The Cornerstore spoke with Monique Meloche about The Monique Meloche Gallery and the practices they plan to continue post-pandemic; the strength of the contemporary art market; and much more.

The Cornerstore spoke with Demetrius Amparan about his latest project, “Surveillance Alert”, and all of the works he’s recently dropped including music videos for “Real” + “Say Something”. Demetrius also talks about being a girl-dad; the recent loss of his father, Edward, and The Edward Amparan “DREAM REAL BIG” Essay Contest that is launching in […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Author Kathy Iandoli about continuously ensuring women are at the center of her writings; writing the definitive biography of Aaliyah titled “Baby Girl: Better Known as Aaliyah”; and shares stories about the early beginnings of her career.

The Cornerstore spoke with Mixed-Media Artist Chris Silva about the many disciplines he specializes in; the importance of the graffiti and skateboard scenes in his creation process throughout the years; and the constant goal of keeping art adventurous.

The Cornerstore spoke with Brittney Carter about her debut album “As I Am” and the importance of collaboration throughout it, being a part of the Loop Theory collective, this year in music, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Vic Lloyd about staying busy during quarantine and picking up new activities, the formation of Fat Tiger Workshop and being 1 of the 4 Fat Tigers, continuously inventing and reinventing himself, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Atlas about expanding beyond graffiti and transitioning into the fine art side, his life beyond the art, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with President & CEO of Delmark Records, Julia Miller, about the history of Delmark Records, her journey through music and her love for the guitar, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Myron Laban about his solo exhibition “Sitting With My Thoughts” at the Elephant Room Gallery & the constant growth/expansion of his craft, actively working as a formerly trained pharmacist, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Naira about stepping “out of her shell”; her experiences with supporting and organizing protests; the creation of BLCK RISING and the crucial work they’ve been doing all summer; and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Delilah Martinez about all of the work she’s been doing throughout the entirety of the stay-at-home order including volunteer work, finding innovative ways to support the Black Lives Matter Movement, and more. Delilah sheds light as to how the Mural Movement came about; the importance of hiring the youth so they’re […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Organizer and Community Architect Mashaun Ali about the restorative justice based street-wear brand & boutique Trap House Chicago, Feed 79th initiative, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Bianca and Raniya of VLA #ChangeTheName about their ongoing efforts to change the name of Douglas Park to honor Frederick & Anna-Murray Douglass instead of Stephen Douglas. Bianca walks us through the process of getting the name change completed; shares how this campaign came about; and more. Stay connected with The […]

The Cornerstore spoke with TJ & Drew The Barber of No Cuts x No Glory Barber Shop about how they began working together, the on-going importance of the barbershop and what it means for the culture, the type of environment they aim to have in their space, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Alan Ket, Co-Founder of the Museum of Graffiti, about the museum and it’s dedication to the graffiti art form. Alan also talks about the significance of the museum’s location in Wynwood, his personal evolution as an artist, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download […]

The Cornerstore spoke with contemporary jeweler Georgina Trevino about the power of social media with endless possibilities for collaboration, constantly changing and evolving as an artist, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Chicago Reader Publisher and Hall of Famer, Tracy Baim, about the never-ending desire to be a journalist and covering queer stories/news the right way, what the future holds for the Chicago Reader, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Henry Chalfant about documenting hip-hop as a cultural form, the creation of Style Wars, advocating for hip-hop culture/the youth, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Liz Flores about the use of cubism and geometry throughout her work; the power of social media in art; and the relationship between being a business owner and an artist. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Columbia College Chicago Film Professor Michael Caplan about the Premiere of his Nelson Algren documentary on WTTW, the journey of entering the creative world and finding true fulfillment in the arts, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Artist and Designer, Tubsz, about style-writing, blending the practices of graffiti and calligraphy, his work with the Mural Movement in efforts to bring the Black and Brown communities together, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Writer & Editor Maya Schenwar about her work with Truthout, what it means to defund the police, coming into abolitionist work, how non-black people can be better allies, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Chicago Hip-Hop Couple CoolOut Chris and Amina about Urbanized Music, being Hip-Hop parents during this time, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Emily Jungmin Yoon about life in Hawaii, studying Korean poetry, the journey of becoming a writer, A Cruelty Special to Our Species, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Jahmal Cole, CEO & Founder of My Block My Hood My City about learning from other activists about criminal justice reform during this time, being a self-published author, working on behalf of the community, and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Sir Charles about the recent protests and his role in his community, the importance of the messages in his work, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with Liz Abunaw, Owner and Operator of The Forty Acres Fresh Market, about the work the organization is doing, the importance of reaching disadvantaged neighborhoods, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with DJ Step about the process of developing his own musical taste and the importance of sports in his upbringing; learning the ins and outs of DJing; the importance of continuing to get fits off even during quaratine; navigating the virtual space DJ scene; and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! […]

