How Chance the Rapper brought gospel to the digital masses
His latest album is going down in history.
In 2011, high school student Chancellor Bennett was suspended for 10 days after being caught with marijuana on campus. At that moment he started on a journey that would bring an eclectic mix of trumpet-loving rap to the masses. He released a song called Windows, and started working on his first full-length project, 10-Day. Released in February of 2012, the 14 song mixtape landed him in Complex magazine’s “10 Chicago Rappers To Look Out For”. And now, two incredible projects later, we’ve arrived at Chance’s biggest statement yet: Coloring Book.
Coloring Book was released on May 12th, 2016 exclusively on Apple Music. The widespread release will be out in two weeks. Last weekend, he had a listening event for Coloring Book called the Magnificent Coloring World at the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. All around, the energy behind this mixtape is incredible, and we’re going to break it down.
You ready big fella?
“All We Got” is the opening song on Coloring Book, featuring Kanye West and the Chicago Children’s Choir. Kanye West has been a major influence on Chance, and they’ve appeared on each other’s latest opening tracks. For this album, Chance brought on two choirs and an orchestra — you’ll be hearing again from the CCC later on.
🔥 Lyric:
This ain’t no intro, this the entree
Hit that intro with Kanye and sound like André
Tryna turn my baby mama to my fiancée
She like music, she from Houston like Auntie Yoncé
Man my daughter couldn’t have a better mother
If she ever find another, he better love her
“No Problem” features 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne. It’s produced by Brasstracks, the duo of Ivan Jackson on horns and Connor Rayne on drums. This isn’t Chance & Wheezy’s first collaboration, here’s “You Song” released in 2013.
🔑 Lyric:
If one more label try to stop me
It’s gon’ be some dreadhead niggas in ya lobby
Ooh, I be comin’, put the hinges in their hands
Countin’ Benjis while we meetin’, make ’em shake my other hand
Milly rockin’, scoopin’ all the blessings out my lap
“Summer Friends” features Francis Starlite of Francis And the Lights & Jeremih, two very talented Chicago natives.
🔥 Lyric:
Socks on concrete, jolly rancher kids
I was talking back and now I gotta stay at grandma’s crib
Bunch of tank top, nappy headed bike-stealing Chatham boys
None of my niggas ain’t had no dad
None of my niggas ain’t have no choice
“D.R.A.M. Sings Special” features the eponymous DRAM & Elle Varner.
DRAM(Does Real Ass Music)’s claim to fame is “Cha Cha”, which sampled “Star World” from the Super Mario soundtrack, and sounds vaguely similar to Hotline Bling. His real name is Shelley Massenburg-Smith, a German-born, Virginia raised rapper.
This isn’t DRAM’s first time with Chance, they collaborated on “Caretaker” via Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment. This cut of the song uses a similar progression as “Very Special” by Debra Laws.
🔥 Lyric:
You are very special
You’re special too
Everyone is special
This I know is true
When I look at you
“Blessings” features Jamila Woods, and was performed live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
🔥🔥🔥 Lyric:
Chisel me into stone, prayer whistle me into song air
Dying laughing with Krillin saying something ‘bout blonde hair
Jesus’ black life ain’t matter, I know I talked to his daddy
Said you the man of the house now, look out for your family
He has ordered my steps, gave me a sword with a crest
And gave Donnie a trumpet in case I get shortness of breath
“Same Drugs” is the third song on the mixtape that features the Chicago Children’s Choir, along with vocals by the amazing Eryn Allen Kane.
🔥 Lyric:
Don’t forget the happy thoughts
All you need is happy thoughts
The past tense, past bed time
Way back then when everything we read was real
And everything we said rhymed
Wide eyed kids being kids
Why did you stop?
What did you do to your hair?
Where did you go to end up right back here?
“Mixtape” features the up and coming Lil’ Yatchy, who made this gem featuring Kylie Jenner.
🔥 Lyric:
I ain’t felt like this since the third drought, third carter drop
Told my momma third grade I’d be in the third Barbershop
And you know momma got real worried when she heard college drop
I got a link in my bio, my bitch do the salsa like pico de gallo
They gotta ask if they may, Cinco de Mayo
How can they call themselves bosses
When they got so many bosses
You gotta see what your boss say
I get it straight out the faucet
“Angels” features another Chicago star, Saba. It’s the first music video for the mixtape, featuring Chance as a superhero riding through his city. As for Saba, here’s the great “Burnout” with fellow featurette Eryn Allen Kane.
👼 Lyric:
I got my city doing front flips
When every father, mayor, rapper jump ship
I guess that’s why they call it where I stay
Clean up the streets, so my daughter can have somewhere to play
I’m the blueprint to a real man
Some of these niggas toss they tassel for a deal man
I ain’t goin’ to hell or to Hillman
“Juke Jam” features Towkio & Justin Bieber. It uses a sample of “Adriatic” by Mount Kimbie. Towkio is part of Chicago rap collective SAVEMONEY, and the song uses a vocal interpolation of “Feeling On Your Booty” by R.Kelly.
