ALBUM REVIEW
Chance the Rapper-Acid Rap
Man, I'm not too sure how to start this off....
I guess I'll let you know who this guy is. Chance the Rapper is Chicago native Chance Bennet, a 20 year old rapper/singer who wrote his debut "10 Day Mixtape" when he was on 10 day suspension from his high school. Acid Rap is his sophomore release and where 10 Day was more of him getting his name out there, Acid Rap is Chance really coming with his own style. What's also interesting to note is that as per the title, LSD or Acid was a good part of the production. When asked about how taking it effected his rapping, he said that it helped him to think outside of the box for alot of his lyrics as well as his singing.
Now you can say what you will about that, but I felt that even without hallucinogenics, there's alot to love about this release.
The one thing that really sells this for me is the fact that Chance The Rapper is not only a rapper, but also a singer too. While not the most unique quality in an MC today, the way he goes through songs really keeps you on your toes, switching between rapping and singing at unexpected points of a track, where during a verse the odd sung note would pop up and give you a hook to hang on to for the rest of the track.
Not only that, but when it really comes down to it Chance actually is a really good rapper and a really good singer. He has this real uncanny ability for good hooks that get into your head without you realizing it. As I write this review in the silence of a room I can still hear many of the choruses and sing them exactly; it's been a few days since I last heard a number of these songs. His rapping is also a deceptive sort of thing. While he sports something of a broken flow peppered with his "nanana's" and "AGH! AGH! AGH!'s" you can find some deft wordplay and meditativeness intermingling with his signature calls.
That's the thing with Chance and his off kilter, sing-songy rapping; it's just so damn endearing. I know it's kind of hard to explain, but I see it like this: Chance's odd voice and strange melodies, his almost schizophrenic, offbeat flow and just the general way he goes through a song really hits me because he's NOT perfect, he's NOT precision cut and it's NOT the usual standards that one would be used to in Hip-Hop and RnB. This is not the most experimental rapper mind you, far from it even, but the fact that he can have these sorts of qualities on some beats that would befit any run of the mill young "swag" rapper is really interesting. It's that contrast that really works; the fact that he can have these sorts of qualities that shouldn't work and still sings his heart out and puts all of himself into his lyrics makes this more soulful and genuine than any Drake, Frank Ocean, or even The Weeknd tracks I've listened to.
For example, when I'm hearing a good Drake song the thought that's usually running through my mind is "Oh I really like this melody, I'll probably have it in my head later." When I listen to CtR on the other hand, I FEEL his anxieties, I FEEL his like I'm on the trip with him, I FEEL his melodies and the strength behind his singing and damn it I want to sing WITH him.
Anyway, let's get down to it. The album opens up with
Good Ass Intro, and this may be the point where it can deter some people from the rest of album. The backing music is really good, and the callback to Chicago Juke music with the upbeat tempo and horns halfway through adds a new dimension to this, but on here Chance kind of sounds like Lil Wayne(probably not purposeful but that's how it comes across), so if you can't stand Wayne's style or rapping then this may turn you off from the rest of this. Still, it's an upbeat and fun introduction.
Right after is
Pusha Man, and what's probably the most interesting about this is the pause that comes right after the first part of the song. Compared to other multipart songs where they usually last long enough to know that the first part is done, this goes on just a bit longer. While this may be am odd thing or even an annoyance to some, Chance insists that you listen to the song with the pause as it adds to the effect of the whole piece. The first part,
Pusha Man, is more of a straightforward track that with a really well done chorus that is what you expect from the title(selling and doing drugs of many varieties). The second part,
Paranoia, is a more reflective piece with a sort of beat that just wipes away at your brain. This goes into alot of the recent gang violence plaguing inner city Chicago, and I must admit I knew nothing about the situation over there before hearing it from this album. It something that when you really listen to it at the end you feel for Chance and the people in the midst of this situation right now.
Up after Pusha Man is
Cocoa Butter Kisses, and HERE's where the album really opened up for me. The hook on here is absolutely gorgeous and the instrumental touches give you this smooth RnB feel that makes it one of the best tracks on the album. This song here is about the effects of doing drugs, both to a person physically and to their relationships with family and friends who don't really share the same pastime. Twista does the last verse on here and really delivers on his end, providing not only his signature fast style but also some cool lyrics to wrap your head around.(no pun intended)
Juice follows up, and it along with Cocoa Butter Kisses are probably my favorite tracks on the album. From the very beginning he has this head in the clouds singing that gives way into a fierce rapping that's at the same time relaxed enough to flow with. It's this sort of off-kilter feel. The pounding chorus of "JUICE! JUICE! JUICE! JUICE!" and Chance's backing it with "I got the juiiiice, I gooooot the juiiiiiice" is guaranteed to be one of the most unlikely earworms you will get any time soon.
