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Chance the Rapper Reflects on the City That Made Him in 'Coloring Book'

Music ReviewEric FracComment

“And we back, and we back, and we back, and we back!” Chicago’s very own Chance the Rapper has finally released his much-anticipated third mixtape, Coloring Book, formerly known as Chance 3, and it’s got everyone excited for the summer that’s just around the corner. Yes, Chance is back, and so much better than before. In an interview with Complex, Chance summed up the hype leading up to Coloring Book: “This stuff is way better than Surf. I’ll say that on record. Donnie [Trumpet] is awesome, and the project was awesome, but this is all of us focusing our efforts into some hip-hop and some very dance-y shit, and it feels good. So I’m excited about that.”

When I first heard Chance on his 10 Day mixtape I walked with a newfound pep in my step in between classes; frankly it was one of my first exposures to hip hop songs that weren’t all about money, drugs, and women, and it was a very fresh breath of new life into my then stagnant hip hop playlist. This was music you could vibe to, music that made you genuinely smile because it made you want to dance. It seemed impossible to find someone who genuinely didn’t like Chance the Rapper, and he quickly rose to the top of Chicago’s hip hop scene without having anything to do with the drill music that has all but completely dominated the local scene.

Coming in at 14 songs deep, Coloring Book is no different, so grab a friend, take a deep breath, and just let the joy and beauty that is ‘Coloring Book’ dance into your ears as it makes you feel that sometimes rare emotion: pure happiness.

“All We Got (ft. Kanye West, Chicago Children’s Choir)”

Staying true to the beautiful sound of the trumpet, the song starts off with the familiar, “And we back, and we back, and we back, and we back, and we back,” and I can’t help but crack a smile already. Chance is back. The song features a powerful message delivered to the listeners by yours truly, Yeezus himself: “Music is all we got, living is all we got, so we might as well give it all we got The song is a fitting introduction to the project, and with a feature from Chance’s favorite hometown hero Kanye West it seems that Chance’s gospel sound on "Ultralight Beam" have carried over into Coloring Book, and it’s got everyone rejoicing.

“No Problem (ft. Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz)”

Let me be one of the first to say that this song will be one of the anthems of your summer. The song has everything it needs to be a radio hit; a catchy hook, a feature from 2 Chainz AND Lil Wayne, and a beat that you can’t help but bop your head to. "No Problem" is a warning to all the record labels trying to sign Chance: he’s not about it, and he wants to make it clear through lines like, “If one more label try to stop me / It’s gon’ be some dreadhead niggas in ya lobby.” You don’t want any problems with Chance, and he’s going to keep on doing what he’s doing whether others like it or not. 2 Chainz and Wayne do their thing on the song, each with their own flow that compliments the beat. Wayne also references his own struggle with his former record label Cash Money not letting him release "Tha Carter V,” with, “If that label try and stop me / There gon’ be some crazy Weezy fans waitin’ in the lobby.”

“Summer Friends (ft. Jeremih, Francis And The Lights)”

Growing up on the southside of Chicago, Chance reminds everyone about just how deadly the violence really is. He raps about how it’s the first day of summer and people are already shooting each other, and there are less and less students in summer school because of it. Sadly, “Summer friends don’t stay around here” is a stark reminder that the this is still a huge issue in the community, and the pain of losing his friends during the summertime still stuck with Chance.

“D.R.A.M Sings Special”

The shortest song on the project is a repeated verse in a soulful type lullaby by the Virginia rapper D.R.A.M who has collaborated with Chance through Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment, and it’s a deep message that reminds us all that we truly are special. Each and everyone one of us has talents and gifts that they were born with, and we need to be reminded that nobody is a nobody. The interlude preaches a message of self-confidence as well as inspiration to create yourself. Positive vibes all around.

“Blessings”

A testament to God, Chance isn’t afraid to show his devotion to his religion. He also touches on the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the birth of his daughter. A feel-good gospel song, and some emotional lyrics from Chance further solidify this track’s place in the project. Jamila Woods adds the cherry on top with her voice that makes you just want to throw your hands up in the air and praise whatever god(s) there may or may not be.

