Kanye West is to Chicago’s rap scene as Michael Jordan was to the Bulls organization: a champion among amateurs. Surrounded by a dying Blackhawks franchise and hopelessly cursed Cubs, Michael Jordan became the most important figure in Chicago sports way beyond his retirement. Similarly, Kanye West’s talent far exceeded his young age after producing Jay-Z’s seminal album, The Blueprint. Since, the city has yet to produce a competitor matching any record in West’s discography. And 20-year-old Chancellor Bennett wouldn’t be in this discussion had he not been suspended from high school just a year ago.
Fancying rapping and smoking pot instead of schoolwork, the young Chance found himself facing a 10-day suspension from Chicago’s prestigious Jones College Prep High School. This, however, couldn’t stop the future star from producing the aptly named 10 Day mixtape. Accumulating thousands of subsequent downloads, the LP launched Bennett from unknown high school punk to a favorite of Complex Magazine. Now with multiple guest spots and a time slot at Chicago’s own Lollapalooza, Chance’s Acid Rap has the potential to catapult him into superstardom.
Parallels to Kanye West would’ve naturally occurred even if the young MC lived elsewhere. Acid Rap drips with The College Dropout-esque funk samples but grooves almost twice as hard. While ‘Ye may have introduced the world to soul-based hip hop beats, Chance utilizes such a unique combination of instruments that hardly resemble his monumental predecessor. Acid Rap is filled to brim with so many bouncing hooks and cheeky lines even the narcissistic Kanye would nod in approval.
And yet, Chance already knows this. “This your favorite fuckin’ album and I ain’t even fuckin’ done,” Chance snarls on the mixtape’s first track, “Good Ass Intro.” Had another up-and-coming rapper uttered this, his career would die faster than a Bubonic Plague victim. But from the song’s horn opening to the resounding female chorus at its close, Chance instantly becomes a likeable personality. He carries this persona through every track, and by Acid Rap‘s end, one’s surprised a kid entering his twenties produced something so prolific.
More interesting is Chance’s ability to shift guest-starring MCs to match his unique style. As more than a few hip-hop albums can be weighted by polar and divisive appearances (see A$AP Rocky’s LongLiveA$AP), Acid Rap does exactly the opposite. Action Bronson becomes an R&B singer and Childish Gambino spits his verse with unforeseen speed.
Acid Rap will undoubtedly become a summer hit, with fans endlessly quoting Chance’s hilarious quips. Lines such as “Dang dang dang, skeet skeet skeet / she do that shit for three retweets” and “Shoulda died yelling YOLO was a lie” instantly become favorites. But the cocky MC delivers more than just a barrage of shit-talking. Chance explores race relations, familial trouble, and his ultimate redemption. At the LP’s end, one can’t help but feel proud for the young Chancellor Bennett.
Acid Rap