Before getting to my own announcement on Monday, I thought I’d share a little Chicago rap history. I noticed on twitter that LEP and Louie are doing a 27th birthday party show for the deceased rapper Pac Man tonight. For those who don’t know, Pac Man was killed in June of 2010; prior to his passing, he was a rising artist who was working with L.E.P., memorably producing hooks for “Bag” and my personal fav “Street Money,” which, if you’re anything like me, will have you saying “duffle bags under my eyes from no sleep-money” on a frequent basis:

LEP Bogus Boys feat. Pac Man – Street Money

He had a distinctive voice & style; his verses on “Beast Over East” from LEP’s Don’t Feed the Killaz Vol. 3 and “Wide Open” are standouts on their respective records. Pac Man was from Dro City, the same neighborhood as King Louie; earlier this year, King Louie affiliate Boss Woo did a version of “Tupac Back” called “Pac Man Back.” Pac Man was known for the track “Dro Style,” the video of which features the dance of the same name and attentive somanyshrimp readers will recognize a young King Louie makes an appearance.