“Same Drugs”

“Same Drugs” is Chance’s farewell song to the drug taking persona he exuded during his days of Acid Rap, highlighting how he’s matured as a person to be a father for his daughter. He reminisces about the old days, but it’s on a positive note with no regrets. He thinks back to his carefree days as a child where everything was still filled with wonder, and even alludes to Peter Pan when Peter told the kids, “All you need is happy thoughts” to fly, as Chance encourages his daughter (who is referenced to as "Dandelion") to think happy thoughts, and in turn she will be a happy child growing up.

“Mixtape (ft. Young Thug, Lil Yachty)”

Wow, where to begin. First of all, Chance the Rapper + Young Thug + Lil Yachty? Never in a million years would I have even dreamed of those two on a Chance song, and yet this turned out to be one of my favorite songs off the project. Thugger and Yachty discuss their concern for the music industry losing it’s legitimacy by somewhat ignoring mixtapes. Yachty recently debuted his first official mixtape, and he’s bound to be one of the fastest rising stars in the scene in 2016. Young Thug on the other hand is becoming a much more common name now that Kanye has even had him featured on The Life Of Pablo, but the real fans knew that Thugger has built his career on his mixtapes, especially with his Slime Season collection. Chance feels like the industry is warping the minds and vision of artists who no longer release music for the passion but instead for commercialized purposes. Young Thug said it best: “How can they call themselves bosses when they got so many bosses?”

“Angels (ft. Saba)”

A true dedication to the city that raised and made him, Chance pours his heart out to his fellow Chicagoans with fellow Chicago-native Saba on "Angels." In it, Chance talks about how he grew as an artist and he expresses his love for his hometown, complete with a music video featuring gorgeous shots of the city from an L train. It just makes me so happy and actually made me crack a damn smile, because for once I get to see a Chicago hip-hop music video that doesn’t have a single gun being waved at the camera, and that doesn’t have to do with what people label as “the dark side of Chicago” hip hop. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the Chicago drill scene as well as all the new talent that’s sprouting out from it, but I am fully aware of the hardships and problems that have been going on in Chicago’s southside communities. The systematic segregation of the city as well as the fake war on drugs has ravished the communities, and the violence has always spiked during the summer. Chicago needs something to help start working toward solutions to the countless problems with the city, but Chicago will always have hope. Chance is willing to live and die for this city because he believes in it, and so do I.

“Juke Jam (ft. Justin Bieber)”

A song about Chance’s teenage years and an innocent relationship that he says he was too young to be able to take it to a sexual level. "Juke Jam" is sensual while keeping it innocent. The song’s chorus sung by fellow Savemoney rapper and Chicago-native Towkio is a vocal interpolation on R. Kelly’s "Feelin' On Your Booty," and damn it’s good. Bieber comes on here a couple times to do his thing with the song’s bridges, and the whole song just flows together extremely smooth. You’d be lying if you said this song didn’t make you feel some type of way with your special someone.

“All Night ft. Knox Fortune”

Goddamn it’s hard to not jump up and get groovy to this one. Chance proves he can be one funky dude on this track as he raps about how everyone’s drunk and trying to be friends with him now that he’s got fame and success. Chance tells them to give him his space and he just wants his friends and himself to just enjoy the party. Chance promised Coloring Book to be filled with “dance-y shit,” and it’s safe to say he delivered on that promise. This beat alone makes it worthy of a lengthy run in TV / film placements, and it’s a jam that can be played at parties and clubs alike.

“How Great (ft. My Cousin Nicole)”

Continuing on the religious themes prevalent throughout the mixtape, "How Great" is a continuation of Chance praising God. Chance’s actual cousin named Nicole opens the track up with a sample from Chris Tomlin’s "How Great is Our God"; the song is a great gospel addition to the project. Jay Electronica, a Muslim producer, does wonders to the track, and Chance himself throws in Christian rhetoric as he talks about worship and praise.

