chance the rapper Archives - Dead End Hip Hop

Sorry Chance, I’m Not Buying It. by @dammitjordanXO

July 15, 2017 by Jordan 22 Comments

Before we continue this article I want to drop a disclaimer…so here it is.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions in this article are mine and not necessarily the opinions of the Dead End Hip Hop staff…or they might be. I don’t know. OH, and before you @ me on Twitter...just know that won’t change my opinions.

Aight boom. Recently I’ve noticed a trend regarding Chicago’s Chance The Rapper. Chance is a very diverse and multi-layered artist that combines the sounds of gospel and really really soft rap with heavy Christian themes. He’s collaborated with Young Thug, Justin Bieber, had a standout verse on Kanye’s “Ultralight Beam” and…wait, why am I giving an introduction, I’m sure you already know him. He’s everywhere. Which is partially why I’m writing this article.

Recently a report came out saying that music platform Soundcloud basically had 50 days to live…and EVERYONE was panicking. “Oh my God, what are we gonna do now?! What about the music?”. But…not even 24 hours later, Chance…Chance, out of all of the people…stated that Soundcloud was here to stay. This seemed a little fishy to me. First of all…if Soundcloud was REALLY in trouble wouldn’t we have heard about it sooner? More importantly…how does ONE rapper with a net worth of 9 million…that isn’t Diddy, Jay-Z, Drake or Kanye…how does one rapper save a platform that big with just a phone call?

That leads to a couple of theories.

Chance has more power than we thought.
The whole thing is a set-up and Soundcloud was NEVER shutting down in the first place.

This brings me to another point. There’s really no nice way to say it, but Chance The Rapper is an industry plant. His level of popularity was planned ever since he before he dropped Acid Rap. His dad worked with my President, and his dad grew up with/knows Spike Lee. I knew he would be this big. Look at him. He’s marketable. He smiles. He laughs. He has an adorable daughter. He’s Christian. His music is safe. He wears OVERALLS. Women love him. He won awards while being “independent”. He’s essentially the anti Kanye. And this is exactly why his popularity has skyrocketed.

All of those things I mentioned are precisely why I don’t buy this corny good guy image that he’s forcing. Every time he does something he’s making sure you know. Whether it be “saving” Soundcloud, donating to a school or something like that. He apologized to the labels he dissed. He apologized for liking a picture on Instagram (???). Whatever he does (mostly positive) is immediately broadcasted and eaten up. It’s like he’s some super hero……..so like I said, the anti Kanye. I’m not a fan of him being put on a pedestal for stuff like this, his false independence, his safe good guy image that’s completely fake. If other rappers can do good for people in silence, why is he so different. Why are people subject to having to deal with watching his every move?

Nobody else thinks it’s weird that Chance was EVERYWHERE on the blogs in 2012 despite barely anyone ever hearing of him? He wasn’t independent then because he was signed with Creative Arts Agency (Home to George Clooney, Will Smith, David Beckham among others). Chance wasn’t independent then. Chance is not independent now. You can’t sit here and tell me that anyone backed by Apple (a company worth 700 BILLION) is an independent artist just because they aren’t signed to a label. Chance The Rapper’s album Coloring Book was streamed on Apple Music for 2 weeks before it was “free”. That’s not independent. If you’re being backed by the biggest tech company in the world, how can you expect not to sell a ton of records and win awards. He isn’t a trailblazer or example for other independent rappers, but he is a marketing GENIUS.

I was a Chance fan for a long time. But I’m even more a fan of the culture. I understand artist development, because Chance hasn’t always made music like this, music with strong Christian themes, but I understand. Music is all about branding, how you market yourself. Chance has shown that he’s soft spoken, friendly, a nice guy. He’s a rapper who won’t push the envelope. you can listen to him in the car with your parents, even the unclean versions. He’s what Childish Gambino was supposed to be. He’s what Drake was in 2008. And after he got the Kanye push and co-sign, it was over. Chance was catapulted past hip-hop and into pop cultural stardom.

I know what you’re thinking. “He does all this good stuff for people, he saved Soundcloud, why should we care? Go get some money, hating ass nigga!”. Yeah, f*ck me, right? I’m not hating on Chance. I still enjoy his old music. I believe he’s overhyped and his false, independent savior image is a detriment to the culture. This has been set up since the beginning. To me what sets him apart from rappers like Kendrick (let’s just use him) is that Kendrick pushes the envelope while giving you 100% raw raps hit your soul and throughout his career he has unapologetically dropped music for the culture without sacrificing his image. One of my issues with Chance is that he’s done a complete 180 musically, which I understand and a complete 180 with his image. He also got off drugs, and I’m happy for him but you can’t tell me that him being sober is gonna turn him into this complete cornball…something is up.

In the words of Joe Budden: ” You can’t fool a real nigga, you can fool all of them who aren’t paying attention, but you can’t fool me.”

………Y’all know this is just my opinion, right?

Amidst Rumors Of Soundcloud’s Demise, Chance The Rapper Takes Action

July 14, 2017 by B Brusberg Leave a Comment

In case you haven’t heard, one of the most prominent places for people to hear things may be dying. To give you some background, Soundcloud, the online audio sharing platform/rapper nexus that has bred many artists, both popular and otherwise, might be going through some major financial turbulence. According to a report from TechCrunch that contained inaccuracies, Soundcloud has just enough money to last until the end of the fourth quarter, which was said to begin in about 50 days, but is actually in around 80 days. Soundcloud co-founders Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss pointed out these inaccuracies and said they will make it through the fourth quarter just fine, so get off their case, Dad.

However, Soundcloud did fire 40% of their employees last week, and will also close down their London and San Francisco offices in an effort to prevail. No matter what Soundcloud says, it sounds like something fishy is going on here. Many people are speculating the death of Soundcloud based on these drastic business maneuvers, including Chance The Rapper, who mysteriously tweeted that he’ll save the day.

