If you know anything about me, you know that Chicago is my home and I love everything about this city from the nightlife to the sports teams to the people who live here. While it might be underappreciated by the rest of the world, I will always call this place home no matter where life takes me, and that’s something I’m so proud of. Of course, you can’t mention the city without mentioning the incredible music scene here, and while some artists get more love than others, I always love seeing multiple talents come together and create with one another.

While this is nothing new for artists in Chicago, the most recent collaboration comes from Vic Mensa and BJ the Chicago Kid on their song “The Taste”, and man is this a perfect ode to the Windy City. Complete with an instrumental brought to life by Papi Beatz, we hear soulful guitar strums before thumping drums and upbeat percussion come into the picture, bringing the tempo to a quicker pace that is perfect for these two artists.

It begins to take full effect before the percussive elements come into play while Vic passionately sings about some of his favorite landmarks around Chicago, but when the drums come in, BJ begins to sing with his effortless and always impressive vocals before switching back to a verse from Vic that is continuously filled with Chi-town references and personal stories he has had around this melting pot of a town.

Although this track has the dexterity to seamlessly go from an R&B-inspired song to a rap ballad, the cheery vibe never waivers for even a second and it’s a song that makes me even more proud to be from here than I already was. Simply put, “The Taste” is the perfect ode to Chicago, yet it’s a record that you’ll enjoy whether you’re from here or not, so make sure to check it out as soon as you find some time.