Producer, DJ, Emcee, "Coolout Chris" Hawkins has been rocking Chicago hip-hop for years, and many regard him as a true Chicago treasure. A founding member of one of the city’s premiere crews "Elements of Nature", and the 90’s era rap group Spalaney’s, Coolout’s music has been featured on radio and television, and in 1999 he co-founded Urbanized Music, and BeatQuarters Productions. Coolout is also engaged in civic and community affairs as vice president, co-founder, and Music Director of Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative, a not-for profit hip-hop arts organization. In 2003 C.H.I. presented and championed the passage of a resolution to declare July as the official Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage month.
He sits on the board of directors of the Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative, a non profit community arts organization, and spent 2 weeks in Cote d’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, as part of a contingency of US Cultural Envoys conducting workshops, and recording local artists around the country, promoting hip-hop as a tool for creative self expression Having worked with and mentored some of Chicago’s hottest producers he vows to continue to raise the bar, and set trends for upcoming generations. He is currently heading up UMAC, Urbanized Music Affiliated Collectives, an international artist collaboration that is also working to develop global networks for indie artists.