I'm working on the SoundCloud thing

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2017

And today, Chance tweeted that whatever final countdown we were expecting is no longer an issue:

Just had a very fruitful call with Alex Ljung. @SoundCloud is here to stay.

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 14, 2017

It’s no secret that Soundcloud has been losing the streaming war with Spotify and Apple Music for some time, but I hope they can at least tread water. I’ve found some great artists on SC, so it’s comforting for me and my friends who use it. As of right now, it looks like artists don’t need to worry about backing up all their work. Yet.

Soundcloud was instrumental in propelling Chance to his current status, so it makes sense for him to reach out in their time of need. He also appears to be a nice fellow with a lot of love. Some would argue too much love. Not I, but some. It’s still unclear what exactly is going on with SC, and also whatever Chance did or talked with Ljung about is unclear, but it appears the fate of SC might be in the hands of a person named Chance. How do you feel about The Cloud (no one calls it this)? I would be sad to see it go, but a few of my pals wouldn’t mind if it collapsed so a better service could take over.

DEHH Staff Writer Picks: Top 10 Albums of 2017…so far.

July 12, 2017 by Michael Stover Leave a Comment

Bobby Brusberg

Let me start off by saying I have very particular tastes in music and I do not like that about myself. I’m someone who doesn’t always listen to the newest tunes, but my New Year’s Resolution was to give mainstream artists more of my time, so my list is a mix of names both well-known and underground. My favorite album of the year so far would have to be Ears Hear Spears by Insight The Truncator and Damu The Fudgemnuk. This album applies the sample-heavy sounds of early hip-hop while critiquing recent social issues, which have been a problem longer than most people think. It’s “old-school” to say the least. An equally sample-heavy album is Apocalyptic Bastard by Darko The Super. Darko is probably my favorite current artist, and although his music will repel the general population, I deeply admire his honest lyrics and wild manipulation of samples for his own devious purposes. He’s pure punk. Roc Marciano’s Rosebudd’s Revenge illustrative lyrics paint a rough and luxurious picture, like a Mona Lisa made of bullets. And the beats! They’re somehow simultaneously icy and hot. I haven’t heard too much about Oddisee, but The Iceberg was seriously some great music, whether you like hip-hop or not. His is a sound that anyone could be in to. The World Is MIND by KRS-One makes my list, partially due to the beats. I still love KRS-One’s verses, but the production on this album was for lack of a better term “hard.” It was hard, everybody. If I’m allowed to include SZA’s Ctrl, I’ll gladly leave it here. I don’t usually ingest a lot of R&B, but this album ignited some feelings I didn’t know I had. I thought I would feel pressured to include DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar because most people would be expecting it, but I think it’s a deserving album and I enjoyed it. And the videos for “DNA.” and “HUMBLE.” were a bonus! Darko The Super and ialive comprise a duo called The Hell Hole Store, and their recent album Return To The Hell Hole Store is so very solid. The back and forth lyrics of the duo is very natural for a group specializing is atypical and unique wordplay and sound. Another immersive project on my list is No More Favors by Tek.Lun and DrewsThatDude, and it’s a diverse instrumental album that I feel truly has something for everyone, especially if you like to drive at night. Number 10 is ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$. I’m not sure why I like this as much as I did, and I think the dollar signs and title are a little korny. I think many artists cover the topics Joey Bada$$ does on this album and they do it well, but something about his delivery was engaging to me. So there are my top 10 favorite hip-hop albums of 2017 so far, and Ctrl, as I guess it’s not really a hip-hop album. This list might be wildly different come the end of the year, but these are currently my 10 favorites.

1. “Ears Hear Spears” by Insight The Truncator and Damu The Fudgemunk
2. “Apocalyptic Bastard” by Darko The Super
3. “Rosebudd’s Revenge” by Roc Marciano
4. “The Iceberg” by Oddisee
5. “The World Is MIND” by KRS-One
6. “Ctrl” by SZA
7. DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar
8. “Return To The Hell Hole Store” by The Hell Hole Store
9. “No More Favors” by Tek.Lun and DrewsThatDude
10. “ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$” by Joey Bada$$

Donnie Skillz

It has been an interesting 1st half of 2017 I tell you. A slew of incredible projects already dropped and the rest of the year is looking solid from what I can see here. My pick is a mix bag of rap/RnB/Funk. Some of the names here are pretty obvious and shouldn’t surprise anyone. Lupe’s DROGAS light-despite not being as consistent as Tetsuo it still hits the mark because Lupe can rap his ass off regardless. Thunder Cat is highly recommended-I cant say much but just go cop it. Rick Ross’ RYTM got me surprised- it is actually DOPE regardless of what you think of Rozay. Oddisee’s is pretty much critically acclaimed at press time so check it out if you haven’t. In usual fashion I had to pick 3 from my underground stash. Westside Gunn comes through with the heavy “Hitler On Steroids“, Saga & Thelonious Monk flip things up with their collabo project “Molotov” while Wille The Kid (he is so underrated, it makes me cry) hits the 3 point shot with the grainy “Deutsche Marks“. Obvious ones are SZA’s sensual CTRL and K Dot’s “DAMN”

1 Oddisee – The Iceberg
2 Thundercat Drunk
3 WestSide Gunn – Hitler On Steroids
4 SZA – CTRL
5 Kendrick Lamar- DAMN
6 Rick Ross – Rather You Than Me
7 Saga & Thelonious Monk: Molotov
8 Joey Bada$$$ – All american badass
9 Lupe- DROGAS Light
10 Willie The Kid – Deutsche Marks

Honorable Mentions: Raekwon “The Wild”, Syd “Fin”

