Chance The Rapper is making quite a lot of headlines lately for his new collaboration with Vic Mensa and G-Eazy for “Swish” as well as for getting enthusiastically twerked on at a carnival in a viral video. Either way, it looks like he’s keeping up the momentum with even more news.
Today (April 25), the performer announced that he’ll be celebrating ten years of his beloved album Acid Rap — which features hits like “Cocoa Butter Kisses” and “Favorite Song” — with a show in Chicago at the United Center with his collaborator Saba as support. He shared this exciting information on social media, along with a trippy teaser clip and a phone number where you can text him to stay updated: +1 (312) 494-1081.
He is also releasing the track “Juice” in its original format, coming Sunday, April 30.
In 2019, he discussed what that record meant to him in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “When I first started working on [The Big Day], the concept, the theme,” he explained, “we have school, we have acid, we have faith and family, and the fourth one — really the first one — the concept was ‘Best Album Of All Time.’ And that’s not really a good concept to make an album. It gives you no direction.” He continued, “To me, personally, the best album of all time … Acid Rap.”
Chance the Rapper has announced his headlining Acid Rap Tenth Anniversary show for August 19 in the United Center in his hometown of Chicago.
Chance will pay tribute to the initiative over the coming months with several must-attend live performances, pop-up shops, merchandise releases, and exclusive music releases.
Chicago’s Saba will support the Acid Rap United Center show.
The artist presale will start on Wednesday, April 26, at 10 am local time, and tickets and VIP packages will be made available after that. Before the main on-sale begins on Friday, April 28 at 10 am local time, there will be additional presales running throughout the week at livenation.com.
This Sunday, April 30, “Juice,” the song that initially introduced listeners to Chance and Acid Rap, is made ultimately available worldwide for the first time across streaming services to commemorate Acid Rap’s tenth anniversary. On the same day, fans will be able to purchase Acid Rap Tenth anniversary merch at shop.chancestuff.com
Chance The Rapper is bringing the Black Star Line Festival to Jamaica. Last year, Vic Mensa and Chance announced the original festival, which was to take place in Ghana. At the time, Chance and Vic accompanied eight Chicago students to Ghana, aiming to educate them about their origins. It marked their second trip there together in 2022. The two Chicago-born artists revealed their plans for The Black Star Line Festival at the flagship location of Free The Youth in July. The festival ended up bringing out 50,000 attendees in Ghana and featured performances by Erykah Badu, Jeremih, and T-Pain.
In a press release about the festival, the duo explained the meaning behind it and the inspiration for the name. “Founded in 1919, and operated by Black people, the [Black Star Line] would link America, the Caribbean and Africa, to global shipping and tourism opportunities,” they explained. “The Black Star Line was a symbol of pride, not only for Africans, but also for Black people in all ports of call. After nearly 40 years, the Ghanian government launched their fleet with the same name, in homage to Marcus Garvey, and even added a black star to the country’s new flag.”
Bringing The Black Star Line To Jamaica
Ambassador Perry met with @ChanceTheRapper as part of his birthday trip to Jamaica. The two discussed the rapper’s upcoming plans to host the Black Star Line Festival in Jamaica. pic.twitter.com/MzHpVgRizb
Back in March, Chance The Rapper spoke about future plans for the festival in an interview on The Tonight Show. “We’re actually thinking about hosting the next one in Kingston, Jamaica,” he said during the interview. “We’re still working it out in our heads. And we love the city of Accra and Ghana and West Africa as a whole. We just want to continue to, like, create community in other spaces.” It would appear those plans are well under way now since Chance stopped by the US Embassy in Jamaica to talk about it.
The official Twitter account for the Jamaican US Embassy tweeted out a photo of Chance’s visit to the office. The photo features a friendly smile from the ambassador as he shakes hands with the rapper. “Ambassador Perry met with @ChanceTheRapper as part of his birthday trip to Jamaica,” the tweet read. “The two discussed the rapper’s upcoming plans to host the Black Star Line Festival in Jamaica.” What do you think about Chance and Vic expanding the Black Star Line Festival? Who do you hope performs this time around? Let us know in the comments!
