Abstract Mindstate: Chicago’s Hip-Hop Torchbearers Still Dream, Still Inspire

 

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If you’re tapped into Chicago’s Hip-Hop roots, then you already know the name Abstract Mindstate rings with reverence. The dynamic duo—made up of South Side’s Olskool Ice-Gre and West Side’s E.P. Da Hellcat (a.k.a. Ebony Poetress)—made waves in the early 2000s with their signature blend of soul-soaked production, sharp lyricism, and raw, introspective storytelling. Together, they helped define what they now proudly call Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop (ACH), a term coined by Ice-Gre to describe their mature, message-driven approach to the genre.

The pair’s 2001 debut album We Paid, Let Us In! quickly became a cult favorite among Chicago Hip-Hop heads and underground tastemakers alike. With their golden-era sensibilities and authentic voices, Abstract Mindstate was poised to make a major mark with follow-up projects Still Paying and You Owe Us Change. That second album, Still Paying, was set to feature some of Chicago’s brightest stars at the time—Kanye West, Common, and John Legend among them. But when a key investment fell through and label support dried up, the duo’s rise was cut short. Despite efforts to stay in the game through their Chicago’s Hardest Working mixtape series, life circumstances eventually led them to take a break from music in 2008.

Fast forward more than a decade later, and Abstract Mindstate returned—wiser, more seasoned, and creatively recharged. Their comeback was nothing short of historic: Dreams Still Inspire, a full-length project produced entirely by Kanye West, marked the first (and only) official album released through Ye’s YZY SND imprint. The project reintroduced their socially conscious, thought-provoking bars to a new generation while paying homage to the sound that birthed them.

While the duo is no longer affiliated with the label, their momentum continues. Abstract Mindstate is now part of the extended Slum Village family, a lineage that runs deep through the Midwest’s soulful Hip-Hop legacy. As they push forward, their music remains rooted in experience, reflection, and a mission to inspire through grown-man and grown-woman rap.

With Chicago’s Hip-Hop scene experiencing a renaissance and the spotlight widening to embrace seasoned voices, Abstract Mindstate is proof that dreams never expire—they just evolve. Keep an ear out; these local legends are far from finished.