Terrence Sage

2017 for music so far has been STACKED with projects. I had to go back and listen to everything to see what I forgot about and what I missed. One of my favorite rappers King Kendrick Lamar gave us a surprise hit with DAMN. GoldLink gave the DMV even more reason to stand up and get the rest of us hip to issues and their way of life with At What Cost. 2 Chainz proved he’s still got it and takes us on a journey with Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (I even reviewed it!) and we saw Joey Bada$$ release a politically charged album that’s exactly what 2017 needed called All-Amerikkkan Badass. Steve Lacy, SZA, and Khalid all had me feeling some kind of way on the emotional spectrum with their releases…ranging from sadness, cool, non-existential relationship woes and wanting to go on a road trip with friends and forgetting about life for a second. The three biggest more polarizing releases this year would fall to Vince Staple’s Big Fish Theory, Thundercat’s Drunk, and Young Thug’s Easy Breezy Beautiful Thugger Girls. These three albums play with what your use to from the rapper and producer and while they may turn people off, I found the two albums confident approaches and evolutions of their discography. These are some of the best albums of 2017, so far in a nutshell to me.

1. Kendrick Lamar- DAMN
2. 2 Chainz- Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
3. GoldLink- At What Cost
4. Joey Bada$$- All-Amerikkkan Badass
5. SZA- CTRL
6. Khalid- American Teen
7. Vince Staples- Big Fish Theory
8. Young Thug- EBBTG
9. Thundercat- Drunk
10. Steve Lacy- Steve Lacy’s Demo

Ashley Clayton

The first 6 months of 2017 has been crazy for hip hop and R&B. It’s usually a hard hitting year for one or the other but rarely both. Somehow 2017 has managed to allow both genres to flourish and let me just say that we have truly been blessed. Kehlani and Jidenna finally released their debut albums and it was everything we never knew we needed. Kehlani’s album SweetSexySavage in particular definitely lived up to all the hype it was getting. Mixing in soulful 90’s R&B with a smooth millennial twist SweetSexySavage is easily my favorite body of work so far this year and the most played album in my lineup. I even have mini solo karaoke parties where I specifically sing this album at the top of my lungs but that’s unimportant. What is important is that this album deserves to be on everyone’s top list. Along with Kehlani we received another debut R&B album coming from Khalid with American Teen that was equally as impressive as it was enjoyable. Location is the biggest hit off the record currently but I foresee many more tracks being highlighted as the year progresses.

Now, what would a top ten list be without anyone mentioning Kendrick Lamar and DAMN though? Basically a terrible top ten list. Everything Kendrick drops is gold and DAMN is no different. It’s the highest selling album so far this year and that honestly shouldn’t be surprising. Storytelling has always been Kendrick Lamar’s greatest gift to hip hop and the imagery that DAMN paints through each track is worth a listen over and over again.

One of my favorite and most surprising guilty pleasures so far has been Queen Elizabitch by CupcakKe and if I didn’t list her in my top 10I wouldn’t forgive myself. Reminiscent of an old Lil Kim or Nicki Minaj (back when she used to really spit) CupcakKe definitely laced her tracks with sensuality and a lyrical prowess that will continue to keep her name in your mouth especially if she isn’t in it yet. If you don’t believe me just listen to “Cumshot” and you’ll understand why she deserves every bit of recognition I’m giving her.

This list was not easy to make (which it never really is). Each one of the albums I have listed has a crazy amount of replay value. I honestly can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to Thundercat’s Drunk or Pretty Girls Like Trap Music by 2 Chainz. If the first 6 months are any indication for how the rest of the year is going to go than it’s going to be LIT!

1. Kehlani – SweetSexySavage
2. Thundercat – Drunk
3. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN
4. Dj Khaled – Grateful
5. 2 Chainz – Pretty Girls Like Trap Music
6. Kintaro – Universal EP
7. Jonwayne – Rap Album Two
8. CupcakKe – Queen Elizabitch
9. Jidenna – The Chief
10.Khalid – American Teen

Honorable Mention:
SZA – CTRL
Logic- Everybody
Murs – Captain California

Itola Jones

2017 felt like the year of sleeper hits. At the tail end of my top 10 is Vince Staples with BIG FISH THEORY. The young rapper who has been fed a diet of R&B, Soul, Funk, and other fusions of music to bring us his sophomore album. Much like the title suggests, the album allows its listeners to peer into a fishbowl lense of the rap game: the toxic behavior it can breed while also celebrating the new life rap stardom can give an emerging artist. At 9, we have Raekwon with THE WILD. The seasoned Wu-Tang member returns to us again with a packed house of 808 synths, high-hats, & that classic boom bap with a spin all his own. Syd makes perfect sex music, and that’s not up for debate. In her breakout album, Fin, Syd the Kid bring us a confident, cool new voice to R&B. Even from the first track, “Shake Em Off”, Syd establishes herself as the boss, “Young star in the making/Swear they sleeping on me”. What I love about this album is Syd knows exactly who she is. Now she is waiting for you to recognize game or get left behind. I couldn’t be any more grateful to for Joey Bada$$ sophomore album “ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$”. While many artists can come off as heavy-handed with overtly political content, The Badmon’s approach is more earnest, only further compliment by a solid production, which pulls both 80’s and 90’s flavored beats, smooth bass guitars, and disjointed piano riffs. Thundercat’s DRUNK speaks to the weird black kid in me before I became a hip-hop head. Thundercat is as much weird as he is soulful, an oddball with strange but powerful command of the lyrical. As a cool falsetto, and artist whose work has looked death in the eye time and time again, Drunk is not only a return to live but how to negotiate the normalcy of it. I was surprised Jay-Z’s 4:44 made the list. At this point in his career, and several alleged retirements from the game, I didn’t think Jay-Z had anything left to rap about. I was right. This isn’t a Jay-Z album, but rather Sean Carter’s first album. From the beginning the rapper kills his ego and lays down that ego which has driven much of his career. I didn’t expect these startling turns in this album, especially the knock-out cameo from his mother Gloria Carter. I knew DAMN had to make my list. At number 4, DAMN is the first of its kind, a palindrome album— an album that is two different albums played back and forth. DAMN is currently the highest selling and streaming album of 2017 . In my top 3, all women and all newcomers to music take their rightful places. Sabrina Claudio’s CONFIDENTLY LOST is sexy, vulnerable, and honest. Claudio’s sound is a miasma of nostalgia while still looking forward. Kelhani’s “SweetSexySavage” is the “The Bad Bitch Gospel” album. Kelhani effortlessly blend irreverent youth and confidence with vulnerability and sensuality to address all the personal and professional hurdles Kelhani has endured to make it here. Kelhani just isnt’t here to play games and god bless. At number 1, is CTRL by SZA.

