Presented in partnership with Sonesta International Hotels, the live event took place in downtown Chicago
The evening sun basked over The Royal Sonesta Hotel Chicago Downtown as an intimate crowd gathered for a live satellite ‘Musicians on Musicians’ event with Common and Noname. The Chicago natives talked to one another about their music, careers and the influence of their hometown on their creative process.
Exclusively invited Sonesta Travel Pass members and industry guests made their way up to the penthouse floor overlooking the view of the skyline as DJ Jay Illa spun classic R’n’B tracks to warm up the crowd before Rolling Stone Senior News Editor, Chicago’s own Althea Legaspi, took the stage to kick us off into the night. “Every Sonesta International Hotel is tailor-made for your stay, and that’s why this evening is tailor-made for Chicagoans”, said Legaspi, before inviting local legends Common and Noname onto the stage.
The two musicians first spoke about how they got into rapping and how similar they are despite their generational differences. Noname’s gateway being poetry and Common’s entry starting with freestyling, led them to the lyricism and wordplay that they both champion and mutually admire in each other. As they discussed the music industry, growing up in Chicago, and how they eventually ended up collaborating, the audience was rapt with attention, laughter and applause.
Once the sun set upon the twinkling Chicago river, the discussion came to a close and Noname performed a lively set with her band, bantering with the audience and encouraging participation for ‘Song 32’. The surprise of the evening was Common reappearing onstage for a performance of his classics, as well as a freestyle that celebrated the evening. The intimate setting allowed for both musicians to candidly speak to their experiences growing up in Chicago, as well as perform amidst adoring local fans.
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This is the first installment of a satellite Musicians on Musicians live event presented in partnership with Sonesta. The second installment will be held at the Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach in September and will also be invite-only.