Pivot Gang

Pivot Gang
Pivot Gang
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	2012–present
Members	Saba; Joseph Chilliams; Frsh Waters; MFnMelo; squeakPIVOT; (DJ, Producer) daedaePIVOT; (Producer) Dam Dam;
Past members	John Walt (deceased)
Website	pivotgang.co

Pivot Gang is a hip hop collective of independent rappers based out the west side of Chicago. The group originated from the Austin neighborhood around 2012. The four founders consist of brothers Saba (born Tahj Malik Chandler) and Joseph Chilliams (AKA Jerrel Chandler), their cousin John Walt (Walter Long), and their high school friend MFnMelo (AKA Logan Yutters).^[1] Other artists who commonly collaborate with the group include Lucki Eck$, Martin $ky, Noname, and DJ Damnage, along with others.

History

Saba is the most well-known rapper in the group, and is known as the front-man of Pivot Gang. All of the group's music can be downloaded for free online, which is one of the main effects of the growing independent music movement happening in present-day Chicago. Most of the music made by the group has a diverse sound, ranging from smooth soulful samples to more aggressive, rapid drill beats. MFnMelo explains in an interview with the Chicagoist, "a lot of the Pivot shit has that smooth kind of chord tradition that's influenced by New York soul, but it will just go harder. I'll put some drill drums over it. Some of my music has that same creative process, but a lot of it goes into a soulful, hip-hop-y route".^[2] The group has released a mixtape titled JIMMY on October 15, 2013.^[3]

Their debut album You Can't Sit With Us was released on April 19, 2019, with guest appearances from Smino, Kari Faux, Mick Jenkins, Jean Deaux, Femdot, Sylvan LaCue and Benjamin Earl Turner.^[4]

Members

Saba
Joseph Chilliams
MFn Melo
SqueakPIVOT
Dam Dam
Frsh Waters
daedaePIVOT
Daoud
John Walt (deceased)^[5]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details
You Can't Sit With Us	Released: April 19, 2019 Format: Digital download

Mixtapes

Title	Album details
JIMMY	Released: October 15, 2013 Format: Digital download

EPs

Title

Album details

Two Piece Tour Pack

Released: August 5, 2019
Format: Digital download

References

^ "Saba's West Side Story Is One Worth Listening To | NOISEY". noisey.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
^ "Interview: Pivot Gang—Keeping It In The Family: Chicagoist". chicagoist.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
^ "Pivot Gang – JIMMY [Mixtape + Download]". EarMilk.
^ Price, Joe. "Saba's Pivot Gang Team Up With Smino for "Bad Boys," Announce Debut Album". Complex. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
^ "Remembering Pivot Gang Rapper John Walt, Gone at 24". DJBooth.

[vice-1] "Saba's West Side Story Is One Worth Listening To | NOISEY". noisey.vice.com. Retrieved 2015-04-29.

[chicagoist-2] "Interview: Pivot Gang—Keeping It In The Family: Chicagoist". chicagoist.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2015-04-29.

[3] "Pivot Gang – JIMMY [Mixtape + Download]". EarMilk.

[4] Price, Joe. "Saba's Pivot Gang Team Up With Smino for "Bad Boys," Announce Debut Album". Complex. Retrieved 5 April 2019.

[5] "Remembering Pivot Gang Rapper John Walt, Gone at 24". DJBooth.

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