The Cornerstore spoke with William Camargo about growing up around Disneyland, photojournalism as a way to travel and get to know people, and his ever-growing ability to document history/taking images as a means of re-remembering. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with WGN’s own Rick Kogan about the beginnings of his journalism/broadcasting career, formidable experiences in the UK, and documenting notable characters of Chicago, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and download episodes via Spotify and Apple!

The Cornerstore spoke with José Olivarez & Willie Perdomo, 2 editors of The Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNext, about their current experience with releasing this new anthology into the world right now. José & Willie also express what kind of conversations they hope this book will cause; what it was like working so closely together; […]

The Cornerstore spoke with visual artist Yvette Mayorga, about the shift she’s experienced with her creation process during the stay-at-home order. Yvette also touches on her various techniques and use of different color pallets throughout her work, using her art to bring awareness to complexities and intersectionalities, and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! […]

The Cornerstore spoke with writer and visual artist, Krista Franklin, about her experience thus far during this quarantine and her relationship with time. Krista also shares details about her latest book, Too Much Midnight,; her love for science fiction and Afrofuturism; and much more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud! You can also access and […]

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Bambi Banks-Couleé & Khloe Park, 2 of the 4 founders of Unfriendly Black Hotties. Bambi and Khloe share the history of Unfriendly Black Hotties, the transition to holding virtual drag shows, the importance of confidence and sisterhood in drag, and much more. The Unfriendly Black Hotties host a monthly […]

As we continue our quarantine interviews, Kevin speaks with Kristen Kaza (Party Producer and Community Enthusiast) about her continuous efforts to host cultural events within the virtual world. Kristen talks about making the monthly SloMo Party, typically hosted at The Whistler, into a virtual party that has now honed the name SloMo From Homo; the […]

As we continue to practice safe quarantine procedures, Kevin spoke with Alex, Community Organizer for Chicago Votes, via a virtual call to learn more about how she and other organizers are handling the transition into virtual conversation in order to complete their work. Alex also talks advocating for incarcerated individuals amidst this pandemic, the work […]

On this episode, Kevin Coval and Mercedes Zapata talk with Max The Snacktor as he shares insight into his upbringing in LA; his visual artistry and being the co-founder of Chicago Sleepers; working with Young Chicago Authors and the various shows he’s curated; and much more. Max is leaving Chicago to return back home to […]

In a special live edition of the Cornerstore, authors Raych Jackson and Idris Goodwin read from and speak about their new books, “Even the Saints Audition” & “Can I Kick It.” Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with David Heo about growing up as an Asian American in the south, how he truly feels about his arts education, his solo show at Vertical Gallery “Honey & Smoke” on display now and more!   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Kirsten Valentine about her work experience from wine to the art world, her intriguing process of subject selection, where you will be able to find her work next and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!  

This week the Cornerstore spoke with dancer and educator Tanji Harper about her early life and early professional experience, her work with Blu Rhythm Chicago and her experiences and incredible work as the Artistic Director of The Happiness Club for the past 20 years.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

In a special live edition at @fieldhousejones , the Cornerstore spoke with Ahmed Taofik @ahmed5ebd , founder of EBD basketball camp @ebd_africa in Benin, Africa, Shala @followshala , solar artist creating solar power murals, structures and more, & Daniel Poneman @danielponeman , former scout now agent and responsible for hundreds of students receiving college scholarships […]

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Jesse De La Pena about his roots in Chicago, his place in the rich history of Chicago’s hip hop and music scene, his tenure at Vocalo Radio and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore turned the mic around on itself with a causal episode featuring the podcast staff. Host, Kevin Coval, super producer & DJ, DJ Ca$h Era, unreal photographer, Mercedes Zapata, & snacktor, Max Weissman connect about favorite episodes of the past, 2019 memories, where we’d like the podcast to go in the future […]

