Before I touch on them, I'd like to first comment on the role Surf has taken in the career of Chance the Rapper, because no matter what he, Donnie Trumpet, or anyone else says, this album is about him. After a critical breakthrough and achieving indie rap messianic status with his mixtape Acid Rap (A project I admittedly probably underrated in my initial kinda cringe-worthy review, although I'll maintain that the stretch of "Favorite Song", "NaNa", and "Still Smoking" was disastrous), Chance opted against signing with a major label, giving him the kind of fan-base and creative control that most rappers would die for. Pressure's a bitch, though, and Chance has his fair share of it, so it makes all the sense in that world that he would opt to join a band instead of directly following up Acid Rap with a straight-up hip hop album (I generally prefer at least two rap albums before rappers go full-out Love Below, but I degrees) Still, I felt that my initial skepticism towards the project was warranted, especially considering that his post-Acid Rap songs have showed him with a growing disinterest with rapping.
Though it's largely a product of another era, the collaborative crew effort has successfully paved the way for countless rappers that would otherwise still be working at local restaurants. These rappers, through their friendships/associations with famous, better artists, have elegantly been coined "weed-carriers", and even though it's hardly the most endearing term in the world, I'm sure the Memphis Bleeks and literally hundreds of Wu-Tang affiliates (basically anyone living in Staten Island during the late nineties) would proudly wear an asterisk next to their fame if the alternative meant working a day job. Their presence can hardly be described as a issue, but they've been a hindrance to the artistic progression of their more talented counterparts for years. The Social Experiment, however, is not a group of weed-carriers.
Before I touch on them, I'd like to first comment on the role Surf has taken in the career of Chance the Rapper, because no matter what he, Donnie Trumpet, or anyone else says, this album is about him. After a critical breakthrough and achieving indie rap messianic status with his mixtape Acid Rap (A project I admittedly probably underrated in my initial kinda cringe-worthy review, although I'll maintain that the stretch of "Favorite Song", "NaNa", and "Still Smoking" was disastrous), Chance opted against signing with a major label, giving him the kind of fan-base and creative control that most rappers would die for. Pressure's a bitch, though, and Chance has his fair share of it, so it makes all the sense in that world that he would opt to join a band instead of directly following up Acid Rap with a straight-up hip hop album (I generally prefer at least two rap albums before rappers go full-out Love Below, but I degrees) Still, I felt that my initial skepticism towards the project was warranted, especially considering that his post-Acid Rap songs have showed him with a growing disinterest with rapping.
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First off, let me apologize for the extended break in between post. (I'm just as tired of seeing that Future post every time I open the front page) Shit got in the way, which made me miss my four day deadline, but fear not because today's post might feature something you all are actually interested in. In a somewhat less than predictable turn off events, I'll be jotting down my thoughts on the newest members of the XXL Freshman list, which has proven over the past few years to be surprisingly credible. Hopefully this might even start up a conversation in the comment section. I just really, really don't feel like reviewing an album.
I'm not all that familiar with everyone on the list, which is probably a good thing since what I write down will be my gut reaction, but to keep things fair, I'll listen to a couple songs from each artist and let you know whether or not they're any good. (which is completely different from whether or not they reach success) I'll probably end up choosing one of their shittier songs, so if you have any recommendations, feel free to let me know. Hey guys, how's it going? As fun as the last post was, I figured it was time to get back to reviewing some actual music. Since I've fulfilled my obligation to review the first round of solo albums by the Wu Tang (my partner still hasn't so OB4CL will still be coming) I'm pretty much at a stage where I can review what ever I want. I'd like to believe that there is still good rap being made now a days so I've decided to give my opinion on a newer release: Acid Rap
Chance the Rapper is the newest edition to the Chicago rap scene, who also kind of sings a little. His style is hard to explain, which is what I think has been one of the main reasons for his increasing popularity. To my own surprise (and I'm assuming others as well) this is actually Chances second mixtape/album type of thing, with its predecessor 10 Days flying under the radar as far as I'm concerned. (I know my reviews might not show it, but I do keep up with current rap) The first thing you'll notice about this is Chance's weird, witty, and over the top personality that has gained this project so much hype. His vocals are extremely high pitched and the energy he gives off pushes some of his songs to the point of exhaustion, which is never a good thing when recording a full length project. Without giving away too much, I'd like to say that the instrumentals of the mixtape are consistently the highlights of the album and require minimum effort from chance to make the songs decent. They're very polished and contemporary, but fit the themes of the album and Chances flow nicely. Before I continue to give away everything in the introduction, I'll just start the review... 