Chicago native Chance The Rapper’s rise to stardom began in 2012 with his first mixtape, 10 Day. A year later, he dropped Acid Rap, a mixtape that led to his popularity in the mainstream. This was due to Chance’s whimsical, lyrical style, his ability to rap about a myriad of topics, and his distinctive voice. Additionally, Chance the Rapper has also created a distinctive look for himself. He has become synonymous with his “3” hat. It is a rare occurrence for artists to become so identifiable by a single article of clothing, yet Chance’s “3” hat is perhaps as well known as the rapper himself. Let’s discover why the “3” hat is so significant to the Chicago icon.
History Of The “3” Hat
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 12: Rapper Chance The Rapper speaks onstage at the 2021 REVOLT Summit at 787 Windsor on November 12, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
In an interview with GQ in 2016, Chance noted that he has always loved wearing baseball caps. The hats were a form of rebellion for him in his formative days. Chance stated, “I used to always rock a cap when I was in high school and get them taken away. It was an excessive amount. Like, so often that at the end of each school year, there would be a box of all the confiscated caps. After they gave back a few caps to other kids, they would just give me the box because the rest were all my hats. So I think, in one part, it’s a rebellion.” The Windy City native’s rebellious nature has been at the forefront of his creative motivation. The title 10 Day was about a ten-day suspension Chance served for possessing marijuana on his high school campus.
Before the “3” hat, Chance often repped his hometown baseball team by wearing a White Sox hat. He even released a few of his redesigns in 2016. However, with the release of his third mixtape, Coloring Book, the rapper decided to put his own signature symbol on a baseball cap, which led to the creation of the “3” hat.
“3” Hat’s Significance
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN – AUGUST 12: Chance the Rapper performs at Way out West on August 12, 2022 in Gothenburg, Sweden. (Photo by Julia Reinhart/WireImage)
Chance the Rapper explained the significance of the “3” hat in the same interview with GQ. When discussing the hat’s meaning, the Chicago rapper stated, “I wanted to put something else on the hat. And so I decided to do 3. I just thought that that made the most sense because it was the third project. Also, I was having a lot of trouble figuring out what the title of the project was going to be and what typography to put the title in. The original title for the project was, uh, The Magnificent Coloring Book. But that’s just so many words, and it looks so shitty, no matter how I put it on the hat.”
Coloring Book was also released three years after Acid Rap and the mixtape propelled the rapper into the upper echelon of Hip-Hop. Iconic artists such as Kanye West, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Jeremih, Future, Young Thug, Justin Bieber, Lil Yachty, T-Pain, and Jay Electronica were featured on the project. Since designing and wearing the hat, Chance the Rapper has also found multiple meanings for the number three. He stated, “I’ve rationalized it to myself that it stands for the third mixtape, the Holy Trinity, and the three-pronged family of myself, my daughter, and my girl.” Chance’s fourth project The Big Day‘s main topic was the rapper’s family, and much of his music contains religious connotations.
Chance has also turned quite a profit from the “3” hats. In a 2018 interview on The Joe Budden Podcast, the Chicago rapper stated that he had already made $6 million off the hats after only one year. They are for sale on Chance the Rapper’s website for $45; yet, Chance mentioned that they only cost $3 to produce, proving that sometimes, simplicity sells. This has also led to the production of a number of knockoffs, as the variations of the hat are available on numerous websites. The “3” hat is now a cultural phenomenon that has transcended the original meaning of its creation, and possibly, Chance the Rapper himself.
The hat also seems to be a good luck charm for Chance the Rapper, as he wore the hat to the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in 2017. He won three Grammys: Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (for Coloring Book), and Best Rap Performance (for “No Problems”). Chance’s winning three Grammys could also add another meaning to the hat for the rapper and fans alike.
If you push play on Vic Mensa‘s new song “Swish” above expecting to hear a redux of his and Chance The Rapper‘s 2021 reunion “Shelter,” you’re going to be sorely disappointed. While the first two names involved, Vic and Chance, might suggest a thoughtful or contemplative vibe, “Swish” seems to be taken from the oeuvre of their third collaborator, G-Eazy.
It’s actually a frantic club song, over which Chance, Vic, and Gerald rap praise to the twerkers while boasting the trappings of their wealth, from name-checking Rick Owens, The Ramones, and Al Capone to comparing their fists to Thanos — because they have too many stones, you see.
