Southside Chicago rapper Spenzo emerged with a sound that toed the edge of the city's drill scene. With a distinct feel for pop hooks, he combined the spirits of local predecessors like Chief Keef and King Louie with the savvy of mainstream hip-hop like Drake. Growing up in Englewood, he was surrounded by music from a young age, influenced by his stepfather, DJ Dion. When he was a teenager, he scored a local hit with his track "Wife Er" in 2013. The song appeared on his mixtape In Spenzo We Trust, which featured production by Metro Boomin, DJ Dahi, and others. Increased exposure led to a collaboration with Young Thug on 2014's "I'm So Sorry." Spenzo continued to build his local audience by posting freestyles and cyphers on social media and issuing a steady string of singles. He released "Effortlessly" with King Louie in 2015, then "I Want You" with Tory Lanez the next year. At the end of 2016, Spenzo released "Nun Else 2 Do," a collaboration with his brother Nuskie. ~ Neil Z. Yeung