Meet Corlie | Artist out of Chicago

We had the good fortune of connecting with Corlie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Corlie, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was intrigued by hip hop at a very early age. I remember Dipset being my first introduction to hip hop when I was a kid. I fell in the love with the swag, the charisma, the embodiment/poise that talented Hip Hop MC’s possessed. It wasn’t until meeting my friends in high school & forming a rap group that I would officially embark on my journey as an artist. Even in times I would take an artistic halt, it was as if life would send me signals to keep going. From there I knew it was a calling!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart from other artists is my originality & versatility. I’m myself always, what you see is what you get. People often have a hard time comparing me to other artists and that is how I know I’m creating my own style & lane.

I got where I’m at today by simply not giving up! I kept going, I made sure people seen my face, heard my music, etc. I can’t say it’s easy but when you think about it, it’s very simple. In this journey I faced a lot of rejection which led me to question myself & ask, “Am I good enough?”, “Will I make it?”.

What I learned about the journey is to make sure you believe in yourself wholeheartedly. They didn’t know Drake was Drake until he was Drake. They didn’t know Kanye was Kanye before he became Kanye. Everyone might not see your talent but that’s okay, somebody will!

What I want to the world to know about Whole Weight & myself is simple. I have two words resiliency & community! I want them to know that in everything we do, we are putting our best foot forward! Also, that we actually care! Recently, we held a basketball tournament, in which we received donations. Our proceeds + donations helped feed over 130+ people who are less fortunate. We plan on doing this annually, hopefully quarterly, only time will tell.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let’s see, if I had to host somebody for a week we would definitely spend time trying out food spots. I would take them to Wu’s House, STK, Seoule. We can’t forget the Chicago staples like Harold’s, Uncle Remus, Portillo, etc. We will definitely end up doing something music related, whether that’s bringing them to a music video shoot, the studio, networking event or concert. We would definitely have to go to a Bulls, Sox, or Cubs game. We can’t forget about fun activities like TopGulf, Go-Cart riding, Sky-Zone, Lazer tag, boat/helicopter rides; art galleries, etc. As far as night life, we would definitely hit up the bars/clubs. Establishments like The Promontory, Bureau Bar, Hue,Nites & Weekends, etc. The list just goes on & on.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I want to thank the man upstairs for everything, without Him nothing is possible. Secondly, I want to shout out family & friends! Without there love & encouragement, I don’t know where I’ll be! Lastly but very importantly, I want to thank my supporters that’s been with me throughout my journey! You guys give me life & keep me going, I will honor that forever & work as hard as possible to give you guys the best music.

Instagram: 1corlie

Twitter: 1corlie

Youtube: Whole Weight

Image Credits
1st picture: @tosinkillz
2nd picture: @ryder_visuals