Studio 11

Last updated
Studio 11
Industry Recording Studio
Founded Chicago, IL
1996
FounderAlex Gross, Dan Scalpone
Headquarters Chicago, IL, United States
Key people
Alex Gross, Dan Scalpone
Website studio11chicago.com

Studio 11 is a recording studio in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1996. [1] Best known for hip hop music, duranguense, gangsta rap, and house music styles, Studio 11 has recorded, mixed, and mastered over 35,000 musical songs.

Contents

History

Early history

Studio 11 was initially opened in a coach house building at 11 East Superior Street by Alex Gross and Dan Scalpone, while students of sound engineering at Columbia College. By 1999 the studio expanded to the top floor at 209 W. Lake St. into two music studios to accommodate larger volumes of recording. Early adaptation of digital technology established Studio 11 as a premiere Chicago destination for recording rap and electronic music, highlighted by the early works of Kanye West, [2] [3] Lupe Fiasco, Yung Berg, and Crucial Conflict, as well as more recent recordings with Rockie Fresh, [4] Cashis, and French rapper Gradur.

Music

Founder Alex Gross established himself with the recording of Payroll 125, [5] [6] a rap album featuring the Kanye West produced song Never Change, subsequently sold to Jay Z and re-released on critically acclaimed album The Blueprint . [7] In 2011, Studio 11 was selected as a curator for WFMU New York's Free Music Archive, and has since released nearly 200 contributions totalling over 100,000 downloads, featuring artists such as Greenskeepers, Glass Lux, [8] Track Jackit, Angel Alanis [9] and The Dread. [10]

Notable clients

Rockie Fresh K-Paz de la Sierra Memphis Bleek
Crucial Conflict Cashis Patrulla 81
Yung Berg No I.D. Greenskeepers
Flavor Flav Adela Popescu Ron Carroll
Lil Herb B Howard Lupe Fiasco
Young Thug Kanye West Gradur
C-Sick Lil Durk [11] [12] Seventh Wonder
Akon Snoop Dogg Juice
Do or Die Groove Armada Shawnna
Mos Def Straight No Chaser Dave Dresden
Warner Music Group Atlantic Records Om Records
King L [13] BT Silversun Pickups
Filligar

Selected recordings

Albums

YearAlbumArtist
2010The Otherside [14] Rockie Fresh
2013Driving 88 [15] Rockie Fresh
2013Electric HighwayRockie Fresh
2001Payroll 125 [16] Payroll & Kanye West
2006Ziggy Franklin Radio ShowJames Curd, Greenskeepers
2005PleetchGreenskeepers
2005Thank You Lenny [17] Treologic
2006Succession, I Guess [18] Filligar
2007The City Tree [19] Filligar
2008Near or FarFilligar
2010The NerveFilligar
2003Is There A Signal Coming Through [20] Life At Sea
2012Fly Over State [21] Fly Over State
2015L'homme Au Bob [22] Gradur
2006Block MusicShawnna
2008Planet Crucon [23] Crucial Conflict
2015Building A New ChicagoTrack Jackit

Singles

YearSongArtist
2013Vraja taD.J. Project fet. Adela
2014The Unbreakable Grayarea MixBT
2009Cloud Atlas Dave Dresden & Grayarea
2007Little Lover's So Polite Grayarea RemixSilversun Pickups
2014A.C. GreenRockie Fresh
2012Into The FutureRockie Fresh
2010Warsaw James Curd RemixGroove Armada
2012Dat AssRon Carroll feat. Kima'Chelle
2012InsaneY.P. feat. Rockie Fresh
2013Rub A DubY.P. feat. King Louie
2012Bingo PlayersRattle feat. Ron Carroll
2015I'm A Machine [24] Glass Lux
2008BarnfireCrucial Conflict
2009What's Poppin' Ride?Butta Da Prince
2007Lake ParkButta Da Prince
2008Styrafoam CupsJDP

12" Vinyl Singles / EPs

YearSongArtist
2004Neurobotic [25] Hidden Variable
2001The Dancing Wu Li Masters EP [26] Hidden Variable
2002Polarities 1 Of 2: Positive [27] Hidden Variable
2004Lunar [28] Gabriel Palomo & Lee Chameleon
2012Crush Your IdolsSanFaçon
2012When The Angels FellSanFaçon
2012Midnight At Dusk HotelSilentcorp
2012Naked Came The StrangerSilentcorp
2012Intrinsic [29] Gabriel Palomo
2012Group Modulo [30] Kuya
2014Curiosity [31] Mikey Yellow
2014Pattern Recognition [32] Linear
2011Chicago House Music EP Part 1Gene Farris
2011Chicago House Music EP Part 2Gene Farris

Films

YearFilmDirectorMusical Score
2003When Thugs CryParris ReavesAlex Gross [33]
2005The Evil OneParris ReavesAlex Gross & Dan Scalpone [34] [35]

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References

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41°53′7.4″N87°38′3.9″W / 41.885389°N 87.634417°W / 41.885389; -87.634417