On the new episode of The Cornerstore spoke to rapper/poet/actress Nikki Lynette about being in Chicago’s hip-hop industry for decades & her new solo show on stage at Steppenwolf. In addition we had the show’s producer & longtime friend of the podcast, composer & songwriter Ira Antelis in to talk about producing Nikki’s show & […]

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Darrell “Artistic” Roberts of Chi-Rock Nation about being privy to seeing hip hop come and grow in Chicago, becoming a Chicago hip hop historian, and working towards publishing a book on that topic. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Zor Zor Zor about her discovering Chicago’s graffiti world on her own & navigating her way into shows with prominent graffiti artists early in her career, creating art while traveling, her work with Grace Jane Projects and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!  

The Cornerstore spoke with Lucas and Joe of Rowboat Creative about beginning to create clothing together transitioning into starting Rowboat Creative, partnering with some of Chicago’s most prominent creators, and managing growth as rowboat continues to become a versatile production powerhouse.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

In an inspiring and hilarious episode of the Cornerstore, Kevin speaks with Chelsey Carter about building her roots as a designer in Chicago, her participation in the current season of competitive fashion show Project Runway on the Bravo network, and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

OG BBoy/historian/journalist/emcee Davey D talks about his NY origins in the infancy of hip-hop culture & how he moved to the West Coast & the ways the Bay Area developed its unique, indigenous sound.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

We talked to Joe Shanahan about being a champion & curator of independent music, dig into a history of electronic music in Chicago & being the owner the landmark venue The Metro.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Add-2 about his community work in Chicago with Haven Studio and beyond; the work behind the lyricism that’s made him a revered  emcee; his highly anticipated new album “Jim Crow: The Musical” released on November 26th, 2019; and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week, on a special episode of the podcast, the Cornerstore spoke with our producer at WGN, DJ Ca$h Era about her family, navigating between gigs around the city & work with multiple organizations, becoming a staple in Chicago’s DJ scene & more.    Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

Idris Goodwin dropped by the Cornerstore to talk about his new book, Can I Kick It?, coining the phrase The Breakbeat Poets & capturing hip-hop’s spirit & history in the realm of theater.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Sara Dulkin of Chicago Truborn & visual artist BirdCap.  Sara Dulkin, owner and curator of gallery Chicago Truborn, touched on what it means to hold it down for Chicago, being on of the most prominent galleries in the city & curating murals around the city.  BirdCap, visual artist based in […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Crazy Legs, a hip-hop pioneer, cultural ambassador & founding member of The World-Famous Rock Steady Crew. He has put on for the culture since before it was called hip-hop. We spoke from Brooklyn about Puerto Rico, being at the forefront of the movement for more than 40 years & how young […]

Jasmine Mans is a poet, performance artist & entrepreneur. We spoke about the hustle, Newark, New Jersey & being one of the first poets to go viral. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with visual artist DAZE, also known as Chris Ellis, about being a young pioneer of New York City subway graffiti in the 70’s, living though and influencing very transformative years in graffiti, hip hop and dance culture, and transitioning his work and practice to show in some of the most notable museums […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Shira Erlichman, a poet & multi-genre artist whose new book “Odes to Lithium” wrestles with mental illness & surviving & finding beauty in the everyday.  In our special Bodega edition of The Cornerstore talked to her in Brooklyn, NY about thriving & creating & walking the difficult & rewarding path of […]

The Cornerstore spoke with designer Ellen Ma, visual artist Shala, producer Boathouse, rappers Musa Reems & Myquale and jack of all trades Lul Mermaid on a special addition of the Cornerstore, the Mini Mart live WGN. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Kieran Hush & Tom Gavin of the Foster Project about how they formed Foster Project, their work as a creative studio & multidisciplinary design firm, and what the future holds for this young group of creatives.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

We talked to Kel of the J4F crew about his life in graffiti & in the streets & growing to become one of the most prolific street artists in the history of Chicago.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Tanya Lozano, community architect & founder of Healthy Hood, a non-profit health & arts organization. We talked to Tanya about her family lineage in activism, justice work & being a female sneaker head. We spoke to Tanya before her and her family were targeted by white supremacists agitators. We proudly stand […]

