This album is an excellent showcase for the Chicago born rapper, and the Grammys, in my opinion, are very well deserved. If you haven’t already listened, I highly suggest it. If you have listened and didn’t like it, I implore you to give it another, closer listen, and really get to appreciate the ins and outs of the album. If you have listened and loved it, much like me, why not give it another listen or 100? It’s definitely worth it for any fan of rap to listen to and even for those who aren’t fans to give it a try.
CHECK OUT CHANCE THE RAPPER’S COLORING BOOK
BY DJ Lopes
2016 was a very solid year for music, in most to all genres. Beyoncé rocked the pop world with her latest effort, Lemonade. Adele took home album of the year at the Grammy’s with her album 25 (yes, that album that had Hello on it). Twenty One Pilots found their way into the mainstream with radio hits such as Stressed Out, Ride, and Heathens off of their 2015 album, Blurryface. Personally, 2016 was a huge year for me, musically. Some of my favorite groups were making comeback albums, such as Blink-182’s California and A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service. I was introduced to artists such as Anderson.Paak (This article isn’t about this album, but if you ever get the chance, check out Malibu. Excellent record), and Bayside. But most importantly, Chance the Rapper released his 3rd project, Coloring Book.
The unique thing about this record is that it was only streamable; you could listen only through Apple Music, Spotify, and Soundcloud. Some may argue that this doesn’t mean the album is free, as 2 of the 3 outlets are hidden behind a paywall. However, listening on Soundcloud provides an entirely free experience, barring the occasional ad. But even still, it is more than worth the ads or the paywall. As a huge Tribe fan, I loved We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service. But as much as I loved that album, I must say that Coloring Book beats it out as my personal pick for best record of the year.
I’ll mention up front that the album received much critical success. Chance was nominated for seven Grammy’s and took home three– Best Rap Performance, Best New Artist, and Best Rap Album. The whole entire album (or mixtape, really) is overflowing with personality and style, with many memorable moments. While most definitely consistent to the genre of rap, Chance does a lot of genre bending within the confines of rap.
All Night (ft. Knox Fortune) is a full-on disco song, bringing back vibes from the nightlife of the 70’s. Songs like Mixtape (ft. Young Thug and Lil Yachty) and No Problem (ft. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne) give Chance an opportunity to rap in a more modernized style. Same Drugs and Summer Friends prove to be deep, strong ballads with a more somber attitude. And lastly, Juke Jam (ft. Towkio and Justin Bieber) slows it down and proves to be something that deserves to be played at dance floors for years to come. But most notably- and what is perhaps the biggest critical knock on Chance- many songs on the album provide a strong Gospel rap feel. Chance references the Bible multiple times, and most of his lyrics have real religious tones. How Great even begins with the famous Hymn How Great Is our God. Some may argue that it comes off as preachy at times, which I personally disagree with. In extreme cases, as seen in an article by Noisey Music, it is said that it’s tough to be a fan of Chance if you’re not Catholic. Chance is a very religious man, now more than ever, after recovery from a tough addiction to Xanax.
This album shows great progression in Chance’s faith, as his previous mixtape, AcidRap, had lyrics which may have suggested he felt otherwise about religion. Most notably the lyric from Everybody’s Something, “Why God phone die every time that I call on him/If his son had a Twitter, wonder if I would follow him”. In Coloring Book, any doubt of his religion is erased. However, in my opinion, it’s done in a tasteful way that allows it to be enjoyed by men and women of all creeds, races, and orientations. It’s quite simply a good album.
The feature list is reminiscent of a modern rap album, featuring rappers such as the aforementioned 2 Chainz, Lil Yachty, and Young Thug. However, most of these rappers give some of their best performances. For example, I was never too big a fan of Lil Yachty, but was quite impressed by his verse on Mixtape. However, no album or mixtape is entirely perfect. Some rappers give less than satisfactory verses, such as Young Thug and Future, and the album struggles at times in that sense. However, these faults are at minimum, and I believe the best features certainly drown out the worst.
This album is an excellent showcase for the Chicago born rapper, and the Grammys, in my opinion, are very well deserved. If you haven’t already listened, I highly suggest it. If you have listened and didn’t like it, I implore you to give it another, closer listen, and really get to appreciate the ins and outs of the album. If you have listened and loved it, much like me, why not give it another listen or 100? It’s definitely worth it for any fan of rap to listen to and even for those who aren’t fans to give it a try.
As previously mentioned, you can listen to Coloring Book on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud
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