THE REAL-EASE RADAR (The Best Chicago Albums, Mixtapes & EPs of 2025)
Some of the best music blogs out right now have rolling lists that track new releases. But as far as we know, there’s nothing like this EXCLUSIVELY focused on Chicago music. And I simply can’t let that slide!!
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite projects (EPs, Albums and Mixtapes all count!) released by Chicago artists so far this year. Oh, and we also have a section for the upcoming projects that we know of, whether the release date is confirmed or not. Chicago artists: let this be a sign to start that rollout!!
If you’re a local artist and your project isn’t on here, don’t feel bad! Just click the button below to tell us why we neeeed to include it.
Already-Released EPs
D2X - Boy In The Blue Hoodie (6/3)
Khari Ennui - FLASH INNE PAN (5/26)
Gayun Cannon - Fallen Angels (5/23)
Angelo LeRoi - eLRoi (5/20)
clairice - patient on me (5/9)
Time Thieves - Come Home (5/6)
Kenny Morningstar - Paradiso (5/3)
Smba - Body of Work (5/2)
Ranika - In the Grey (5/2)
Qari - Violence Jack (5/1)
blood club - sufres porque quieres (5/1)
Future Nobodies - Unloveable (4/25)
evangelina - frequency illusion (4/25)
Naked Brunch - At the Humanoid Motel (4/25)
Sydny August - ROTATIONS ii (4/18)
Kai Akili - Insomnian (4/13)
DJ Slugo - Ghetto Music Box (4/12)
75 - SHOOTERS NEED LOVE TOO (4/4)
Chanelle Tru - NOT TOO MUCH (4/4)
Liv Roskos - Growing Pains (4/3)
The Era Footwork Crew - Let the Record Reflect (3/26)
$imba P - P. (3/26)
Ëkoli - SKILLED BOOTY TECHNICIAN, Vol. 1 (3/21)
myekehl - EARTHSTRONG (2/28)
Adamn Killa - ADHD Rant Vol. 1 (2/21)
Melvin Knight - BACKSHOTS (2/14)
Loqum - Jungle Juke Jams (1/27)
Ine’a J - 4 (1/9)
Already-Released Albums/Mixtapes
Casino Trell - Nowhere to Run (6/13)
Pixel Grip - Percepticide: The Death of Reality (6/12)
Pleasant Sherman - LOVELANTES (6/3)
Samuel Aaron - Rambler (5/30)
Justice Hill - Cooler By the Lake (5/16)
Waine Ghazi - Easier Said Than Done (5/10)
Family Junket - Did you tell the bees? (5/9)
TBA - the lost years, lost en route (5/5)
Chillona - GOTA (5/2)
KingTrey - DESERVING (4/30)
Kenny Bureaux - we love you, kenbowski! (4/30)
Cldwaterr - Hands Still Feed Me ! (4/28)
Silas Short - LUSHLAND (4/25)
Luke Titus - From What Was Once Grew A Flower (4/25)
Amira Jazeera - The Amira Diaries (4/25)
Luke Almighty - Seeing Is Believing (4/11)
Dreamer Isioma - StarX Lover (4/4)
lil2posh - Fiesta Boy (4/4)
Menace4hire - With All That I Know Now (3/21)
Saba, No ID - From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID (3/18)
Elijah LeFlore - Lonely Lover (3/18)
Rufus Sims, Master Ill - ILL Dirty Rufus (3/22)
Jack Riedy - Raw Deal (3/10)
8MatikLogan - Paradox 003 (Reqiuem) (2/18)
Aheronamedvillain - Wheres Your Heart Pharoh? (2/14)
Linda Sol - MOTH (2/14)
aRios - 2K! (2/13)
Traxman - Da Mind Of Traxman Vol. 3 (2/7)
Mees! - DROPTOP LESBIAN MUSIC (1/30)
MOYANA & 7VNTH - PTCHWRK (1/25)
thirteendegrees° - Clique City Vol. 2 (1/13)
femi ishola - the shola tapes (1/6)
Looking Ahead
Upcoming EPs
Jacob on the Moon - The Gemini Club (7/18)
MANSA - Love, Amongst Other Things (7/22)
Upcoming Albums/Mixtapes
Daisychain - All In A Name (6/27)
Rich Jones & Good Food - Comemos (7/11)
Jessica Risker - Calendar Year (8/1)
Tom Cox - Modal Fixture (8/15)
J Bambii - BLACK AMERICAN BEAUTY (TBD release date)
Sparklmami - In This Body (TBD release date)
Cabeza De Chivo - TBD (TBD release date)