Lost is a really dreamy piece that basically creates this image of a relationship fueled by drugs that almost seems romantic in a way. This whole song is just so relaxed and almost cleansing with it's subdued beat and calmed down Chance compared to how he was really hyped up previously. With
Everybody's Something The two things I love about this song are the chorus and the idea behind it. The sentiment that "Everybody is somebody's everything" really put a smile on my face and will cheer up anyone who's feeling down or unloved. The way it's sung and rapped gets away from the beat slowly as it goes on only to come back near the end. There's a really good flow on here that goes well with it's instrumental which is a bit of a midway between melancholy and happy go lucky, kind of like how trying to find love can be.
After that, the
Interlude(That's Love) showcases some of Chance's best rapping, where he mixes alot of his smart wordplay with an unusual but on point flow that gives way into some very beautiful singing. This song differs from what a number of other young MCs would talk about where Chance is saying that things like how much money or twitter followers you have couldn't compare to the feelings of being with those you care about and just being in love.
When it comes to
Favorite Song it is the most poppy song on here, but it really works to the album's advantage. The beat is minimal in production but really shines through to the rapping and chorus, which is one of my, well, favorites. Childish Gambino has a verse on here, but in all honesty I felt that it was a bit weak, and in a way mirrored a type of flow Kanye West would do without really trying years ago. Still, this is a pretty fun song.
NaNa is a bit different. While some people may find this song in general to be a big goof or kind of stupid(I know I did the first time), especially with using "nanana" as a chorus, it really gets in your head, at first ironically but then for serious. Action Bronson delivers a hilarious and enjoyable verse that's brimming with personality and the way that the "nana's"sort of devolve and become completely different by the end is really enjoyable. It's kind of dumb fun, but it's alot of dumb fun.
Afterwards is
Smoke Again, and this track is a bit different compared to previous ones. The beat here is less RnB influenced real instrumention mixed with hip-hop beats and more your par-for-the-course trap beat, but Chance does come through on this. The singing/rapping is pretty catchy and sort of feels like a drifting point to the rest of the album. Other than that there's not too much to say about this track...
I had to give a few listens to
Acid Rain before I really decided how I felt about it. I definitely like the samples used here, and the rapping is definitely on point, but I guess what turned me off to this compared to previous tracks was that this was much less singing than what I was accustomed to by this point. Still, after a few listens, this is a pretty good pure rap track that shows that while Chance can definitely sing, he can rap pretty damn well.(I guess he's not named "The Rapper" for nothing eh?) It really is a reflective track too, talking about his life in general, so it really works. Next up is
Chain Smoke, and this has a really nice sample that backs the hook, which of course is just catchy and really well done. The rest of the instruments are in really good places here too, and after multiple listens you really notice some of the nice touches that come through.
Everything's Good is the closing track of the album starts off with this beautiful piano serving as the backdrop to a nice intro where Chance is talking to his father, and goes into a really interesting melody and some more reflection by Chance with how he used to be more of a troublemaker and how he isn't the best person but still working towards his goals in life. This track once again features some really fresh horns near the end, and sort of breaks off into that sort of Chicago Juke style that was present in the Good Ass Intro, essentially bookending the album.
What can I really say about this overall? I absolutely love this mixtape/album/whatever. I've been listening to this since I got it, going to and from work, walking the dog or just randomly and I can't really say I'm tired of it yet. Even listening to this again for this review didn't feel like a chore at all. You can tell that alot of this music is from the heart and is someone who really values alot of the non material things in life. That's something you rarely find in alot of hip hop anymore and it makes me appreciate this even more.
The only real faults I can find with this is how some songs have less of a deep meaning as much as some of his best tracks, that and at a few points his "na's" and "AGH!'s" can be a bit misplaced and overused. Still, I sincerely hope that this isn't Chance's last effort, because I feel like he's still got alot to say and he has a ton of potential to do great things. Only in the future can we tell if this stands the test of time, but if you ask me I could really see this opening up a new type of hip hop, for everyone. And it's free, so unless you have an unexplainable fear of computer downloads I don't see why you shouldn't check this out.
9/10
Favorite Tracks-damn near all of it, except for...
Least Favorite Tracks-Acid Rain
But hey, here's some music from it, and let me know what you think if you decide to check it out