16-22-year-old me waited a very long time for CTRL to come into the world. I have never listened to an album in which I felt so seen and understood. From starling confessions (“I’ve been secretly banging your homeboy”) more tender remarks (“I can’t be that easy to forget like that”) and even these brief churches of lyrics (“Lie to me and tell me my booty gettin’ bigger even if it ain’t”), SZA maturity, foresight, and ability to reflect back to the girls she has been—the girl who revenge fucks her ex’s friends, the “side-chick”, the girl who validates herself by how much attention she gets— is a testament to how much the young artist has grown and how much she still has to offer.

1. CTRL: SZA
2. Kelhani: SweetSexy Savage
3. Sabrina Claudio: Confidently Lost
4. DAMN: Kendrick Lamar
5. 4:44: Jay-Z
6. Drunk: Thundercat
7. ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$: Joey Bada$$
8. Fin: Syd
9. Raekwon: The Wild
10. Vince Staples: Big Fish Theory

Francis And The Lights Spark A Remix With Chance The Rapper

May 18, 2017 by B Brusberg Leave a Comment

Good vibes come in all forms, and inviting Chance The Rapper to a track usually makes for a guaranteed relaxer. Francis And The Lights decided to remix their song “May I Have This Dance” from their 2016 album Farewell Starlite!, and there’s now a video for it too! The track is available on iTunes, or you could check out the music video below. Or do both, I’m not the boss of you.

Chance’s contribution is short and sweet, adding a few lighthearted bars, and the video is simple but well-choreographed. The lyrics remind me that the innocent flee when I try to dance, no matter how good I look in my romper. My moves are banned from most clubs, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this playful collaboration between the lights and the rapper. Chance has a very particular attitude in most of his music. I wonder which artists will recruit him in the future whenever they need a dash of his signature vibe?

Chance The Rapper and Kaytranada Combine With “And They Say”

May 17, 2017 by B Brusberg Leave a Comment

Chance The Rapper is one of the most whimsical artists around, and a collaboration with Kaytranada recently released shows they understand each other quite well. “And They Say” appeared on May 14th on OTHERtone, the Beats 1 show hosted by Pharrell Williams and Scott Vener. The track is happy and laid back, and feels like something one would bump while cruising to the grocery store to pick up one item, or while lying around enjoying the sunshine. Although this song is new to many of us, Chance has shared it with fans before. So don’t get too excited when he says “new album alert.” Listen below.

Beats 1 seems like a haven for artists to discuss and share their interest in music and their work. Perhaps we’ll see more and more artists pursuing podcast programming, or even try their hands at other mediums such as film. Could artists become more than just musicians and effectively become jacks of all trades? The game is ever-changing.

The Acid Rap Anniversary: Flashbacks on the Mixtape for Chicago

May 8, 2017 by Terrence Sage Leave a Comment

Acid Rap the mixtape..it was the big one, the project that stretched Chance the Rapper past a rising act within the Chicago Music Scene and solidified his rapping prowess that that he made known with 10Day, his first mixtape. It’s been four years since Acid Rap released and while everything surrounding the project has changed from Chance himself as an artist, to the city of Chicago, the state of the project is still intact.

My experience with Acid Rap happened during my sophomore year of high school. I was clueless about Chance the Rapper at the time, but his effect on the student body was apparent with his single “Juice” being the topic of conversation all over the place. I paid it no mind but it was clear Chance was a Champion of the Youth. His song and style, infectious as can be and garnered grins and students yelling in unison “I GOT THE JUICE! I GOT THE JUICE!” Sometime later on April 30, Acid Rap officially released and I don’t think we could’ve comprehended what Chancellor had in store for us as a city and for music in general.

Acid Rap covered so much across the thirteen tracks, almost like a literal acid trip taking you through different stages. Chance packs a lot inside these songs, from the outgoing and energetic opening Good Ass Intro that highlights the now commonplace traits we bring up when talking about him in conversation, to the moving and all too real second half of Pusha Man where he speaks on Chicago violence that is still apart of Chicago Music to varying degrees. Pusha Man in particular spoke on issues that were all too real for the youth of the city. Summer time in Chicago is cause for alarm, and the monotonousness of Chance laying the truths of the city in between his personal tales of his life, highs and lows included, gives the tape added layers for people attempting to get an idea of a period in a city’s music scene.

The range of talent across numerous songs on the project from the likes of: Vic Mensa, BJ the Chicago Kid, Noname, Action Bronson, Ab-Soul, Childish Gambino, and more showcased the strengths of everyone involved and captured the various complexities that one person can go through. From Lost sweeping in it’s romance and somberness to Favorite Song still supplying summertime fun to this day with Chance and Gambino, and a strong mix of the two types of songs with Chain Smoker that causes you to bounce and nod as Chance floats over the production keeping the energy alive until the song is over.