“Smoke Break (ft. Future)”

What a time to be alive. Chanco and Future Hendrix on the same track? What?! And it worked! Chance rapped about how he used to smoke out of a bowl because it’s much easier and quicker to do since his life is so hectic, and Future is looking for his queen to share his clean molly and whips with wings with, and there’s even what seems like a subliminal shot at Desiigner: “I got designer galore,” which could easily be Future’s passive aggressive ways of saying Desiigner is getting big off of Future’s sound. Guess we have to wait for Desiigner to drop his second official song to see.

“Finish Line / Drown (ft. T-Pain, Kirk Franklin, Noname, Eryn Allen Kane)”

The longest song on Coloring Book, "Finish Line" features veterans and up and coming artists praising the greatness of God and how far they’ve come thanks to him. The first part of the song "Finish Line" features Chance and T-Pain talk about their devotion to God, and how it's helped them to “see the finish line”. The second part, "Drown," features two up-and-coming female rappers from Chicago by the names of Eryn Allen Kane and Noname as they talk about how God has helped them out through their hardships in life, and they remind you that through God you will never drown. Beautiful analogy of how even though the water is deeper than it’s ever been and how life may seem harder than it has ever before, with the help of God you won’t drown and you will be able to get through anything.

“Blessings (Reprise)”

The conclusion to Coloring Book, Chance basically thanks God for how far he’s gotten and for everything that he’s been able to accomplish. Honestly, another work of art, and a fantastic way for the project to come to a close. Uncredited support from the likes of B.J The Chicago Kid and Ty Dolla $ign, amongst others, the song wraps everything that Chance is about up nicely in a song and reminds us just how gifted Chance really is. With God to thank, Chance is ever grateful for everything that he’s been able to achieve, and the dreams that he has still to set out and accomplish.

 

            Wow, what a ride. Coloring Book was well worth the wait, and it further solidified Chance’s spot amongst Chicago’s legends. With Kanye’s stamp of approval, the messiah of Chicago addresses his come up and how the city made him who he is, and Chance makes sure to pay tribute to that throughout the project. God also plays a major role in Chance’s life and career, and he thanks God for everything that he’s given to Chance and all the times that God has been there for Chance through difficult times in life. This is a project you can smile while listening, and something that will make you want to dance until you drop when you hear “All Night” at the next party you go to. He’s not just another Chicago rapper, he’s an artist, a believer, and an ambassador of positive vibes set out to remind us not to give up, better days are just around the corner.

'Views' Reveals Drake is Just as Cold as The 6 Itself (In More Ways Than One)

Music ReviewSean McHughComment

Hide your exes, hide your tears, cause Drake’s making everyone feel up in here. Views has finally arrived, in an equally morose and grandiose fashion that’s come to be expected of Mr. OVOXO. Views continues 2016’s string of high octane hip-hop paragons releasing long awaited records – Yeezy, RiRi, Queen Bey – by “surprising” means, though the disarmingly pensive Champagne Papi manages to distinguish his opus from his hip-hop compatriots.

Outside of the obvious tonal differences – sullen, brooding rap from Drizzy versus empowered gotcha hip-hop from Beyonce – Francisco Mandarin is the only super-surprise release of 2016 not to debut on that godforsaken streaming service of the stars, TIDAL. Instead, Views’ exclusive release on iTunes acts as an analogue for Aubrey Graham’s atypical, enigmatic hip-hop presence – a rap demigod (supposedly) relegated to chasing reminiscent thoughts, rather than indulging in the more expressive pleasures of an ascribed deity of hip-hop.

It’s a magnificent modus operandi that Aubrey Graham has managed to carve out in the opulence applauded era of hip-hop – muted, restrained, atmospheric – all the while managing to remind hip-hop heads every once in a while that Wheelchair Jimmy can still beat the shit out of Meek Mill and turn around to consult the Toronto Raptors on their newest jersey design. I know DJ Khaled owns the airspace surrounding “Mogul Talk,” but mogul talk is something Shopping Bag Drizzy does better than the next wave – those following Ye, Jay, and Bey - of hip-hop. So keeping with the theme of atypical presences in hip-hop, music etc (and because the album is 20 tracks deep), I intend to take a slightly different approach to this review than reviews past (apologies to any devoted readers, and congratulations to the haters – you won). So without further ado, lets draw the blinds as we silently sip Moet from our Grammy award while wearing our favorite Prada robe and contemplate texting our exes – existent or not.

