MarVo Has His Back Against The Wall With Debut LP
Chicago’s Hip-Hop present is finally catching up to its musical past. The rich history of Chicago blankets the world of art, politics, and gangsterism, and MarVo, explores them all in his music.
MarVo is not just a new face atop Chicago’s Hip-Hop scene, he is also bringing a new element. Currently, media and fans polarize Chicago Hip-Hop by using buzz words such as ‘conscious/backpacker’ (Common, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco), or ‘gangsta’ (Twista, Do Or Die, Crucial Conflict). This focus tends to cast Chicago artists as either sporting knit caps, Louis Vutton Bags, while pushing skateboards, or hustling in the streets and rapping a mile a minute. Indeed, many stories of Chicago have been told, but even more are left unexplored. MarVo is here to fill that void.
As a protégé of the lyrical juggernaut Juice, MarVo has a sharp pen to match the knowledge and experiences gained on the streets. Those qualities allow him to connect with those living the street life, entrenched in the struggle just to survive, as well as earn respect from Hip-Hop heads that put lyrics first.
Mesmerized by the possibility of fast cars, fast money, and fast women, MarVo left school in the 10th grade and resumed his education on the streets. It was there that his professors were an array of lifelong criminals and hustlers. An apt pupil, MarVo took note and listened to their stories. Those stories, and his own brushes with death via life on the streets, have given him plenty of material, and at the same time have motivated him to leave it all behind. He chronicled this decision on “Sick of Hustlin'” a heartfelt thought on Juice’s 2005 album, All Bets Off. The guest appearance put MarVo on the map, and he hasn’t stopped since.
MarVo followed up that guest appearance by demonstrating his skills on mixtapes and features. He garnered major radio play in Chicago after appearing on the remix to Shawnna’s “Damn.” He has also worked with accomplished producers such as SC, Kosine, Jamahl Rashid, and Multi-Platinum ProducerBuckwild, and has also worked with GOOD Music’s GLC. Most recently, MarVo accompanied Fabolous, Lloyd, and Cheri Dennis on the BET/Vibe Hoops and Hip-Hop Tour.
Fresh off the tour, and off the corner, MarVo (nicknamed M-Eleven) is ready to take aim at a Hip-Hop market over saturated with unrealistic songs, and empty albums. His forthcoming debut LP is an album ripe with concepts and accurate depictions of a Chicago made famous by Al Capone, Larry Hoover, and The Daleys. It’s a city that’s been visited often, but not fully seen. That’s about to change with MarVo leading the tours.