To commemorate the anniversary of the mixtape that elevated Chance to the stratosphere, I reached out to my Chicago friends to get their thoughts on Acid Rap and about how they felt when it dropped and how they look on it now four years later.

@WelpDontizzle – “Acid Rap was the first project he put out that I was able to tell the type of artist he would become, but it also showed his range and the fact that he was a dynamic artist. Like 10 Day was a simple introduction to Chance. Acid Rap was him showing you just how good he was at this. He continued using modern events and his personal experiences to convey a message of how the world was affecting him on a mental level (see Pusha Man/Paranoia) and he showed you his fun side on Favorite Song and Nana.”

@Jiggy___Jay – “At De the whole school hallway was full of students waiting on Chance to drop the tape and when it dropped we went crazy. It’s STILL his best work, better than 10 Day and Coloring Book.”

@__PazIII – “It’s still a great ep or whatever it was called a few years ago. All I know is you could only play it on SoundCloud or YouTube. I played that album regularly, like it was the only thing to listen to. Also I remember in high school a lot of different people I knew was playing it too. We were all talking about it. And just playing the songs in class for weeks. Niggas bonded off this. It was this one song called pusha man. Loved the first verse but after listening to it so many times I just skipped to the second part of song because it was really speaking truth. The one line “around here it’s easier to find a gun than a fucking parking spot.” Like deadass if you go downtown with your car, besides paying $28 for like 2 hours of parking but finding street parking is damnly impossible. But a gun? Yeah that was a regular thing according to our news. I think every week some 17 year old popped someone. It was fucked. Thinking back on it now, Chance was REALLY ahead. Like no disrespect to anyone in the rap game he put on that ep, but he’s just a top tier rapper in terms of popularity and being an overall great rapper. That thing still can get plays till this day.”

@laamore_cherie – “When Acid Rap dropped I was already a Chance fan because I used to be at YouMedia alot, so I knew who he was. My favorite song on the album was Lost because at the time I was in a relationship with someone 4 years older tha me and that song described our relationship PERFECTLY. Now, I look back on it and that album and that song are still my #1 played on my phone.”

@Ekoliii – “When it dropped it was damn the only thing that got played over the summer. Shit got played at every function I went to, it was kinda wild. And as everyone knows it was greater work in my opinion but that’s not to discredit his other shit.”

@NarcoNaor – “The album gave me life bro. Like one of the best things I could’ve done around that time was click the link om Twitter to his first album. Acid Rap made it a whole year that I could forget and will always cherish! Going into the summer in 2013 made it the best year tbh like all the things he would rap about would be so relatable because we was doing the same thing he would talk about. My favorite tracks honestly: Everybody’s Something, Chain Smoker, and Acid Rain.”

Jordan – “When it dropped: I skipped most of the songs & I didn’t appreciate the growth he’s shown between that & 10 Day. I completely ignored the messages and underlying theme in it. Now: I consider it his best work. He touched upon delicate topics that isn’t really touched upon in mainstream hip hop now. He brought light to his depression, struggles & issues in Chicago. He offered a fresher, more “friendly” look of Chicago rap when Drill rap was thriving.”

@RealWillBrooks – “I remember when Acid Rap first came out and it made my faith in Chicago music deepen. Chance had brought the vibes and had me jamming Juice, Everybody’s something, or favorite song ft. Gambino when I felt uplifted or to Acid Rain and Lost to reminisce during my teenage years in high school. Acid Rap played through my ears every morning on the way to school. Through Acid Rap I discovered other artists and styles of music that I may not have none of without it.”

Acid Rap meant something at the time of it’s release. It still does to an extent. In his own way and unique style, Chance brought problems of Chicago to life through music that people could get behind, and got people from all over to pay attention in the process. It’s been a lot of change the past four years since Acid Rap released, Chance is redefining what it means to be an Independent Artist, Chicago is still working to quell the violence in the city, but the music scene thrives and is continuing to grow no matter the music you make. I’d like to think Chance and his ten day suspension, and acid, helped shift people to that mindset.

Happy Four Years of playing Acid Rap and here’s to another four and beyond!

Governors Ball NYC 2014: A Hip Hop Recap

June 13, 2014 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

On June 6^th-8^th, 2014, the 4^th annual Governors Ball festival took place on Randall’s Island, New York. The festival is praised for many of its aspects that provide festival-goers an amazing overall experience. From the musical artists attending to the variety of food selection to the spacious and thoughtful layout of the festival grounds, Governors Ball has it all.

The relatively young festival has gained steam as time passes and has arguably unleashed a stronger lineup as each year goes by. This year, New York’s own Vampire Weekend and modern musical savant, Jack White, shared headlining duties with the incomparable Outkast.

In fact, hip hop as a whole was represented quite well over the weekend. From well known rappers like J. Cole and Tyler, the Creator to relatively underground acts like Ratking; hip hop music was very much alive among the tens of thousands of people in attendance.

Here is a recap of the hip hop acts at Governors Ball 2014:

Run the Jewels

The dynamic duo of Killer Mike and El-P were one of the first acts to grace the stages at the festival. Killer Mike donned his “Do Dope Fuck Hope” sweater as he furiously rapped into the mic during his verses. El-P was not to be outdone as he kept his energy up while he finessed his way through his very technique-heavy verses. The duo played bangers off of their self-titled album and they would provide comical banter between their cuts. DJ Trackstar provided some great scratches, especially during the breakdown of “Get It”.

One of the aspects that made the set great were how genuinely happy Jaime and Mike seemed to be performing together on stage. There is an undeniable chemistry between the two rappers and it definitely helps that they make some absolute bangers while in the studio. With that being said, the set was not without its flaws. Run the Jewels definitely hurt from the lack of a full band. After seeing them during their tour, I was able to hear the album in all its glory, all the while performed by the two rappers backed by a three-piece band. There was a very noticeable drop in quality of sound, although being in an outdoor venue in broad daylight also contributed a lot to this as well.

