Rap's Acid Trip

Acid Rap

Chance the Rapper

So, let us hop in our time machines and take a trip back to the early 2000s; let us grab a young Kanye West and mix him with a mid 2000s Lil Wayne. Then, let us implement the drug habits of Kid CuDi and the energy of Twista. What do we get? How about Chance the Rapper?

Chance the Rapper introduces himself formally to the hip-hop world with the star-studded, high-powered mix tape Acid Rap. On the Good Ass Intro, Chance raps frantically over an intensely soulful backdrop. It sounds like the modern-day version of the old Roc-A-Fella classics we grew to know and love. As soon as he starts attacking the track, we hear a new voice unlike anything we have heard in hip-hop for quite some time. He comes off as a faster rapping Lil Wayne with an even higher pitched, loonier voice. Lyrically, his mind is tightly in tact, despite the many drugs he claims to use in his daily repertoire. “Rap’s just made me anxious and acid made me crazy…” is nothing short of a bold statement to start the masterpiece that follows over the course of the mix tape.

As the mix tape moves onward, he has effortless bouts of fun over some extremely upper-end production. He dominates Pusha Man, where he showcases his rap versatility in terms of his ability to glide on the track. On the already popular Cocoa Butter Kisses, he receives a special guest verse from none other than Chicago native, Twista himself. The Chicago influences do not die at any point on the mix tape, as he has no problems staying true to his home sound.

On the following tracks, Chance the Rapper continues his lyrical assault. He gets some assistance from other up-and-comers like Childish Gambino and Ab-Soul. Ab-Soul’s verse provides the perfect transition from Chance’s trance-like flow on Smoke Again.

From the Good Ass Intro to the Good Ass Outro, Chance the Rapper proves that he is here to stay. He may be the biggest underdog in the game, but he may also provide the biggest upside from any up-and-coming artists in the industry. He is fresh, he is trippy, he is smart, and he is different. He is really, truly different. Chance the Rapper is more than just a rapper; he might just be the future of rappers period.

Written by Seth Kaplan

RRR Score: 9/10