Thursday, February 11th, 2021
There’s nothing more inspiring than a Chicago summer. If you’re in the city during the season you’re sure to see something worth pausing to take in. Whether that something is a band of fashionable teenagers goofing off in the street while blasting music from their speaker; or noticing the different ways the sun touches the tall gray buildings downtown.
Winters aren’t the same. And they’re usually the harshest after the holidays. By February, it seems like the only thing occupying outside are slow moving cars and snow plows all trying to avoid running into each other. The same teens who you would’ve seen goofing off in the summer are probably bundled up—hands shoved in their pockets—and earbuds in; determined to make it wherever the cold is not. Also, the skyline is so gray and hazy you don’t really think to look up at all.
Maybe that’s what gives Chicago summers that extra sparkle. Everyone is trying to make up for the months the city dreary and nearly dormant.
Still, we have music. On this particular harsh, snowy Thursday I went up Rodgers Park to interview Sonny. Also known by his handle @hatesonny. Sonny is one of Chicago’s fasting growing artist most recognized at the time for songs like Thirteen (2018), .Shollam(2020)and Kill Bill (2020).
I hustled out of my car in my huge Michelin Man puffer coat and covered my head with a black knit skully. Sonny met me downstairs and led me up a series of wood stairs with chipped paint and into an apartment filled with other chicago creatives.
When I pressed the record button for the interview the voice memo automatically saves under Sonny’s Food Store Rodgers Park. I squint, confused at first then grin at the irony and realize we must be almost directly upstairs from the store.
han : Thank you for agreeing to interview again Sonny. You can start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
“On fo nem,” he respond with his deep voice.
In juxtaposition with his name ‘Sonny’ his aura isn’t very bubbly and yellow, it’s more nonchalant and steady.
“Im from the Southside even though we on the Northside right now. I come up here to record and shit. I rap, make music and do other shit within the social activism scene—but primarily I make music. I also represent a collective that goes by HL , along with a bunch of other people. That’s the basics… so yeah.”
han : And how did you get into music ?
han : Tell me a little more about HL.
“I could list off everyone who is apart of it but mufuckas who know, know. We really are just friends that all happen to be doing creative shit. And it already existed before I was introduced to it.” The Chicagoan clears his throat.
“My homie Kari, Drew, Jero and Mak, its some other mufuckas I’m forgetting, it started with them. But then me, Mak, and Kari got cool and as we got closer mufukas just started grouping up you know?”
han : And what you guys do is all centered around... creating?
Before any of that we just homies.
-Sonny
han : And what is Fourtune House ?
han : What's the most Chicago thing about you ?
“Probably my vocabulary, you definitely be hearing me say all sorts of : on fo nem, on folks, all sorts of shit like that. Unfortunately I would also say my paranoia is rooted in being from Chicago for real. But most identifiably, my vocabulary.”
han : Without giving too much away, where is your head at with your up-and-coming releases ?
“I mean, I’m here working right now, so the shit don’t stop. I do got a little something in the works, you feel me?” The 20 year old adds with a cocky shrug. “A lot of little somethings.”
“Only thing I see right now is the progression of myself in all aspects, but especially my music. The music is only going to get better and better.”
han : With BetterinPrint I really want to start incorporating more fashion, what is your go-to fit?
“My go-to fit is a sleeveless white tee or just a regular tee with sweats and my Oreo Jordan 5s. I just have on jeans and a hoodie today because it’s cold as shit.”
“But yeah,” he adds slapping his hand on his thigh conclusively. “Tee-shirts and my 5s are my staple, especially this summer.”
Sonny the Activist
At the end of the day, I’m just trying to do what I want to do— on some freedom shit. And I want to inspire other muthafuckas to do the same.
-Sonny
han : The very first interview I did for BetterinPrintMagazine was with Preme, how did you two start working together ?
han : Where does HateSonny come from ?
“I really added ‘Hate’ in front of Sonny because if you look up Sonny, I’m not going to be the first nigga to come up. So I was like fuck it, and threw hate in front of Sonny. I also hate these rap niggas.”
“But Sonny is my family given nickname. My grand dad’s birth name was Sonny and I never got to meet him but everyone says I look just like him except he was taller and had this thick ass handle bar mustache.” he chuckles and continues.
“I really wanted to carry on some familial shit with my work too. Legacy you know?”
han : In connection to your Kill Bill track, if you could be any movie character who would you be ?
Just, further tap in with yo self
-Sonny
han : What expectations do you have for this Chicago summer ?
han : What advice would you give to an artist or musician suffering with the S.A.D.S. because of the weather?
The rapper nods as I’m asking the question, acknowledging it’s a real challenge.
“Mm, I would tell them to further tap in with themselves. This time of year its easy as hell to get down and discouraged because of one, COVID and two, you look outside” he points behind him at the frosted window “and the weather looks how it looks, it’s easy to be like ‘fuck this shit, I’m just not finna do nothing'”
“I would just tell muthafuckas keep your creative mind active however you can, try to stay inspired.”
han : Talk about a time where you went to the studio and made something that really stuck out to you.
han : When is studio time Better ?
Check out more of Sonny’s work here:
