CHICAGO CITY HALL (WBBM Newsradio) -- People visiting one of the most popular festivals on Chicago's North side could see a different side of their local City Council member ... on stage.
Ald. Andre Vasquez was a rapper back in the day, and he's set to channel that energy again at Andersonville's Midsommarfest, where he'll play as part of a 90's hip-hop tribute act called "AV And The Unks."
"I'd always wanted to rock a fest and I'd never done it," said Ald. Vasquez (40th Ward) before a recent City Council committee meeting about the decision to go on with friends Mike Spex and DJ Risky Biz. "Doing it from the angle of being like a "unk" ... right now in kind of our older years ... it felt like a nice way to bring some of that '90s stuff back."
He said the setlist will include well-known hits from that genre, including A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It," "How Many Mics" by the Fugees, and "Bring The Pain" by Method Man. Ald. Vasquez describes the show as family-friendly and apolitical, with the possible exception of the decision to include Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" in the setlist.
As for the future of "AV And The Unks," Ald. Vasquez said that's up in the air.
"I wanna see how we do," he said. "It's not like we're trying to launch a career here, but if it goes well, I'm so down to do a fest tour."
"AV And The Unks" are set to play the North stage on Friday, June 12 at 5:00 pm.
Rapper-turned-alder to front 90's hip-hop set at Midsommarfest
Rapper-turned-alder to front 90's hip-hop set at Midsommarfest