All in all, the energy was undeniable and the raps are stupid good. Let us hope that Run the Jewels 2 gets released sooner rather than later.

Grade: 3.5 big gold chains stolen from radio rappers out of 5.

Tyler, the Creator

Tyler started his set immediately after Earl’s during the afternoon on the last day of the festival. The crowd had rushed across the field after Earl finished his last song so that they could witness Tyler pick up where Earl left off. Tyler was accompanied by Taco on the 1s and 2s as well as Jasper and Earl as hypemen.

Odd Future shows are fueled by frenzied crowds and an immense amount of energy. The bass was blaring and Tyler was in rare form as he yelled, jumped and screamed across the stage. In between tracks he would brutally insult members of the crowd, even straight up saying he did not want to be near the audience in the VIP section because “they’re only there because their rich parents bought them the tickets”. It says a lot when an artist can berate the crowd and it only acts to fuel them in their frenzied state.

Overall, the show was a blast despite the lack of a band as well as the overbearing bass. The crowd jamming out to “Tamale” was one of the highlights of the entire weekend.

Grade: 4.25 angry VIP members out of 6.

Earl Sweatshirt

The Odd Future rap phenom started his set saying he had 45 minutes and that after that we would all have to run to get to Tyler’s show. Earl’s performance was almost set up to be a warm up for Tyler’s, however in my opinion, it was overall a better set. Admittedly, I am more of a fan of Earl’s music than Tyler’s, but I believe that the bias going into the day was not the ultimate deciding factor of which I enjoyed more.

Similarly to Tyler’s set, Earl was backed by his DJ, Taco. He was also without live instrumentation, but it seemed as though the tracks in which Earl laid his raps onto sounded much more levelled in terms of the bass, highs and mids. On top of that, Earl played a great variety of his old tracks and new tracks of varying moods and tempos. His banter in between tracks were playful, yet not as in-your-face as Tyler’s.

The most impressive part of Earl’s performance are the raps themselves. Some of his verses contain a tongue twisting amount of alliteration coupled with other impressive poetic devices, yet, it seemed as though he was able to spit his verses effortlessly. He even performed two unreleased tracks that I believe will shock listeners as he is seemingly ditching his monotone style of rapping.

Grade: 3 sweaty sweatshirts out of 4

Chance the Rapper

Rap music is generally for rap fans. More specifically, it is often difficult for an average music fan to get into hip hop if they had not first been accustomed to it from a young age, especially when compared to other genres of music. Every so often, there are hip hop artists that come along who break down these barriers and are able to connect with the general population of music listeners. Chance the Rapper is definitely one of those artists.

You could just feel the sheer amount of love oozing from the crowd onto the stage where Chance stood. One of the best parts of his set was that it was painfully obvious that he could feel it too and he was having the time of his life. Chance became humanized and humbled by the love he was getting and it really served to connect him more to his audience. You could hear the passion in his voice and in the way he performed his tracks off his hit mixtape: Acid Rap.

It was also extremely important that he had a full band with him. Their interpretation of the recorded instrumentals from his mixtape came to life and filled the air around the tent where he performed. Couple all of this with the fact that he performed his interpretation of the “Arthur Theme Song” and Chance the Rapper just pulled off one of the best hip hop performances of the weekend.

Grade: 5 Nana NaNaNa’s out of 6

J. Cole

Similarly to Chance’s set, J. Cole was joined on stage by a full band but on a more grandiose scale. His 5 piece band included: guitar, drums, backup singers, keys and a DJ. The full bodied instrumentals hit the crowd at full force. The jazzy interpretations of J. Cole’s biggest hits left the crowd in awe.

J. Cole fed from the energy he was getting from his band as he did what he does best: spit. He never missed a step as he offered fan favorites from The Warm Up, Friday Night Lights, Cole World: A Sideline Story and Born Sinner. He even had a comedic skit with Dreamville rapper Bas and then they performed a song together. The show had a lot going for it, and more importantly it was extremely well executed.

J. Cole put together a show that should act as a template for how all hip hop shows should be. It is time to put those rap-over-your-mp3 performances to bed *cough A$AP Mob cough*. This is especially true in a festival setting as you are able to attract many new fans if you put on a good show, and it’s becoming more and more apparent that a good show absolutely requires a full band. The difference is black and white; it is time for hip hop artists to step their live show game up. J. Cole knows this and rappers need to take notes.

Grade: 5 Cole Worlds out of 5

Outkast

Before talking about how the performance really was, it is really important to go over some facts leading up to the legendary duo’s set:

They have been on hiatus for 8 years, with their last album being Idlewild
Their fans are borderline obsessive
They are considered as legendary hip hop fixtures and Andre 3000 is often mentioned in talks about greatest MCs of all time

Considering the facts above, it is safe to say that the amount of hype around Outkast’s 2014 comeback is extremely high. The expectations set for their performances are off the meter and this creates a very risky situation for Big Boi and Andre 3000 as they need to go above and beyond to only be on par with what their fans are expecting.

With that being said, the Outkast performance at Governor’s Ball 2014 not only reached expectations, it blew them out of the water. The performance was a monumental success as the duo performed cuts off of their extremely impressive discography. Any rumors of beef between Big Boi and Dre can be dismissed as their chemistry on stage was undeniable. The main stage was fronted by approximately 15,000 people and although I was not able to see how the back of the crowd were reacting, the front section were going absolutely nuts.