“Keep the Family Close”

Toronto is cold in the winter; meteorologically, that is a fact, but Drake wants you to know that its even chillier when you go from playing up on Degrassi to “Mr. He Ain’t Coppin That is He?”. The track is totally atmospheric, bringing the listener into a trance of undue disconnect that Drake has suffered amongst lovers. It’s a “blood runs thicker than water” concept by orchestral means – quivering strings, brash timpani and brass hits – all subverted by Young Frankie Geechi Liberace on his unabashed opener. “Keep the Family Close” takes the 50-60-person guest list to your birthday party and slices and dices it down to one.

“9”

This is one of those beats that hints at Heartbreak Drake’s ability to morph into The LeBron James of the Rap Game – it goes hard, but we only get glints of mixtape Drake; a Views Easter-Egg of sorts. Drake opines his only true purpose in life – as a bastion to Toronto – and how things in Toronto are beginning to get so out of hand. A rap game Robert Frost, he’s left at a benefactor’s crossroad – stop the handouts or give his entire self to the city. Guess which path the 6god chose… “Turned the 6 upside down / It’s a 9 now / I made a decision last night that I would die for it.” [INSERT TEARDROP EMOJI HERE] He truly is October’s Very Own.

“U With Me?”

A seamless transition from “9” into “U With Me?” shifts the third tracks predecessor into a sort of Toronto call to arms, for the best of the city – Daniel Caesar, The Weekend, Tory Lanez, Kardinal Offishall, and Roy Wood$ - to assume their place at the right hand of the 6god. Ironically enough, “U With Me?” was co-produced by Kanye West, despite the 6 related pride, but then again, when you get a chance to have Yeezy cut a track, why would anyone ever say no? Yeezy and 40 Shebib’s decision to sample DMX’s “How’s It Goin Down” is incredible when considering the muted call to action of the entire track from Mr. CTV himself.

“Feel No Ways”

Ah, well this is different, I suppose – a sensuous moody track that doesn’t go much of anywhere, wholly devoid of any and all rap bravado – in other words, a Drake track through and through. The production is spacey and saccharine, with the only startling standout being one of the most 80s-fi snares in recent Majid Jordan memory. Realistically, the song itself is as passive as the name implies - whether or not that works to Bottega Don’s benefit is less than likely. It feels like filler. Being as unassertive a track as it is, it might be within the listeners’ best interest to wait for the inevitable string of covers that will surely stem from such a distinctly un-6man track (I suggest listening to Vicktor Taiwo’s excellent rendition).

“Hype”

Hey! This might be a Meek Mill diss track – because the name says hype – oh man! This is what everyone was waiting for! Eh… not quite, just a general blanket statement diss, it appears. Throughout the track, the OVO Don Dada honors Rihanna, Michael Jackson, and (possibly) Goofy of Disney fame. The track hits the expected rap bravado as the Young Money Millionaire counts his money, assures his detractors that Views is already a classic, and that he’s done all he could possibly do as Hookah Papi, with effortless flow. The ominous beat sounds reminiscent of “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt.2,” and if you listen closely, you might hear Desiigner whisper "I’ve got broads in Atlanta…"

“Weston Road Flows”

Drizzy Drake Rogers is kind enough to inform the listener that “Weston Road Flows” is in fact "one of them ones," a true hip-hop throwback to the days of Biggie and Pac, looking back upon The Kid with the Motor Mouth’s body of work. The track is the first Easter Egg laden track when it comes to pop culture references, alluding to everyone’s favorite sneaker subversion meme, Eddie Murphy, TLC, Kevin Durant, Mo’Nique, and Vince Carter. The sample is straight '90s – literally – coming from Mary J. Blige’s “Mary’s Joint,” as we see Drakkardnoir at his most nostalgic while revisiting his 6-side hometown. Best line of the album thus far, "I’m happiest when I can buy what I want / Get high when I want" is so simple, and yet so indicative of Drake’s preferred economic standing.

