From a rented storefront in 1998 to a full-blown production facility and record label today, EV Productions, 1457 Ashland Ave., not only manages a cluster of rising hip-hop artists in Evanston but also supports one of the fastest-growing music genres in the nation.
Independent artists had been renting recording space from owner Joe Matthews for five years when Matthews decided EV Productions could be more than just office work.
Matthews said the transition happened about four years ago when the small, low-rent recording studio took over its entire building and made the decision to represent an artist whose resources had fallen through.
“(Artist) LongShothad a debut album all recorded at the studio, but his financial backing fell apart,” Matthews said. “We debated about whether or not to press the CD and decided to do it. It was our first release.”
EV Records, the label under EV Productions , now represents 20 artists and musical groups and specializes in hip-hop. Matthews said he signs musicians who are, above all, passionate and hard-working and said talent is considered a given.
“Talent is like the prerequisite,” Matthews said.
“As an independent musician, to make it in this business, you have to be an exceptional person to stand out,” he said. “You have to make music your highest priority, even if it means living on people’s couches.”
Getting struggling artists off couches is part of what makes EV Productions an asset to the Evanston community, Matthews said. Independent hip-hop doesn’t get much recognition in recording studios in other areas, leaving artists feeling that the studio is apathetic when it comes to working with local musicians, he said.
“Local musicians need a place not only where they can record, but rappers find a lot of resistance from other studios,” Matthews said. “People (at EV Productions) are knowledgeable about independent music.”
EV Records released new albums by artists Modill and Anomaly in mid-January. Matthews said the company also hosts events and shows around Chicago so the artists will recieve press. A Modill debut CD release party is scheduled for Feb. 10 at the Abbey Pub near Wrigleyville.
One of EV Records’ upcoming projects is a full-length album by duo Coppershot, set for release on March 28. Artist Daniel Kuypers, also known as Copperpot, is an audio engineer, producer and office manager for EV Productions as well as half of the duo.
EV Productions has helped create a major expansion of the hip-hop culture in Evanston, Kuypers said.
“We all kind of grew up in Evanston,” Kuypers said. “It’s the type of music and culture that I grew up on, but it wasn’t that popular.”
Nationally, Kuypers said, hip-hop is getting increasing attention as the number two genre in the United States behind rock.
“Hip-hop is generally a national and global trend,” Kuypers said. “It’s selling more and more every year, and it’s still climbing the fastest within genres.”
Bill’s Blues, 1029 DavisSt., has hosted many EV Records artists at their Thursday night hip-hop shows. Co-owner Debbie Gilmore said the crowd for local musicians typically fills the bar and she can see hip-hop becoming exponentially more popular with the younger generation.
“I don’t want to say it’s a rebellious type of music because that’s what people said about rock in the 1970s, and look what happened,” Gilmore said. “But they are making a statement.”
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