Sonically, the set was practically perfect. The band consisted of guitar, bass, drums, keys, a DJ, backup singers and even horns. On top of that, the set design was also really well done as a cube that was projected upon created some 3D illusions while the entire backdrop displayed complementary visual elements.

The only gripes I had with the set was that Dre’s vocals were a bit too low during his solo set and they did not end up performing my two favorite Outkast tracks: “Da Art of Storytellin’ Pt. 2” and “Chonkyfire”. However, those two criticisms are a result of me digging extremely deep.

I have seen many live acts from all different genres in the last 5 years but I can safely say that Outkast’s performance at Governors Ball 2014 was easily the best one I have ever experienced. It is also safe to say that it will stay that way for a very long time.

Grade: 11 arts out of 5 farts.

Additional Notes:

Janelle Monae is a helluva performer
Damon Albarn, the mastermind behind the Gorillaz, performed at the same time as Outkast. Apparently, he brought out De La Soul and Vic Mensa during his set.
Missed Damien Marley due to scheduling conflict.
Missed Ratking due to scheduling conflict but I did see them in passing. They had a full band and looked like they had a lot of energy. I think I saw one of the rappers’ forehead bleeding.
Missed Childish Gambino due to scheduling conflict but I was able to catch the last song of his set. It ended up being “Bonfire”, which was accompanied by huge fireballs and a really energetic Donald Glover.

Who Cares? 2013 Year End Wrap Up List…

January 17, 2014 by Keith Descoteaux

Sh’yaboy Keithnicity the Track-God here with a year-end wrap up list. It’s all just my own personal opinions. I figured mine would be less irritating than something Complex will cook up. Feel free to agree or tell me to get the fuck outta here. Either way, my thoughts on 2013. Chuuuuch:

Artist of 2013: Kendrick Lamar
Album of 2013: My Name is My Name ~ Pusha T
Most Talked About Album of 2013: Yeezus ~ Kanye West
Mixtape of 2013: Better Off Dead ~ Flatbush Zombies
Independent Album of 2013: Run the Jewels ~ El-P & Killer Mike
Producer of the Year: Eric Arc Elliot
Rookie of the Year: Isaiah Rashad
Best Song of 2013: “Rap God” ~ Eminem
Best Verse of 2013: Kendrick Lamar (from the song “Control” by Big Sean)
Album I Expected To Like a LOT MORE: Because the Internet ~ Childish Gambino
Best Hyper Ignorant Album of 2013: Stay Trippy ~ Juicy J
Best Album of Soft Lullabies & Elevator Music To Put A Baby To Sleep To: Nothing Was the Same ~ Drake
Artist With MOST Cartoony & Ridiculous Voice: Chance The Rapper
Most Slept On Album of 2013: 7 Days of Funk ~ Snoop Dogg & Dam Funk
Most Nonsensical “Tribute To a Legendary Rap Group” That Made No Sense: “Wu-Tang Forever” ~ Drake
Best Non-rap Album of 2013: Matangi ~ M.I.A.
Most Anticipated Project for 2014: Oxymoron ~ Schoolboy Q
Worst White Kid Whose Parents Should Have Canceled Their Subscription to BET: Miley Cyrus/Justin Bieber (tie)
Worst Hair Cut of ALL TIME: Miley Cyrus/Macklemore
Most Untalented Rapper To Pull A “Kanye”: Wale
Silliest Twitter User of 2013: Gucci Mane
Worst Genre of Music EVER: Country (This doesn’t really have anything to do with anything…just sayin’…)
Most Boring Album of 2013: The 20/20 Experience ~ Justin Timberlake
Silliest Trend in Street Fashion: Mask Wearing
Only Artist Name Dropped On “Control” to End Up Looking Silly: Drake
Most Thankfully Absent Rap Star of 2013: Lil Wayne
Most Likely to Ruin a Track with Nonsensical Crooning and General Auto-tune Fuckery: Future

The opinions and views expressed here are the opinions of the designated author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or views of any of the individual members of Dead End Hip Hop.

Tracks You Might Have Missed: 2013

December 29, 2013 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

I have compiled a list of some tracks that I was really feeling heavy this year and had on repeat the most. Some are from some really solid albums/mixtapes and others are just random gems that were dropped throughout the year.

So in no particular order here are some songs that might have slipped under your radars that I was really digging in 2013:

Too Ill for the law- Lakutis

– Lakutis! This New York City rapper has been making some waves the past couple years on solid appearances with other rappers from the area along with a project of his own (I’m in the Forest). ‘Too Ill for the Law’ has a sample heavy beat with some nice drums underneath that is perfect for his off-the-wall delivery along with a catchy hook referencing Notorious B.I.G.

Boom Skit- M.I.A

– Over a beat produced by Hit-Boy with an Indian tinge to it, M.I.A. goes in for almost a minute straight rapping about her south Asian background and some recent events that got her name in the news like the whole Superbowl-Madonna scandal from a couple years back.

Anne Bonny- Death Grips

– Track two off of Government Plates, the album released out of nowhere in true Death Grips fashion, is a futuristic and dark record that got my attention on first listen. It’s dirty, aggressive, and MC Ride’s looped vocals along with the hook I think were some of his best moments on the album. Also, I need more of those live drum sounds I heard in this album on future Death Grips releases because Zach Hill is a monster.

N64- Denzel Curry

– Opening up with some very light piano notes and then going into the dark synths Denzel Curry is known for rapping over, this track juxtaposes mellow moments with aggression that makes it one of my favorite songs off of Nostalgic 64. Denzel Curry is not to be slept on next year because he can actually spit and has a great ear for beats.

Between Villains – Captain Murphy (feat. Earl Sweatshirt and Viktor Vaughn)

– This track just reads amazing because look at who is on it! Captain Murphy, Earl, and the return of Viktor Vaughn! The lo-fi vocals over a very chill beat reminiscent to something off of a Viktor Vaught album will have you looking up the lyrics on RapGenius trying to follow along with some of today’s (in my opinion) most creative rappers.

