Chance The Rapper

Chance The Rapper featuring Saba - Angels by Alex Young

Chance The Rapper's soulful, positive and formidable style is back. With a sound similar to "Juke Juke" and "Juice," Chance entertains us with a new song titled, "Angels". The track was announced and performed live last night on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert featuring Saba, Lido, Peter Cottontale, Nate Fox and Donnie Trumpet for The Social Experiment. On Colbert, Chance dropped a tidbit of information to radio station Hot 97 that he was making music with the comedian and host that will drop "soon." For now, enjoy "Angels" by Chance The Rapper below and download it for free on iTunes.

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf (Album) by Alex Young

After months of anticipation and a false promise from Chance The Rapper on April 28 stating Surf would drop within the week, the moment is here. The album by Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment is now available to stream and download for free on iTunes, yes free. How one receives news of monumental music releases is always interesting, especially in the day and age of surprise releases. Word-of-mouth, media outlets, or--much to my surprise--Snapchat are all viable options. Around 11pm May 28 Chance tweeted Surf had dropped, at 11:57pm a friend Snapchat'd me making me aware of the news, our historical exchange is featured above.

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment has put together a sonically enticing and diversifying project. It highlights the live aesthetic the group genuinely embodies. The Fader says of them, "these are the sounds of a pack of band kids who hold Miles Davis, Rich Homie Quan, and Kirk Franklin in similarly high esteem." Chance The Rapper, Donnie Trumpet, Nate Fox, Peter Cottontale, and Stix have made Surf a performance piece everyone should hear live. A plethora of features from artists like J.Cole, Busta Rhymes, Big Sean, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Erykah Badu only expands the reach of the project astronomically. Ladies and gentleman, enjoy Surf below.

Album Credits:

  • 1. Miracle — Amanda Baily, Chance The Rapper, Eryn Allen Kane, Jeff Gittleman, Lane Beckstrom, Macie Stewart, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale, Stix, The Step Kids & Victoria Lee
  • 2. Slip Slide — Ady Suleiman, B.o.B, BJ the Chicago Kid, Busta Rhymes, Chance The Rapper, Janelle Monáe, Jeff Gittleman, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale, Rob Gueringer, Stix & The O’My’s
  • 3. Warm Enough — C SICK, Chance The Rapper, Eryn Allen Kane, Harry Hunt Jr., J. Cole, Jeff Gittleman, Knox Fortune, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Noname Gypsy & Peter Cottontale
  • 4. Nothing Came To Me — JP Floyd & Nico Segal
  • 5. Wanna Be Cool — Big Sean, Cam Osteen, Carter Lang, Chance The Rapper, Eryn Allen Kane, Jack Red, Jeff Gittleman, Jeremih, Kiara Lainer, Kyle, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Peter Cottontale
  • 6. Windows — BJ the Chicago Kid, C SICK, Chance The Rapper, Eryn Allen Kane, Francis Farewell Starlite, Jack Red, Jamila Woods, Lane Beckstrom, Liam Cunningham, Macie Stewart, Matt Carrol, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale, Raury & Vivian McConnell
  • 7. Caretaker — D.R.A.M. & Peter Cottontale
  • 8. Just Wait — Cameron Osteen, Carter Lang, Chance The Rapper, Dustin Green, Francis Farewell Starlite, JP Floyd, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Peter Cottontale
  • 9. Familiar — Chance The Rapper, Dustin Green, Ilan Kidron, Jack Red, JP Floyd, King Louie, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale, Quavo & Sir The Baptist
  • 10. SmthnthtIwnt — Chuck Ellis, Jeff Gittleman, Jenna Jimenez, JP Floyd, Mitchell Owens, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale & Saba
  • 11. Go — Amanda Bailey, Eryn Allen Kane, Francis Farewell Starlite, Jeff Gittleman, Jesse Boykins III, Joey Purp, Lane Beckstrom, Lili K, Macie Stewart, Mike Golden, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Peter Cottontale
  • 12. Questions — Dustin Green, Jamila Woods, Nate Fox & Nico Segal
  • 13. Something Came To Me — Francis Farewell Starlite, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Peter Cottontale
  • 14. Rememory — Ady Suleiman, Chance The Rapper, Dustin Green, Erykah Badu, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Peter Cottontale
  • 15. Sunday Candy — Chance The Rapper, Eryn Allen Kane, Franco Davis, Jack Red, Jamila Woods, JP Floyd, Macie Stewart, Nate Fox, Nico Segal, Patrick Paige, Peter Cottontale, Sima Cunningham & Stix
  • 16. Pass The Vibe — Eric Butler, JP Floyd, Nate Fox, Nico Segal & Thadeus Tukes

Kehlani featuring Chance The Rapper - The Way by Alex Young

Oakland's own Kehlani has been quite busy in preparation for her debut album You Should Be Here. The songstress has released singles "How That Taste", "Jealous", "Down For You", and "Alive" each building a steady buzz behind her full project's release. Music commentator HYPETRAK also enlisted her for a workout mix where she absolutely delivers. Today Kehlani recruits the talents of Chance The Rapper for one more song before You Should Be Here drops at midnight on iTunes. Listen to "The Way" below and Kehlani's other singles under OfficeVibes.

Towkio featuring Chance The Rapper, Lido & Eryn Allen Kane - Heaven Only Knows by Alex Young

Artists, friends, Savemoney representatives, and native Chicagoans Towkio and Chance The Rapper release a new song, "Heaven Only Knows". The spirited song title flows right into the encouraging organ featured in Lido's production. Towkio, Chance, and singer Eryn Allen Kane provide riveting vocals. After one listen you will be pleased to know there is more on the way from Towkio; his .Wav Theory mixtape is available on April 28.

Mr. Happy by Alex Hersh

I stumbled on this video on accident. I wasn’t looking for it, so when I got a glimpse of Chance the Rapper’s face on a thumbnail of a Vice video, my jaw dropped from both confusion and excitement. To my surprise, on March 20th, Vice released a short film called “Mr. Happy”, which features Chano as a depressed and suicidal kid, who is ready to take the final step to his death. Chance’s genuine ability is beautifully showcased, and although it isn’t a full-length feature, he is able to offer at least a small dimension to his character. The storyline, although somewhat conventional, has quite a few unexpected turns, and enough intricate details and scenery that earned it a second watch in my book. The point is: watching one of my favorite musicians act was simply satisfying and comforting. I find solace knowing that in between those often depressing singles our man isn’t wallowing away in a studio, but finding other methods of expression that although are as, if not more, gruesome, reflect a healthy expressive process and creative development.   

It wasn’t until I already finished my first run through that I even made the connection between Chance and other rapper-actors like Childish Gambino, Kid Cudi, or Common. One after another, more and more musicians are taking roles on other creative expressive fronts, which paints in my mind a horizon filled with comprehensive artists that are multi-talented and faceted. This is something that as consumers and fans we should want, as those artists with experience in many mediums of creation can more wholly present new ideas and development. Art in all forms stimulates the mind, and promotes progression and creative process. I would rather have a Chance the Rapper who creates a variety of art, and is able to bring all of that experience outside of the music world back to the mic, than one who we as a population and consumer base, restrict to the music industry. It’s too static, and doesn’t properly reflect the culture we live in today where there is technology and social media that allows anybody to become anything. And while it seems as though it is out of our control as a population, it is our responsibility to remember that the industries that market art, music, and popular culture, do so to satiate our taste. When we show our support in these instances like Chance’s, more artists will be inspired and incentivized to step outside of the box, and seek that versatility that pop culture can have.  Enjoy the film.