Sample From the Menu is now available on all major streaming platforms
CHICAGO, IL / MusicWire / Sept. 11, 2026 — Chicago artists Abitight and RP release their debut collaborative album, Sample From the Menu. The 16-track LP brings together nearly three decades of friendship and music-making, pairing Abitight’s seasoned lyricism and soulful melodies with RP’s signature production and perspective as a DJ and fellow emcee. The album is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Inspired by the spirit of ’90s boom bap while embracing the present, Sample From the Menu is a love letter to the era that shaped Abitight and RP—and to the Chicago community that has supported their work. The album moves between introspection and confidence, weaving together skits, samples, featured artists and vivid storytelling. Throughout the project, Abitight explores the balance between ambition, everyday life and protecting his peace, while RP gives each track a distinct sonic identity without compromising the album’s cohesion.
A Taste of Sample From the Menu
“Remember, it’s only a taste.”
A pleasant voice-over and welcoming accordions lead the listener to the table as the album begins. From there, radio static weaves through the project, recalling where a shared love of music began and connecting an album filled with dense ideas, soulful melodies, commanding drums and memorable hooks.
“Whirlpool” offers an early example of Abitight’s range and the depth of understanding between the two collaborators. “For The Win” serves as a love letter to Chicago, welcoming listeners to what the song calls the greatest town in the world. It feels as full and satisfying as an ice-cold draft on a patio, capturing a community enjoying one another’s company and rooted in deep respect.
Across the record, Abitight’s pen is in full force, shifting between personal reflection, humor, narrative writing and the confidence of a seasoned emcee. “P.O.A.H.F,” featuring Chicken Happens and Lilly Choi, is a true get-ready song—the kind that gets stuck in your head and needs to be played louder. It belongs to those first moments of the morning, while combing your hair and taking in the lines and history shaping the reflection in front of you.
“Smashburgers” showcases RP’s signature production alongside Abitight’s seasoned lyrical approach. Reminiscent of the layered atmosphere of Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, the track is a reminder of how beautiful and complex hip-hop can be. “Soul Summit” moves like a march, with commanding drums and a driving bass riff leading listeners through the club, while Spiderface transforms the sonic landscape and places the focus on every bar.
Doc Wattson opens track eight, “What’s For Dinner?,” with a powerful but measured delivery, alongside a brief appearance from RP. Like the album surrounding it, the track offers samples of rich food—dense ideas and sounds created by artists driven by conviction.
“Missing Link,” featuring RP and their friend KASTAWAY, slows the tempo while showcasing a rare level of craftsmanship. It becomes an anthem for weekend warriors who grind all week before burning down stages across Chicago on Friday and Saturday nights: working-class artists rhyming through whatever crisis a broken system can muster.
“To and Fro” takes a simple concept—trying to get ahold of someone—and turns it into a vibrant mural. Its tension between complexity and simplicity creates a collage of raw expression and bustling markets. “Finding Jubilee” then demonstrates the range of flows and styles at Abitight’s disposal, moving through a tense interaction with police before transitioning into a soulful celebration.
That warmth is immediately countered by “Cutthroat,” a darker track that sets aside the nice-guy persona in favor of raw tension and confrontation. “Star Gazing” stands among the album’s most emotional moments. The line “There’s no second chances” offers a stark reminder to create, act and live fully now rather than assume there will always be more time.
“I Am Your Heart,” featuring Holly Prindle of The Hobbyist, captures the sudden rush of meeting someone new and feeling strong emotions from the start. The collaboration also highlights a local music scene bursting with talent and energy.
What holds Sample From the Menu together is its balance of classic hip-hop sensibility and present-day perspective. Its hooks arrive naturally, often leaving listeners singing along before a song is over. It makes the listener hungry while offering something nourishing—the best kind of contradiction. It is brand-new music that immediately feels familiar.
Abitight describes the complete-album listening experience this way:
“If this album had dropped when I was a kid, I would have studied the liner notes until every lyric was memorized, playing it front to back until the CD was scratched to hell. Sample From the Menu didn’t just satisfy; it had me licking the plate.”
About
Abitight, pronounced “Appetite,” is a versatile singer, songwriter and emcee. RP is a producer, DJ and emcee. The two have been creating music together since 1997, beginning with Meadow Mathematics in Madison, Wisconsin, before returning to Chicago and contributing to the city’s live hip-hop scene through their work with Abstract Giants and Rebel Alliance and, since 2014, as GreenLights Music.
Their 16-track collaborative LP, Sample From the Menu, draws from the spirit of ’90s boom bap while embracing the present. Blending classic hip-hop sensibilities with personal storytelling and fresh perspectives, the project reflects where Abitight and RP have been, where they are and where they are headed.
Media Contact
Cameron Mcintosh, Artist
stilcam2020@gmail.com
View source version on MusicWire: press release
SOURCE: Abitight
