Sidewalk Chalk

Coming together in the Spring of 2008 after meeting at Columbia College in Chicago, Sidewalk Chalk is rapidly emerging as a shining star in the burgeoning Chicago hip-hop scene. Fronted by emcee K'neqta Dots (Rico Sisney) and vocalist S-Star (Margaret Vagle), Sidewalk Chalk's sound is a unique blend of jazz, soul, and hip- hop. The group is rounded out by Charlie "Chuck" Coffeen on keys, Fatty Jeff (Garrett McGinn) on bass, Billy Blanks (Tyler Berg) on drums and the Bootskate Horns (David Ben-Porat on Trombone and Sam Trump on Trumpet).
Further contributing to the unique stage show put on by Sidewalk is award- winning tap dancer Jumaane Taylor. Taylor describes his own role in the group as “to be an instrumentalist; to be another piece, another color, in the picture being created”. The band's rhythm section (often playing their own sets of J Dilla instrumentals under the name, “The Ephelon Trio”), combines with the Bootskate Horns and Jumaane Taylor to paint a soundscape as compelling as the performances of the vocalists. 2009 saw the group release the Snacktime EP and embark on the Freida Hites Tour. In a 2010 poll by the Chicago Reader, Sidewalk Chalk was voted "Best Local Hip-Hop Artist." Chuck and S-Star toured the U.S and Europe backing Animate Objects and Universal Recording Artist Leigh Jones and K'Neqta Dots performed in the World Expo in Shanghai as a representative for Hiphop, Chicago and the U.S. Armed with significant touring experience, years of both formal and informal musical study, and a collective love of music, Sidewalk Chalk is pushing beyond musical convention to create art that will know no shelf life.