Tree may be one of the most talented artists to come out of Chicago that you’re not familiar with. The man not only raps vivid stories with his signature sand paper rough voice, but he also produces some of the most organic instrumentals. And by organic, I mean that he flips samples into something that sounds completely original. The good folks at Mishka compiled his best instrumentals, from beats he rapped over to beats he’s done for other artists (Brian Fresco, Chris Crack). The collection also includes six previously unreleased beats.

Catch up on the man’s work below. And below that is a short documentary in which Tree explains his style of production and the relationship between the police and Chicago locals.

 

Bryan Hahn is a devout follower of soul trap. He’s on Twitter (@notupstate).