. I started rapping when I was 18, but I didn’t know the business.”
“Look at Atlanta rappers. They ain’t the best of friends, but they come together when it comes down to the business,” Katie says. “I’ma do a song with a female who feel like she don’t like me. We don’t gotta see eye to eye. This is business, though. The more and more I grow and mature, though, it’s just like, why be mad when we can get some money?” v
