The DJ Takeover sponsored by Level Up is a program for listeners to discover their favorite artist's favorite artists, working to foster connection to the music and makers inside and outside our city. For the entire hour, we go down the rabbit hole of stories from their past, experiences of the present and goals for the future.
Sunny Lou is bringing Milwaukee’s underground hip-hop scene to the surface.
The Milwaukee producer, DJ and songwriter was once a 14-year-old listening to Munch Lauren and Bankhead, artists hailing from the city’s North Side. Jumping back to that era, you can hear hand-clapping in the production of Munch Lauren’s music — a sonic touch that’s become a trademark of the local sound today.
It’s also something that drives Sunny’s production, although he’s very quick to acknowledge its roots. “I didn’t invent it, I didn’t create it, but I love it,” he told me.
Yet there’s no denying Sunny has helped popularize this niche micro-genre of hip-hop with viral local artists 414bigfrank, Lightris, Sabbath and Certified Trapper. Reaching international recognition, artists in New York and London have started adding the signature clapping in their beats. What is this genre called? “Milwaukee Music,” Sunny confirms.
The resurgence of Milwaukee’s underground hip-hop scene has truly put our city on the map.
Sunny acknowledges you need to work a lot harder in a small metro like ours to reach this level of acclaim. He says the secret is consistency and creativity before adding that the size of Milwaukee does make it easier to get more people to rally behind your work.
He saw those supporters Sept. 3 at a show he put on at the Milwaukee Public Library with 414bigfrank, Sabbath, Lightris & Sero, Ayoolii, Djay Mando and R3al Grl. The event was a collaboration among the city, local hip-hop record label Run Along Records and ONWHAT, an ongoing live music series that platforms these artists at different venues around the city.
It’s clear Sunny has his bases covered. The only thing left, of course, is dancing.
Similar to the inspirations behind his production, Sunny and his collaborators have brought back signature dance moves from their earlier local idols, pairing them with new songs, new bars and new people to create videos that reach hundreds of thousands of people.
“Milwaukee music has such a strong culture,” he said. “I didn’t start it. I’m contributing to it. Milwaukee dance goes hand-in-hand with the music. It's been around forever — as long as the music has been. I’ve made friends with people who are as passionate about the past culture as I am.”
DJ Takeover: Sunny Lou playlist
- AyooLii, Sunny Lou, “I-94”
- King Krule, “The Ooz”
- Charli XCX, “C2.0”
- Tems, “What You Need”
- Pierre Bourne, “Guillotine”
- fcukers, “If you wanna party, come over to my house”
- Soccer Mommy, “Fire in the Driveway”
- The Whispers, “And the Beat Goes On”
- Hot Mess, “Take Me Home”