“Redemption”

Judging from the song title, I would imagine this is going to be a slow burn. Luckily, it's more “Weston Road Flows” than it is “Feel No Ways,” with Frostbite Drizzy doing what he best when it comes to reassessing the past to win back some unnamed lover. He slips in and out of rapping and singing about the pettiness of ex-lovers moving on. Sometimes the track ventures into a creepily misogynistic possessor of women realm, and then proceeds to call out three women by name, geez, Drake, I know you’re super successful, but get over that shit dude. And before you know it, the track is poignant once more – "Who’s going to save me when I need saving? / Since Take Care, I’ve been caretaking." Okay, to this point, “Redemption” is by far and away the realest and most dynamic track of Views.

“With You (feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR)”

Oh no. Not PARTYNEXTDOOR. Everything about them is seemingly insufferable, ever since “Tuesday,” but as the track opens, things start out tastefully. Surprisingly tasteful, in fact. All of a sudden, OVO’s signing of PARTYNEXTDOOR doesn’t seem quite as ridiculous (outside of the homerism), though there are some truly cringeworthy lines – "Mixing vodka and emotions / Tapping into your emotions / Dry cause I’m hopeless." Ugh man, Young Papito, let’s steer clear of elementary metaphors about alcohol. Also, Jeremih sighting on the song’s hook.

“Faithful (feat. Pimp C & dvsn)”

Hold up, hold up, hold up – Pimp C!? This is something I can get behind. Talk about one of the more gloriously unexpected features on an OVO record. THE DIRTY SOUTH IS BACK BABY! Its really only a few bars from Pimp C, but he calls out to Bun B and thus I am content. The hook is a little, well, wimpy, as ’91 Dan Marino takes the cue from Pimp C and substantiates his love for whomever (RIHANNA, ITS RIHANNA) his muse is. The doting lyrics and sentiments further add to the Marvin’s Room vibes of the album. Except for "Let’s do the things that we say on texts" - I can’t decide if this is a great line or an awful one, but that’s The Chris Paul of this Fall for you.

“Still Here”

Alright, things are beginning to feel a little more musically malevolent, and when the bounce comes in, Aubz’s perverse intentions become apparent, but aren’t necessarily felt. He continues the (occasional) narrative braggadocio of the 6’s devotion to him and only him, as well as the astounding wealth of his compatriots. Oh to be friends with Drake, it must be lovely.

“Controlla”

If there’s one recurrent theme that I (or anyone) manages to gleam from Views, it's that when Drake is not good at expressing his admiration for women. In fact, I’m not really certain whether or not he even likes women. “Controlla” expresses not only in name but demeanor as well – Voodoo Child opens the track with "My eye just changed," only to revert his vindictive and menacing purview towards women, all under the guise of smooth bedroom talk ("I made plans with you / And I won’t let them fall through). Ack, Drake, let’s stop reminding women how much “control” your music affords you. Also, Popcaan is noticeably absent from the leaked version of the track that dropped a couple weeks ago – Caribbean musicians shed a tear.

“One Dance”

 Looks like Drake is really into this Afropop trend, and will likely pay off for him in some form, but the slow build to “One Dance” almost discounts other afropop tracks from earlier in the album. The hook samples Kyla’s “Do You Mind” pretty heavily, but nothing really seems to grab the listener’s attention other than the continued quiet cooing of Young Sweet Jones, altogether continuing the dilution and confusion that is Drake’s intention on Views.

“Grammys (feat. Future)”

With the half-assed bedroom afropop that Drake seems hell-bent on pulling off, it sure would be nice to hear a classic rap braggadocio track, and if ever there was an instance to inject some life into a snooze inducing string of petty bedroom romps, now would be the time. Well lookie here, will Future rescue the listener from the yawn causing bedroom yarns to this point? Sort of? Drake’s verse feels like a sleepwalking microcosm of his standing in the hierarchy of rap entities – "OVO we a goldmine," and "Top five, no debating" – but it all just feels… empty. Future’s verse is preceded by his scoffing at the track’s unnamed subject of collective ire, and then proceeds to repeat “They think we done won a Grammy,” or something to that effect – as we all know, the gentleman from Atlanta is virtually indecipherable.