The Cornerstore spoke with DJ Chava about her path to becoming a DJ, her work transgressing cultures and cities, and got the chance to speak with Chava and her mother about moving from Mexico to Wisconsin and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with Uter his southern roots, beginning to spray paint, developing his style, what influences his work and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

Last week the Cornerstore Pod had a special addition of the Mini Mart live on the radio featuring visual artist Langston Allston, curator and founder of AMFM Ciera McKissick, youth activists from Good Kids Mad City and conversation and a cypher with musical artists Matt Muse, Syl Messi & Ausar.   Stay connected with The […]

The Cornerstore spoke with the hardest working man in show bizness avery r. young (lowercase) talks about decades in the Chicago & international soul/House/poetry scene & his NEW projects Tubman & Neckbone, visual poems on Northwestern University Press.   [audio http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3671063/3671063_2019-08-21-233103.64kmono.mp3] Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

This week the Cornerstore spoke with DJ King Marie about the deep culture & Filipina family roots that influence her art, being a genre-bending creative & her debut house-influenced EP, The Prelude.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Bob Teitel about his roots in Chicago, producing iconic films from the 90’s until today, and exciting new projects.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Tara Carsner, Mosher Show, Samantha Smyser & Ajani Jones for mini interviews live on the radio on Tuesday, July 30th about their impact in each of their creative communities from work at ComplexCon and Nike’s creative incubator to murals around the city and release of new music.   Stay connected with […]

The Cornerstore spoke with the good guys at Plant Shop Chicago about growing up and making graffiti in Chicago, developing an interest in horticulture, and starting Plant Shop Chicago. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Kara Jackson about her new book “Bloodstone Cowboy,” her new album “A Song for Every Chamber of the Heart” and being the National Youth Poet Laureate. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Darts about getting in graffiti as a Chicago youth, the intricacies of the Chicago graffiti culture, and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Kaina about starting to make music in Chicago, building a community of friends and loved ones around her music, her debut project “Next To The Sun” set to me released on Friday July 12th and more. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Panik of the Molemen about his roots in Chicago Hip-hop & House music, being a pioneer in and bringing 90’s Chicago hip-hop out of around the country, his newest projects and more.   [audio http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3649824/3649824_2019-06-19-234524.64kmono.mp3] Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Angie Star about her upbringing as a creative Chicago native, her work with Silver Room, being a part of a Young Chicago Authors gallery photo show and more upcoming work.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!  

Sunnie drops in the Cornerstore to break down some graffiti terminology & talk about growing up as a writer & maintaining his street practice despite the city’s draconian legislation. Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Giving Room Skating Co. about starting a company with your friends and working towards becoming a non-profit, being a charitable skating company, traveling to India to create memorable experiences for young skaters out there and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Nappy Head Club founder Rachel Topping about the company’s mission to uplift black women and create a space for a healthy and empowering conversation about black hair.  Also joining us is Lil Rach (Rachel Bernard) who spoke about her start in photography, her influences in nature and rural living in Fox […]

The Cornerstore spoke with Stripmall Productions about their partnership as brothers, their entrance into the Chicago music video scene and their unreal visual effects bringing them on the road for work.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Kayla Mahaffey about growing up on the south side of Chicago, her studies in the arts, finding her artistic identity and adapting to her fast growing popularity.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Jeremy & Farrah blake about their upbringing and creative backgrounds, creating their artwork as a duo/couple, their show “Forms Of Rest” currently on view at the Young Chicago Authors gallery and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Jacob King & Cameron Bundy about finding their craft and community coming up in Chicago, their work creating a pop up space and creative hub opening FDC Studios, and other projects they are working on like Mr. Sun and more.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Curatorial Fellow, Kekeli Sumah, and Artist Fellow, Jeffly Gabriella Molina, about their international upbringing, work with the Driehaus Museum and The Tale of Today: the emerging fellowship program.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Jeff Weiss about the West Coast rap canon, launching and running the blog Passion of the Weiss, and his newest endeavor, TheLAnd magazine.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Mother Nature about growing up in hip-hop, becoming a duo in Urbana and moving to Chicago, and their latest project “Pressure”.   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!

The Cornerstore spoke with Nico Segal about his career as a touring musician, why he chose to move back to Chicago from LA, and his forthcoming collaborative project with Nate Fox, ‘Intellexual.’   Stay connected with The Cornerstore on Twitter, Instagram,and Soundcloud!