Werk 4 Me- Antwon (feat. Himself)

– I find myself singing the hook to this song at random times of the day because it is pretty infectious. ‘Werk 4 Me is’ one of the catchier records off of Antwon’s tape In Dark Denim, where he takes you through a day in his life filled with good food and loose hoes.

Lost – Chance the Rapper (feat. Noname Gypsy)

– If you haven’t listened to Chance the Rapper in 2013 then where have you been? Acid Rap is one of the best projects that came out this year and ‘Lost’ is the track I always find myself coming back to and singing along with. One of the slower songs on the album, Chance and Gypsy rap over a well-produced beat by Nate Fox that implements a guitar, piano, and flute that fit perfectly with Chance’s inflection. Noname Gypsy holds her own too, I had no idea who she was before I listened to this song but her verse is the one I am always waiting for when this track comes on.

Like Whaaat – Problem (feat. Bad Lucc)

– Dripping with West Coast flavor, Problem and Bad Lucc come together to put out a strong record with a beat that bounces as much as Problem’s delivery and lyrical ability do. Play this at your New Year’s Eve party and you’ll have everyone yelling WHAAAT by the end of the night.

Hoarse- Earl Sweatshirt

– I need BadBadNotGood to be on more rap albums because they produced one of my favorite records off of Earl’s debut album Doris. ‘Hoarse’ has a smooth bassline that rides over a simple but bombastic drum beat where Earl can just flow and lay down his gritty bars.

The End is Near- Ab-Soul (feat. Mac Miller)

– I think there was a period of about two weeks where I had this song on repeat everyday on the way to work. Ab-Soul is one of my favorite rappers and if you disagree I think you need to give this song a listen because his flow and wordplay are untouchable on it. Mac Miller is actually decent too but I think he shines more on the production side of the jazz-inspired but spacey beat.

Banana Clipper – Run the Jewels (feat. Big Boi)

– Ay, ay, go listen to this song right now. Killer Mike and El-P… There’s not much more to say because if you’re familiar with their work then you’ll know what to expect from ‘Banana Clipper’ and the whole Run the Jewels EP. Trading off some elegant verses until Big Boi comes in at the end and finishes off the track gracefully; Mike and El deliver some of the strongest and exciting verses from this year.

Quintana- Travis $cott (feat. Wale)

– If this song doesn’t get you at least a little tiny bit hype then there’s something wrong with you. It’s catchy and the beat is one of the hardest I’ve heard this year. Travis is great on the track and Wale is a welcome addition at the latter half of the song. Listen to it and try not to rap along during the hook.

Nekobasu- Yung Lean

– Yung Lean and the Sad Boys clique have been making some waves this year on the internet with their interesting trap-inspired lyrical content and delivery over cloud-rap production handled all in-house by Yung Sherman, Yung Gud, and Gregar. ‘Nekobasu’ is no exception to the typical Sad Boys formula but I found myself coming back to this track the most out of everything they put out this year. If Yung Lean’s rapping ability doesn’t impress you (which it probably won’t) the beat will definitely catch your ear.

Piece of the P.I.E – Ezko

– Why hasn’t Ezko blown up yet? I ask myself this every day because the Maryland MC can really spit. Ezko’s delivery and witty wordplay really shine on the smooth 90’s inspired jazzy production handled by Esta. If you want to hear some real deep shit about life and existence that’s not boring to listen to then check this track out. I know I’m excited for what he’s going to be putting out next year and all of you should be too.

I Shot You Down – Isaiah Rashad

– The newly-signed member of the currently dominating TDE, Isiah Rashad will become one of my favorite rappers if he keeps putting out songs like this. He’s hungry and you can tell just by listening to his TDE debut ‘I Shot You Down’. It will definitely have you singing along at the end and I don’t know there’s something about the music video that just makes me feel all warm inside. Isiah Rashad is having a pretty good year but I think next year will be even better for him so make sure you keep your ears open for him in 2014.

Neptune Estate – King Krule

– Ok yeah it’s not a rap song but if that really bothers you then consider this an honorable mention. The roots of this track are definitely hip-hop with the dirty looping drums underneath smooth synth lines and horns. King Krule croons over this track with sections that implement his own style of rapping in that thick English accent that graces all of his songs.

So there you have it. These were my favorite tracks from this year that our readers might have missed. 2013 was a pretty good year for hip-hop and I am more than excited for all the amazing tracks that will drop next year.

Chance The Rapper’s Social Experiment Tour (Video) + New Song

December 15, 2013 by Dead End Hip Hop Leave a Comment

Chance the Rapper has had one hell of a year. After dropping the acclaimed Acid Rap in April, Chance went on to tour with the likes of Kendrick Lamar & Eminem, grab a spot on a Justin Bieber single, among several other achievements, and did it all while becoming one of the hottest acts in hip-hop today. With just a few dates left on his 43-date “Social Experiment” headlining tour run, he released a short documentary on the tour, which finds Chance talking about his achievements and growth during his sold-out show in Chicago.

Here’s what Chance had to say:

“With little budget, experience or time for preparation, the team and I put together this #SocialExperiment Tour 2013. My first Tour. 43 shows. 18 person crew. 4 piece band. 1 Tour bus. 1 raw ass RV. This video represents positivity, love, friendship, musicianship, support and a whole lot of hard work. Big thanks and a Merry Xmas to every single person that made this possible, and everyone else who supported me like crazy this year.

– Chance

PS: SOCIAL EXPERIMENT COMING SOON”

We’re not positive as to what “Social Experiment” will turn out to be, but here’s to hoping it drops soon. Listen to a preview of a new track at the end of the video as well.