“Child’s Play”

The track opens with an intriguing PSA for all men about their women – "If your girlfriend is watching any season opening basketball game, best believe she’s fucking [someone] on the team…" - is it paranoid and misogynistic? Of course it is! Is it absurdly comedic? Yes! Should one condone such chauvinistic conspiracies? Probably not! Outside of the sad paranoia of the intro, the Little Nicky (To the Devils of Rap) manages to call out three corporate brands – Disney, Camry, and most humorously, Cheesecake Factory – "Why you got to fight with me at Cheesecake? / You know I love the gold here…" and "This a place for families / That go to Disney / And drive Camrys.” Oh man, oh man, Drake unwittingly let us in on his secret to extreme wealth – corporate name drops! Fun New Orleans Bounce sample if you listen close enough.

“Pop Style”

Nice! This was one of the singles – the one with Yeezy and a sliver of a Jay Z verse! Oh wait… The Throne got nixed from Views just like Popcaan. All of a sudden, Pimp C’s feature is becoming more and more impressive – Drake is not only the God of the 6, but a H-Town connoisseur it seems. Its exactly like the single, with the exception of the sans-Throne feature, so as protest, that’s all I have to say about the track.

“Too Good (feat. Rihanna)”

Here we go, this is the track where everyone finally learns the nature of Drake and Rihanna’s personal relationship! Are they lovers or just an uber-rich hip-hop hookup? Speaking of hooks, don’t expect an infectious, ensnaring, or hot one here, because there isn’t one, period. The track does continue the trend of RiRi/Light Skin Keith Sweat collabos that center on a fictional (or not-so) warring couple as Drake reminds Trinidad’s prodigal daughter that he is, in fact "way too good for you." Despite Drake’s purported assertions, it is Rihanna who is in fact too good for him, as her lovely vocals relegate the Drizzmaster to the friend zone.

“Summers Over Interlude”

It's an interlude that tries to act like The Roots meets Andra Day meets “not only is Drake a fine rapper, but he has great taste in compositions, too.” Unfortunately, it misses its mark, and just sort of agitates the winter-to summer-back to winter again transitions The King of 1st Quarter suggested as a heavy handed thematic element of Views.

“Fire & Desire”  

The track title sounds like George R.R. Martin’s next novel – who are we kidding, it's never coming (Silicon Valley is better anyway; come at me) – but it turns out it’s a Brandy-sampling, triplet laden hi hat slow jam to the nth degree. This sounds like Aubrey Graham making a heartfelt apology to Nicki Minaj – their relationship has spoiled considerably, per Drake – "They throwing dirt on my old name / You don’t see the perks of this whole thing." He expresses his admiration for Nicki being a "real ass woman" as he openly questions her commitment to her current fellow. Are you trying to appeal to Nicki or further irritate her, Drake?

“Views”

Oh Lord, there’s a Winan sample, and it IS BEAUTIFUL. The former tour intro for many a VIETBRAH tour, “Question Is” makes “Views” one of the first hard hitting tracks on Views – seems ironic it’s the penultimate track. Drakestrodommus offers a thought provoking line in the first couple bars – "A lot of pent up aggression coming out of my section" – yeah, I don’t know about that, Drake. Pent up, sure. But, "aggression," not so much, more like pettiness. It's basically one final glory to the OVO track with allusions to days in The 6, and shouts out to Kobe; all in all, this should have been Views’ eponymous closer, but alas, the hubris of the Cash Money Running Back seems to have gotten the best of him.

