But First, Coffee...
“You’d think that people would have had enough silly love songs I look around me and see it isn’t so” In addition to the love songs Sir Paul McCartney mentions, the world cannot seem to get enough coffee. Chicago is a special place in the world of coffee—specifically where something called the “third wave” of coffee is concerned. For those unfamiliar, referring to coffee in the 20th and 21st centuries as taking place in three distinct “waves” is an appropriation of the three waves seen in the feminist movement. Where coffee is concerned though, the first wave focused on the creation of cheap and
accessible coffee. The second wave kicked off in 1960s Berkeley, California with shops like the now famous Peet’s Coffee & Tea, where a greater focus on sourcing higher quality beans began to take place. The third wave, which we are now in, introduced an even higher standard along with an “artisan” approach; leave it to the hipsters (which includes yours truly) to find a way to incorporate the term “artisan.” Intelligentsia Coffee was opened in Chicago in the mid-1990s and has become one of the major pillars of the coffee world. So, it only makes sense to launch an article looking at the coffee shops and culture that exist around this beautiful beverage and magnificent city. So, in each column I will report out on my most recent visits to the coffee shops and cafes throughout the city. I know, it’s hard work, but someone has to do it! This time around we are taking a look at “Coffee, Hip-Hop & Mental Health” (CHHAMH) which is more of a grassroots mental health movement with a café. CHHAMH’s has a storefront location on Broadway in Lakeview, just north of Melrose. Upon entering, my eyes immediately darted to the large colorful painting on one of the walls; a human brain made up of words like “peace,” “help,” “pain,” and of course “coffee.” Cute round tables with chairs and a case of merch line the opposite wall. As you walk further into the café, you see all of the art and portraits that line the wall—a large painting of Common takes center stage. The bass-heavy sound of hip-hop pours at a high decibel out of the speakers they have set up near a turntable— which was appreciated until it was time to order.
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MAY 2021 / WWW.RADIOONECHICAGO.COM
