Serengeti (rapper)
Encyclopedia
Serengeti, real name David Cohn, is a hip-hop artist from Chicago
. His music is a sharp departure from most mainstream hip-hop, which he considers "depressing" and always consists of "the same redundant ideas." Serengeti's music includes numerous references to Chicago culture often done in character as one his several personae. On the title track of his album Dennehy, Serengeti assumes the role of "Kenny", a married man who loves the Chicago Bears and the Chicago White Sox with a thick Chicago accent reminiscent of Bill Swerski's Superfans
. The track makes numerous references that would be well known to a Chicagoan, including the radio station WCKG
, polish and Italian sausage, Mike Ditka
, Dave Corzine
, "the shuffle", Tom Skilling
, Portillo's, and a host of others.
In an interview, Cohn said he created the Dennehy album as an "answer to common complaints about hip-hop" and "to put the fun back in hip-hop". Although "Dennehy" helped Cohn garner a large fanbase, Serengeti's other albums explore different genres of music from garage rock, backpack hip-hop, and experimental electronic.
In 2009, Serengeti released his second collaborative album with fellow local rapper Polyphonic, titled "Terradactyl", on indie hip-hop label anticon.
Anticon recently released Cohn's newest album, "Family and Friends", which was produced by Yoni Wolf and Advanced Base respectively.
On June 29, 2011, Serengeti was interviewed for the Knocksteady podcast episode 51.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. His music is a sharp departure from most mainstream hip-hop, which he considers "depressing" and always consists of "the same redundant ideas." Serengeti's music includes numerous references to Chicago culture often done in character as one his several personae. On the title track of his album Dennehy, Serengeti assumes the role of "Kenny", a married man who loves the Chicago Bears and the Chicago White Sox with a thick Chicago accent reminiscent of Bill Swerski's Superfans
Bill Swerski's Superfans
Bill Swerski's Superfans was a recurring sketch about Chicago sports fans on the American sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live. It was a prominent feature from 1991–1992, and its characters have made various other appearances since its inception....
. The track makes numerous references that would be well known to a Chicagoan, including the radio station WCKG
WCKG
WCFS-FM , known on-air as "WBBM Newsradio 780 & 105.9", is a radio station licensed to Elmwood Park, Illinois and serving the Chicago, Illinois market...
, polish and Italian sausage, Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
, Dave Corzine
Dave Corzine
David John Corzine is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association.-Biography:...
, "the shuffle", Tom Skilling
Tom Skilling
Thomas Ethelbert Skilling, III , known on-air as Tom Skilling, is a popular meteorologist in Chicago, Illinois. He is the chief meteorologist for the weekday midday, 5 and 9 p.m. newscasts at CW affiliate and national cable superstation WGN-TV .-Early beginnings:Skilling began his career in...
, Portillo's, and a host of others.
In an interview, Cohn said he created the Dennehy album as an "answer to common complaints about hip-hop" and "to put the fun back in hip-hop". Although "Dennehy" helped Cohn garner a large fanbase, Serengeti's other albums explore different genres of music from garage rock, backpack hip-hop, and experimental electronic.
In 2009, Serengeti released his second collaborative album with fellow local rapper Polyphonic, titled "Terradactyl", on indie hip-hop label anticon.
Anticon
Anticon is an Oakland based independent record label founded in 1997. It is collectively owned among six founding artists and one manager...
Anticon recently released Cohn's newest album, "Family and Friends", which was produced by Yoni Wolf and Advanced Base respectively.
On June 29, 2011, Serengeti was interviewed for the Knocksteady podcast episode 51.
Discography
| SOLO ALBUMS |
|---|
| Dirty Flamingo (2002) |
| Noodle Arms Whimsy (2005) |
| Dennehy (2006) |
| Thunder Valley (2006) |
| Race Trading (2006) |
| Gasoline Rainbows (2006) |
| Noticeably Negro (2006) |
| Dennehy (Lights, Camera, Action!) [2008 re-release of Dennehy (2006)] |
| Conversations with Kenny/Legacy of Lee (2009) |
| Family And Friends (2011) |
| Collaborations | With | Group Name |
|---|---|---|
| Don't Give Up (2007) | Polyphonic | Serengeti & Polyphonic |
| The Boredom of Me(2008) | Renee Louise Carafice, Tony Trimm | Yoome |
| Friday Night (2008) | Hi - Fidel, Breakfast Kings | Friday Night |
| Terradactyl(2009) | Polyphonic | Serengeti & Polyphonic |
| Dark Was the Night (2009) | Buck 65 (feat. Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti) | |
| Conversations with Kenny/Legacy of Lee (2009) | Tony Trimm | |
| Saturday Night (2010) | Hi-Fidel, Breakfast Kings | Friday Night |
| There's a Situation on the Homefront (2010) | PMDF (aka Hi-Fidel), KDZZ (aka Serengeti), DJ Koufi | Tha Grimm Teachaz |
| Bells and a Floating World (2010) | Polyphonic | Serengeti & Polyphonic |
| Shtaad (2011) | Sicker Man (aka Tobias Vethake) | Shtaad |