Willie Waldman Project Feat Jake Cinninger (of Umphrey’s McGee), Tony Franklin (Banyan), Tony Austin (Kamasi Washington) + Desire 4

Willie Waldman Project Featuring

+Special Guest MC Nic Placek

MC Ideal

Opening for the Willie Waldman Project,

The up and coming local band Desire 4!

Featuring,

Purush Sundaram: Vocals/Guitar

Domenic Spino: Guitar

Jacob Epping: Bass

Isaac Amador: Drums

Ideal Bio Hailing from the same place on the map that brought the world Michael Jackson, (I)deal is a genre bending/blending troubadour of an emcee. Falling in love with every aspect of hip-hop before he was a teenager, he was soon involved in a variety of eclectic independent groups and bands throughout the Chicago area, most notably the band Midwest Hype. Spending his formative years of his late teens & early 20’s with one foot in the streets & the other in the studio, he put his grind down in both in order to fund his dreams & musical aspirations. Ideal was inspired by a vast range of artists including Nas, Big L, Mos Def, Lupe, Red hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan and Jack White. In 2019 he released his first solo endeavor – the Willie Waldman produced “Wildlife” EP, featuring Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee on multiple instruments, and spent his quarantine time recording a new album with Midwest Hype – their “Nightglow” LP, along with his first full- length solo album “Scatterbrained”. Entirely produced by his partner in crime Pooney, “Scatterbrained” is a lyrical and sonic tour-de-force, combining substance, deft wordplay and a foundation firmly planted in the beats, rhymes, and life of the golden age of hip-hop. Over Pooneys beautifully orchestrated sample-based, live-instrument-layered production, (I)deal weaves dense narratives of a hard-headed youth who started selling drugs at age 12, pouring all his resources into the belief in himself and musical destiny. He released the lead single off the “Scatterbrained”album “Natural Man” featuring Luv Militia which got major press features on Allhiphop.com, HipHopCanada and more. With “Scatterbrained” (I)deal writes a love letter to hip-hop paying homage while looking forward to its future and spits major bars on the self-titled single. Featuring major features from Mick Jenkins, Tony Austin, Miles Mosley, and the late emcee Gift of Gab, among others, (I)deal reinforces his position as the vanguard for the next generation of emcees. Currently (I)deal is in the process of preparing the release a collaborative EP with Rusty Redenbacher of Indyianapolis’ Mudkids on production as well as a full length Midwest Hype album – “Nightglow” and and full-length solo LP in ‘26