Kids These Days (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hip hop music |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois , United States |
| Products | Music albums and performances |
Kids These Days was a hip hop ensemble originating from Chicago, Illinois, established in 2009 by adolescent musicians. Their first full-length record, Traphouse Rock, came out in 2012, featuring production by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and mixing by Mario C. The group's dissolution in 2013 paved the way for the solo ventures of artists such as Vic Mensa and Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment.
History
The band secured the top prize at Congress Theater’s Next Big Thing contest in November 2009. They showcased their talent at prominent festivals including South by Southwest (2011), Summerfest in Milwaukee, Lollapalooza, and The Roots Picnic. On June 13, 2012, they performed live on Conan from The Chicago Theatre.
During the Chicago Teachers Union strike in Fall 2012, Kids These Days demonstrated their support by performing at the union’s Solidarity Festival held in Union Park.
Their debut album Traphouse Rock was notable for its collaboration with producer Jeff Tweedy. The group officially parted ways in May 2013.
Post-Kids These Days
Vic Mensa furthered his musical journey through partnerships with artists such as Chance the Rapper and Kanye West. By March 2020, he was leading the punk rock outfit 93PUNX. Horn player Nico Segal released two mixtapes—Illasoul: Shades of Blue and the Donnie Trumpet EP—and continues to perform with The Social Experiment alongside Greg Landfair Jr.
Lane Beckstrom ventured into electronic music under the name Lane, debuting his EP Argot in January 2015. Rajiv Halim introduced his first album Foundation in August 2015.
Ex-members Macie Stewart, Lane Beckstrom, and Liam Cunningham joined forces with Matt Carroll to create the band Marrow. Macie Stewart also co-founded OHMME with Sima Cunningham; this project remained active as of 2020. Additionally, Stewart is involved in Chicago’s avant-garde jazz community and plays with Marker, a group led by Ken Vandermark.
Liam Kazar (Cunningham) toured supporting the duo Tweedy. In 2021, he launched a solo album and frequently performs live in Chicago with his own band.
Members
- Liam Cunningham (Liam Kazar) – lead vocals, guitar
- Macie Stewart – lead vocals, keyboards
- Vic Mensa – rap vocals
- Lane Beckstrom – bass
- Greg Landfair Jr. – drums
- Nico Segal – trumpet
- J.P. Floyd – trombone
- Rajiv Halim – saxophone
Albums
- Hard Times EP (2011)
- Traphouse Cuts (September 2012)
- Traphouse Rock (October 2012)