Two decades deep and sharper than ever, Chicago’s iconic duo Abstract Mindstate make a triumphant return with their latest single “Bar Louie,” a slick, soul-soaked offering that finds Olskool Ice-Gre and E.P. Da Hellcat (aka Ebony Poetress) in rare, refined form. Produced by Detroit heavyweight Young RJ and featuring a blistering guest verse from David Banner, the track is a declaration that the architects of Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop (ACH) are here not just to reminisce — but to lead.
“Bar Louie,” released April 9 via Honest Music/Barak With Love/Vydia, hits like a celebratory toast in a city bar — heady, honest, and layered with lived experience. It’s a statement of survival and evolution from a group whose story reads like Hip-Hop folklore: early 2000s cult acclaim with We Paid, Let Us In!, a shelved second album that could’ve featured Kanye West and Common, a long hiatus, and then an improbable rebirth — complete with a full album produced by Kanye himself (Dreams Still Inspire, 2021).
Now, post-YZY SND and firmly embedded in the Slum Village family tree, Gre and EP are back with even more purpose. Their chemistry is magnetic as ever: Gre delivers bars with sagely confidence, while EP cuts through with wit and wisdom only a grown woman could bring. Banner’s guest verse adds an extra edge — raw and defiant, like a shot of truth in a cocktail of reflection.
The Ice-Gre-directed visuals, shot in Atlanta, walk the line between satire and sincerity, offering clever literal interpretations of the song’s lyrics while capturing the duo’s signature blend of street wisdom and soul.
More than just a comeback, “Bar Louie” feels like a reaffirmation. Abstract Mindstate never left — the world just had to catch up. And if this single is any indication, the next chapter is going to be their most compelling yet.
