According to the Homeland Security website, “Operation: Midway Blitz” was created in honor of  Katie Abraham, who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car accident caused by a person who was in the country without legal status earlier this year.

Chicago phenom Ric Wilson creates the kind of music that makes the walls sweat – a kinetic blend of funk, disco, and hip-hop that gets crowds to their feet and fans itching to catch him performing live. But even as the hype behind his music career builds, he stays smooth, cool, bold, and balanced – just like the glass of Rémy Martin V.S.O.P he’s sipping on during his intimate, no-holds-barred interview with Uproxx.

As an extension of Rémy Martin’s V.S.O.P This Is My City campaign, the brand has teamed up with Uproxx to launch their new summer event series: Sound Of My City. In the first installment, Wilson sat down with host and spirits expert Frank Dobbins to capture the flavor of his city by diving into its inimitable influence on culture, and by crafting a Rémy Martin V.S.O.P cocktail that mirror’s the vibe of the rapper’s signature sound. As Wilson samples his custom creation, Ric’s Dancing Juice – a polished, vibrant mix of cognac, elderflower, brown sugar, and mint – he reflects on the flavor notes of Chicago itself: raw, rich, bitter, and sweet.

Ahead of a pop-up performance set against the city skyline for Wilson’s hometown fans, the artist opened up about his Chi-town influences and how disco – a genre his city helped to grow – inspires not only his sound, but the sound of hip-hop today. Between sips, Wilson shared his favorite Chicago rappers (legends and newcomers alike made the cut), his dream collab, and the festival he wants to headline.

Watch the full video to learn more about how Chicago influenced Wilson’s come-up and stay tuned for footage from his exclusive concert performance, courtesy of Rémy Martin.

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My name is Gabriela, and I’m a Community Manager at Bored Panda. In real life, it means that every day, together with my team, I ensure that all the posts submitted by our creative pandas display their work in the best possible way. I’m always on the lookout for new artists who would like to join our community and share their content with a wide audience. In addition to that, I keep my finger on the community pulse and supervise its activity, ensuring that any problems our members experience on our website are promptly resolved.
Before joining the Bored Panda team, I worked as a freelancer, offering my creative services to people around the world—starting with graphic design, photography, and finally videos. Now, I pursue these activities only as a hobby, capturing moments with my cats and documenting new places I visit during my travels.