Chicago’s South Side story has been told in many ways, from Black wall street to gang violence, but never through the drill culture lens. Chicago’s disenfranchised Black communities gave birth to drill music, influencing a global interest. Drill is portentous hip hop with lyrics named after a slang term for attacks between gangs. Drill beats are syncopated hi-hat patterns mirroring the rapid fire of a machine gun, making its male-dominated genre controversial and accusing artists of encouraging violence among its youthful audience.

WE tv, AllBlk with Co-creators Kenny Young, Phil James and Vernon “Xtreme” Brown are visually reopening the window to Chicago’s drill culture through the Black female artist perspective with their new eight one-hour episodes scripted drama series, “Kold x Windy.” The logline: “Kold x Windy” follows rising hip hop and drill star Malika (Kold), desperate to create a better life for her and her son in Chicago’s south side. Her trusted confidant and group member Renee (Windy), is a rapper with a strong dedication to the city streets.

“Kold x Windy” is a Chicago story told by Chicagoans. Kenny Young of Chalice Entertainment realized after working on a documentary entitled “They Don’t Give A Damn,” shedding light on the tearing down of Chicago’s housing projects and the displacement of Blacks within those communities told a hidden story. That the interviews foreshadowed the consensus of the inner-city youth who felt a lot of the crime and murders on Chicago’s Southside

stemmed from the drill music.  “I have never heard that before, and it intrigued me. I started to research, and I felt there was a story there, and I wanted that story told from the kids in the drill culture,” said Young.

 Kold x Windy is not just another project for this Southsider, he’s emotionally invested in the struggles and increased crime happening in our city streets. For the Chalice Entertainment company, this is a passion project for them.

“Kold x Windy” is about the influence Drill music has on the streets of Chicago, as well as the controversial theme throughout social media. “Our goal is to pull back the curtains and give viewers a first-hand look at these strong female characters, humanizing them as we paint a vivid picture of the personal relationships, real-life challenges, and ongoing cycles that can be challenging to overcome.” Added Brett Dismuke, general manager of AllBlk & WE tv.

“The show is about trying to make it from one place to another, getting to your destination and getting to your dreams. It’s a dream-catching story,” said Vick Lee, a staff writer. With her trials and tribulations as a writer in Chicago with dreams of making it, this storyline drew her immediately. “These two Black women from Chicago from the southside. I can relate to that because I’m a Black woman from the southside trying to make it. It’s not just a story; it’s realistic.” Lee said.

As Malika’s career ignites, her lifelong hustle, credit card fraud catches up with her, and rival drill artists see her as a threat. Faced with increasing pressure to make music, a checkered past, new love, and her troubled son, Malika finds herself at a crossroads and must decide which path to choose. However, best friend Renee, who, like Malika, chose the hustle of credit card fraud, believes maintaining an allegiance to the streets is what’s most important to help their reputation in the hip hop and drill game. Renee does not support Malika’s strong desire to change her image and will stop at nothing to prevent it. Will Malika be able to break free of her life of street crime to achieve her music dreams and save her family?

When taking a deeper dive into the characters Malika and Renee, you will find they are on two different spectrums. Even though they have grown up together and are very close, Malika wants to change, and Renee doesn’t, bringing us to the show’s overall theme is you must change to grow. “It’s sort of a character study of what happens when you attempt to change your life in a positive direction and what happens when you choose not to change.” Added Young. Malika and Renee will become the new spokespersons for this thinking process. These well-rounded characters will bring forth an emotional connection to you through your television screen.

“Kold x Windy” is where Empire meets Power, filled with action and a heavy musical theme meant to entertain, inspire and educate. “The music is huge and will set this show apart from the others,” comments Lee.

Due to a production decision, “Kold x Windy,” although filmed in Atlanta, rest assured that the essence of Chicago is still there. “Many of the people, many of the actors, and the people involved in the creative aspect are from Chicago, and we are bringing that element.” Add Young. Screen Magazine reports that “Kold x Windy” will mark the return of WE tv into the scripted space after several years. Kold x Windy is set to debut this Fall on WE tv and its sister platform AllBlk.

“Kold x Windy” is co-created by Kenny Young, Phil James, and Vernon “Xtreme” Brown of Chalice Entertainment. Lauren Gellert, EVP of production & development, David Stefanou, SVP of production and development and Nikki Love, SVP of production and development for AllBlk serve as Executive Producers for WE tv.

“We make our lives by the choices we make.” ~ Kold x Windy