Honestly, if Chance and Vic are entering their party-boy era as both approach 30, you kind of have to give it to them. They spent their early 20s as the avatars of poetic, introspective rap, then got shunted into two lanes that wound up disappointing some of their earliest fans; Vic went through both a punk-rock phase and became the latest flag-bearer for so-called “conscious” rap, while Chance became known as the wife guy, whether fairly or not.
We know from the social media kerfuffle earlier this week that Chance likes to let it all hang loose once in a while, and frankly, it’s nice to see them shed their buttoned-up, super-serious professional presentation for at least a little bit. Check out “Swish” above and stay tuned.
Over the past decade, Chicago artist Chance The Rapper has released five mixtapes and one studio album. With these projects, Chance received critical acclaim and commercial success. He has since become one of the most well-known names in hip-hop and mainstream culture. Along with his music, Chance The Rapper is also highly involved in political activism and a coach on The Voice. Chance is a multi-faceted creator and artist. Here’s a look at Chance’s four solo projects, ranked.
4. The Big Day (2019)
After the worldwide success of his previous project, Coloring Book, fans were excited about Chance’s first-ever studio album. However, The Big Day fell far beneath the standards the Chicago rapper set for himself with his previous three mixtapes. The Big Day came three years after Coloring Book, and much had changed in Chance’s life. The most significant change, which the album is centered around, was Chance’s marriage to his long-time partner Kirsten Corley.
Chance’s marriage is at the center of the project, as it inspired the album title and content throughout. The Big Day includes a star-studded lineup of features including John Legend, MadeinTYO, Da Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Gucci Mane, Lil Durk, Nicki Minaj, and Shawn Mendes. With these features and a clear direction for the project, it seemed The Big Day was poised to be Chance The Rapper’s greatest album to date; however, this was not the case.
The idea of an album about marriage was unique and captivating to many fans. However, much of the content came off as corny and overly sentimental. This was evident in the song “I Got You (Always and Forever).” The instrumental is reminiscent of ’90s rap ballads, yet it missed its mark. Lines such as “We treat the bad advice like bad breath / Either give a compliment or a couple mints, depends what we have left,” is one of many that left fans rolling their eyes.
Along with this, much of the album feels jumbled and out of place. Evidence of this appears on the title track, “The Big Day.” The majority of the song is about the wedding itself. However, an expletive-riddled rant begins in the middle of the song and throws off the entire vibe. Other tracks such as “Hot Shower” show Chance at his absolute corniest. DaBaby delivered a nice verse. Despite this, it was not enough to save it from Chance’s verse or chorus.
While The Big Day is definitely Chance’s worst project, there are still a few highlights from the album. The opening song “All Day Long” is a funky track where Chance delivers. “Sun Come Down” shows him at his most vulnerable over a stripped-back beat. Megan Thee Stallion also delivered a legendary verse on “Handsome.” Despite this, the album in its totality missed the mark and ranks as Chance’s worst project to date.
3. 10 Day (2012)
While Chance The Rapper broke into the national Hip-Hop scene with Acid Rap, his first mixtape, 10 Day was an early display of the Chicago rapper’s unique sound and style. The title of the mixtape is in reference to a ten-day suspension Chance served after being caught with marijuana on his high school campus. During his suspension, Chance recorded the entire project. 10 Day contains many glimpses of Chance’s eventual greatness. In addition to this, it also contains moments that depict the rapper’s newness at the time.
Similar to Acid Rap, 10 Day is jazzy, soulful, and heavily inspired by gospel music. The project’s lyrical content surrounds Chance’s adolescence and experiences with drugs. His youthful nature almost possesses the project and reflects his age at the time. At times, the project is highly nostalgic and introspective. At others, it is angry, loud, and laced with teenage angst. Much of Chance’s musical content is highly reflective of his life experiences, and 10 Day is no different.
Highlights of the album include “Brain Cells.” The song features a jazzy instrumental as Chance delivers his signature whimsical flow. In the chorus, Chance raps that he “burned too many brain cells down,” in reference to his drug use at the time. Along with this, Chance raps about his experiences with his family, his life in Chicago, and his place as an adolescent.