1. Good Ass Intro (Feat. Bj the Chicago Kid, Lili K, Kiara Lanier, Peter Cottontale, & Will for the O'mys) My lord, this wasn't what I was expecting. Incredibly eccentric, but nothing that's going to completely alienate me, which is about all I was asking for. The main purpose for this was just to introduce some of the topics that will be addressed throughout. If you can get past Chances incredibly annoying voice and average lyrics, you'll find a great flow that may be attracting his audience. An audience that probably has no idea what a flow even is. 2. Pusha Man (Feat. Nate Fox & Lili K) So there's like three different songs in one on here. Chance kind of paints the picture him as a drug dealer in the hook, which works quite well. Like I said earlier, the instrumental carries the song for the most part. Its smooth and jazzy and almost has a Rastafarian vibe to it. Its almost good enough to make me forget about the screeching ad-libs that are littered throughout the album. There also a thirty second intermission of silence in between the parts of the song, which was all kinds of unnecessary 3. Cocoa Butter Kisses (Feat. Vic Mensa & Twista) Probably the most memorable track on the mixtape because of the, you guessed it, instrumental. Its a smooth melody that is heavily carried by its organs and just makes for a really enjoyable listen. For one of the only times on the project, Chance is album to give lyrics with substance gained from drugs. He raps about how his relationship has changed with the people that aren't involved with drugs, such as his Grandma. Furthermore, this is the first time that Chance really showcases his singing ability. Kind of hard to explain but its original and a worthwhile listen. 4. Juice This was my first taste of Chance the Rapper, which almost immediately alienated me. Although the hook is fun and instrumental is up to par, this doesn't do much for Chance. I guarantee you that this shit will be the most popular song, as it just sends off an overwhelming flow of mainstream vibes. 5. Lost (Feat. Noname Gypsey) So here we are left with a type of love song that was pretty interesting, considering the main topic is dropping acid with said lover. The song is dominated with a surprisingly soothing piano loop, along with flutes and a guitar. The songs lyrics are pretty basic, in the sense that it just covers the relationship but is left up to your interpretation when the last verse states, "the only time he really loves me is naked and in my dreams." Pretty cool song. 6. Everybody's Something (Feat. Saba & BJ the Chicago Kid) Another pretty good song. As the title may indicate, this is just about how everybody has someone cares about them. As basic as it sounds, he's able to make this into an interesting song with his angry at times tone and singing abilities. Weirdly enough, the verses mixed with the instrumental actually reminded me of something you'd find on Dare Iz A Darkside by Redman. Can't really explain it because Redman never really talks about this type of thing. 7. Interlude (That's Love) Not really an interlude, as this is the same length as most of the other songs as is one of the best songs of the album. This pretty much convinced me that this guy can actually sing. Its got a really soulful feel to it and the instrumental is again carried by a carefully placed organ. 8. Favorite Song (Feat. Childish Gambino) Effectively killing the momentum the mixtape has surprisingly gained, this is boring and forgettable. The instrumental is boring and overly simple, but Chance takes simple to another level as he just comes in and yells "that's my jam" over again and unsuccessfully tries to convince us that its a hook. Gambinos verse is a step above Chance, but it still is anything great. Oh well, next song. 9. NaNa (Feat. Action Bronson) We have an Action Bronson sighting, who delivers a great verse that really fits nicely into the theme of the album because of its ridiculousness. Chance brings back his Rastafarian placement in between his words, providing one of the best flows of the album. With all that being said, this song isn't very good. The hook challenges the last songs simpleness, as its just "NaNa" over again in the form of one of his annoying ass ad-libs that he's been shoving down our throats all album. 10. Smoke Again (Feat. Ab-Soul) In a crescendo that started with "Favorite Song" we've gradually reached the worst song of the album. Everything about this is incredibly shallow, as Chance brings nothing more than a generic rap song to the table. I've been told that Ab Soul is a very good rapper, but this song does nothing for his case, as its one of the worst verses of the project. In the bright side, it gets better from here as foreshadowed above. 11. Acid Rain To an extent, Chance returns to his form of the first half of the album. Most of this comes from the guitar and drum filled instrumental, which is very soothing to the ears. Still couldn't find anything very good lyrically from Chance. He basically just going out of his way to find things to complain about, one of the things that aggravates me most in a rapper. 12. Chain Smoker Definitely an improvement over the last track, which wasn't entirely bad. I love the heavy base line and piano loop. Chances rhymes are fairly interesting, but are still overshadowed by his awesome flow that he periodically shows. Hook was forgettable but the song was still pretty good. 13. Everything's Good (Good Ass Outro) I'm comfortable calling this one of the best songs on the album, especially in the lackluster second half. The lyrics on here come off as very nostalgic and gives off a very positive vibe. As a fan of drums, I appreciated the instrumental as they were largely unnoticeable for the majority of the songs. Overall, this was able to close the album and leave a good taste in my mouth. Rating: 3/5 To my own surprise, I actually found myself enjoying quite a bit of this mixtape/album. Most of the instrumentals are very good and Chance just comes of as a pretty likable guy. The first half shows the potential this guy has and somewhat validates the hype surrounding him. The thing that kind of got me with the album is the songs where Chance is trying to preach a message. His over the top personality makes it hard to take him too seriously on these type of track and they come off as very shallow. If you're looking for contemporary music, I'd recommend this, but also recommend keeping your hand near the skip button. |