💃🏃 Lyric:
We used to roll at the rink, we used to roll at the rink
I used to talk way too much, you used to know everything
You couldn’t stand me, I couldn’t stand you
You said I’m steady playin’, but you steady playin’ too
…
But in that space and time I was too young for you
As you were for me, too worried ‘bout Frooties and Chews
’Til I found out all the shawdy’s with cooties was cute
And realized what booties can do
“All Night” is the 10th song on the mixtape, and features Knox Fortune. It was produced by Kaytranada, who just put on a album on his own.
🔥 Lyric:
Everybody outside, everybody outside
When I pull up outside, all night, no
Everybody high five, everybody wanna smile
Everybody wanna lie, that’s nice, no
…
All you do is talk, I ain’t got shit to say
Can’t no one get in my car, I don’t even valet
Long discussions, oh, you my cousin?
No you wasn’t, you just wanna ride
You just wanna talk about politics, Chicago shit and rocket ships
“How Great” features the enigma Jay Electronica & Chance’s cousin Nicole.
During the early stages of the mixtape being produced, Chance’s grandmother died. Nicole sang at their grandmother’s funeral — and touched by the song he asked her to come into the studio and sing Chris Tomlin’s 2004 “How Great is Our God”.
🔥 Lyric:
The book don’t end with Malachi
Devil will win employee of the month by the dozen
’Til one score and three years from the third when he doesn’t
My village raised ’em a child, come through the crib and it’s bustin’
You meet anyone from my city, they gon’ say that we cousins
Shabach barak, edify
Electrify the enemy like Hedwig till he petrified
Any petty Peter Petigrew could get the pesticide
I was lost in the jungle like Simba after the death of Mufasa
No hog, no meerkat, hakuna matata by day
But I spent my night time fighting tears back
I prayed and prayed and left messages but never got no hear back, or so it seemed
A mustard seed was all I needed to sow a dream
I build the ark to gently, gently, row my boat down Noah’s stream
Sometimes the path I took to reach my petty goals was so extreme
I was so far down in the mud couldn’t even let my light shine
But you was always there when I needed to phone a friend or use a life line
“Smoke Break” featuring Future, was produced by Garren Longford, a.k.a GARREN. He also did a 🔥 remix of Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment’s “Sunday Candy”.
🔥 Lyric:
Truth being told, we used to movies and bowl
We used to Netflix and roll
I used to pass her the smoke
She used to laugh at my jokes
You pat my back when I choke
Wish we were stuck in our ways
We way too young to get old
“Finish Line/Drown” is a action packed two part song — featuring T-Pain, Kirk Franklin, Eryn Allen Kane, Noname, & Grace Weber. It’s the oldest song on Coloring Book, and was initially made for Surf. After a few years and some additions to vocals and features, we’ve arrived at one of the best pieces of Coloring Book.
🔥 Lyric:
Finish Line
Gimme the water, gimme the water
I need the kind from Space Jam
Get this money, get this budget, KOK to day camp
Me and my girl plan to stay to the end
Hope there never come a day where we be better as friends
We in a marathon we could build a marriage on
Arguments as parents digging deeper than a baritone
I’ve been getting blocked just trying to make songs with friends
Labels told me to my face that they own my friends
I got to pray I got to pray, like Hammer after “2 Legit”
Drown
Lord rain down on me so I can move on water
Like children at the altar, like God inside my house
I love you, I love you, you looking holy like Mama
You made a church out of feathers
So when she fly to the Father
She know the choir gon’ follow and all the offering paid
She gave my name away to your holy house
She like my blessings in disguise
She like her Jesus mountain high
“Blessings (Reprise)” is the last song of the album, and the 2nd to be called Blessings. Rolling on the religious tones of the album, it’s a broad reflection of everything that’s happened to Chance in the last few years.
🔥 Lyrics:
Found warmth in a Black queen for when I get cold
Like Nat King, I’m doing the dad thing
I speak of wondrous unfamiliar lessons from childhood
Make you remember how to smile good
I’m pre-currency, post-language, anti-label
Pro-famous, I’m Broadway Joe Namath
Kanye’s best prodigy
He ain’t signed me but he proud of me
I got some ideas that you gotta see
After listening to Coloring Book —you can’t help but feeling fired up. It’s Chance’s style — a bouncy energy coming from the trumpets and his squeaky voice. There’s soul, there’s love, there’s drugs, there’s fun. A joy on a level that makes you want to jump up and praise the Lord, call your friends, and tell everyone you’re home. Chance’s music doesn’t just reflect the town it was made in, it embraces it.
You need these in your life:
About Me
I’m Alexander Green — a web developer & photographer from Brooklyn, New York. Check out my blog for design & photography stuff.