Another highlight of the album is the song “Prom Night.” The instrumental of the track is extremely soulful as Chance raps about adolescent love and nostalgic memories of his family. “Prom Night” is one of the earliest examples of Chance’s vulnerability on the mic. Along with this, the final track “Hey Ma” is a heartfelt message to his mother. Kanye West’s classic “Hey Mama” heavily inspired the song.
Tracks such as “Juke Juke” and “Fuck You Tahm Bout” show some of the flaws in Chance’s music at the time. Despite this, 10 Day is a unique and inspired debut project. The soulful and playful sound of the album carried into Chance’s next project AcidRap. While it may not be Chance at his best, 10 Day served as a sign of things to come.
2. Coloring Book (2016)
Chance’s third mixtape Coloring Book is the rapper’s most successful and critically acclaimed project. The mixtape includes features from Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, and Future, just to name a few, and was a testament to how far Chance had come in only three years. Coloring Book won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2017. With this, it became the first streaming-only project to do so. While it may be Chance’s most critically successful project, it falls at No. 2 on this list due to the greatness of Acid Rap.
Despite this, nothing can be taken away from just how good Coloring Book is. The mixtape is soul and gospel-heavy and bends genres in a way only Chance The Rapper can. Perhaps the most well-known song on the project is “No Problem” which features Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. “No Problem” is probably the best example of Chance’s ability to enmesh gospel music with the trap sound. Along with a captivating verse and chorus by Chance, the song features top-tier verses from two of Hip-Hop’s greatest.
Another standout from Coloring Book is “Same Drugs.” The song calls back to many of the themes of Acid Rap. It also shares an introspective view of Chance’s artistic and personal maturity. Along with this, Chance speaks about his desire to stay independent in the highlight song “Mixtape.” The track is the most trap-heavy of the album and features verses from Lil Yachty and Young Thug.
Other highlights from the album include “Juke Jam” and the final track, “Blessings.” “Juke Jam” is a slow, vibe-heavy track featuring Justin Bieber and Towkio. The song shows Chance’s versatility as he primarily sings throughout it. The outro, “Blessings,” feels like Chance’s response to his music industry success. It is highly nostalgic and also ends with a gospel choir. As mentioned, Coloring Book is a stellar project and only falls at number two on this list due to the greatness of No. 1.
1. Acid Rap (2013)
The mixtape that skyrocketed Chance The Rapper into Hip-Hop’s upper echelon is still the Chicago artist’s best. Acid Rap served as one of the most refreshing projects of 2013, and its sheer charm is still undeniable. As the title mentions, Chance’s experiments with psychedelic drugs heavily inspired the project’s sound. Acid Rap almost feels like a drug trip, yet it is also nostalgic and introspective and contains themes surrounding religion and family.
The uniqueness of Acid Rap places it above any of Chance’s other projects. The mixtape begins in a whirlwind of emotion as the first two tracks, “Good Ass Intro” and “Pusha Man,” are fast-paced and display Chance at his most whimsical. However, the third track, “Paranoia,” is atmospheric and shows Chance’s mixed feelings about his drug use and also speaks about political issues in his world.
The fourth track, “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” stands out on the album. The song returns to the fast-paced nature of the first two tracks, and yet like “Paranoia,” it is heartfelt and emotionally charged. In “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” Chance speaks about his relationship with his family and how it deteriorated as his drug use increased.
The mixtape continues its sudden pace as it ties in the “high” one feels while intoxicated with the lows that come about as a result. Childish Gambino, Action Bronson, and Ab-Soul deliver back-to-back-to-back features on the songs “Favorite Song,” “Nana,” and “Smoke Again,” respectively. Acid Rap then becomes most introspective with the song “Acid Rain.” “Acid Rain” is perhaps the most vulnerable track on the project as Chance delivers his true feelings about his drug use and his dreams of becoming more of both an artist and a man.
The mixtape ends on a high note with “Everything’s Good (Good Ass Outro),” as Chance neatly wraps up most of the feelings he expressed throughout the project. A decade later, Acid Rap has stood the test of time and ranks as one of the greatest mixtapes ever produced. The project rightfully catapulted Chance The Rapper into the mainstream. It is also the greatest testament to Chance’s distinct sound. Because of this, Acid Rap ranks as Chance The Rapper’s best project to date.
