Lupe Fiasco and his business partner Charles “Chill” Patton founded the label 1st & 15th to spotlight the best musicians in their home city of Chicago, regardless of genre. The two tastemakers’ endorsement of Two Depressed Kids (TDK) reflects the Chicago-based duo’s propensity for probing complex emotions through punchy melodies and indelible hooks. Today, TDK returns with their bouncy heartbreak anthem “Not In Love,” co-produced by 1st & 15th’s own Soundtrakk, and its accompanying music video.
Taking inspiration in equal measure from midwest post-punk and tuneful early ’10s Chicago hip-hop, “Not In Love” starts off strong with crunchy power chords and driving digital drums, providing a canvas for TDK members Jake and Drew to paint their tales of star-crossed romance. The two emcees twirl conversational melodies to deliver lyrics that are romantic (“Even a million miles away I still can see your face”), self-deprecating (“You wanna be like me, I wouldn’t do that”), and sometimes both at once (“You say you couldn’t stay but you never leave/Always gotta say what you never mean”). In the video, directed by DefPopFilmz, Jake and Drew front a live rock band as they reminisce about ones who got away.
