Artist Spotlight: LP

There are many jewels in Chicago's underground hip-hop scene, but there are also many mediocre up-and-comers who don't deserve to be heard beyond their Myspace pages. It's amazing what Pro-tools, a little studio time, ZShare and a blog can do for an aspiring artist’s career, but it takes a lot more to be a standout. To make it in this game, artists often need either a gimmick, a co-sign from an established artist, or in the best-case scenario—actual talent. I don't know about you all, but those first two vehicles of success just don't cut it in my book. With that said, I love when I hear independent, sincere and talented Chicago rappers—and I'd like to highlight one such artist. Meet LP (www.myspace.com/underratedlp) URD entertainment’s LP is a lyrically deft local emcee with standout skills. He rides the beat effortlessly while consistently offering impressive wordplay through intricate extended metaphors and thought-provoking one-liners, like...

"I envision corners populated with chefs, cooking an outcome...."
and
"No gun means no funds, which is no fun when breath is your breakfast…"
- LP "Did you hear"

If you haven't heard LP yet, here's a little audio insight.

Did you hear (produced by B-EZ)
Money (produced by LP)
Rockin featuring Vo and Aspyre (Produced by LP)

Be on the lookout for his spring mixtape release of "Playin with Cold" a Coldplay-inspired effort. In the more immediate future, if you want more LP, you can see him along with Young VO and the rest of URD perform at Aspyre In Wonderland, a party being thrown Friday Jan. 23 by C.H.I. City Committee emcee, Aspyre.