Some of the songs on Von off North Ave’s 38th & Garfield were waiting for projects that never materialized. The Chicago rapper gathered them into an EP, explaining that his drive to release substantial projects had sometimes denied individual songs the attention he wanted them to receive. “Trippin',” featuring his close friend PayZay, has an official video shot and directed by SEASXNS. Kulture. produced the song, which brings the only guest appearance across the EP’s five tracks. Listeners who followed Von as Dyzzi from DivSel will recognize an artist whose recording history has often involved close friendships. In a 2019 interview with The Real Hip-Hop, he traced DivSel back to meeting Chaz in sixth grade: one wore a Lil’ Wayne shirt, the other a Nas shirt, and a conversation about music started their friendship. KReal joined their circle later. The collective’s name stood for Diverse Selection, reflecting the different approaches within that shared foundation. His album KidsBackThen drew on childhood memories and involved friends from those years. With 38th & Garfield, Von revisits his approach to releasing music, selecting songs he still cares about from planned or cancelled projects. The EP takes its name from the block where he says his musical beginnings were rooted. PayZay’s presence on “Trippin'” keeps a close personal connection within this smaller collection, released through Below System Records.
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