“Hotline Bling”

Yeah, not reviewing this one. No need to. If you want my opinion on the track, just listen to Bill Burr’s take on the song:

Good gracious, Views is a long album, and at times, a monotonous one, to be perfectly honest. For all the uncertainties surrounding The Reason That We All Getting Faded’s future, and overall legacy, Views should have been the first cornerstone body of work in solidifying the 6God’s standing. Instead, it winds up revealing his truest insecurities, and own insufferable pettiness when it comes to any and everyone that crosses him. There are certainly some standout tracks on Views – “Keep the Family Close,” “Weston Road Flows,” “Faithful,” “Views” – but when the number of self-ascribed nicknames outnumbers the amount of solid tracks on your album, its certainly going to be difficult to secure one’s place amongst the gods of rap, no matter how many assertions of being the 6God incarnate one makes.

Closing Remarks of a Reformed Kanye Apologist

EditorialSean McHughComment

I have been an ardent Kanye apologist for quite some time.

I would assert that Kanye’s production prowess transcended the confines of genre – from the formative days of College Dropout to the unmercifully avant-garde Yeezus  - in absolute awe of Kanye’s “scorched earth” approach to his craft.

I maintained Kanye’s status as the All-Father of modern hip-hop, his discography a compendium of templates to guide those who choose to emulate the various iterations of Kanye’s career.

I blindly ascribed the successes of Chance the Rapper, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky, Childish Gambino, J. Cole, Travi$ Scott, Lupe Fiasco, Tyler, the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, Big Sean, and Mr. Hudson to the omnipresent influence of Kanye West.

885.80 miles of America lie between Nashville and New York City, but I still managed to witness the live simulcast premiere of “Yeezy Season 3” at Madison Square Garden.

I considered him an indomitable ideologue that had eclipsed culture. While I have never even remotely considered purchasing any of the exorbitant pieces from his “Yeezy Season” trilogy (not out of sartorial revulsion, but out of financial prudence), I couldn’t help but applaud Kanye’s penchant for minimalism.

I was moonstruck by the impromptu nature of Kanye’s combination fashion show/album listening party for The Life of Pablo, and admired the magnanimous charity of Kanye whilst “passing the aux” to the likes of Young Thug and Vic Mensa in front of 20 million people.

I had unwavering faith that the release of The Life of Pablo would see Kanye silence his most ferocious critics, all the while summiting the zenith of the zeitgeist as the greatest popular artist of the new millennium.

I would treat Kanye’s exploits as supreme acts of a self-aware caricature; a master class so inscrutable, even the most astute of human behavior experts would remain confounded.

I was confident that upon the inevitable disclosure that Kanye’s much-maligned escapades were nothing more than performance art, his histrionics would become a bastion of artistic sovereignty

I was under the impression that those who bemoaned Kanye’s musings were simply out of touch and unfit for such brilliant satire.

It is because of the aforementioned defenses of Kanye that I write this article with a heavy heart, having come to terms with an objectionable truth – I must relinquish my title as a Kanye apologist.

The past month and a half of Kanye’s ubiquity has withered me to a troubling perspective of self-examination. The events surrounding The Life of Pablo have been an all-out media onslaught so pervasive that it has led me to falter in my continued support of Kanye.

I do my best to remain objective in most matters – maintaining an emphasis on universal understanding rather than blind faith – but Kanye’s recent behavior has led me to a fan’s introspective crises as opposed the usual eye roll and “I’m sure Kanye knows what he’s doing,” when he interrupts someone to perform a soliloquy at the VMAs, or when confronted with the realities of whom he chooses to share him name.

Now don't get me wrong, I am most certainly not about to come the defense of Taylor Swift or Kim Kardashian – I am of the opinion that Taylor Swift has a scandal lying dormant to the public eye capable of reaching Peyton Manning-sized proportions; and Kim, well, I couldn’t tell you much about her, but neither could she – but what many consider to be two more incendiary moments in Kanye’s career, I merely regard as mischievous self-expression, along with most other dubious actions throughout the years.

Kanye was nothing more than the occasional superstar scamp in my mind, so I continued to defend his behavior, chastised for such a decision on only a handful of occasions.

Somewhere down the line, however – sometime around the beginning of 2016 -, my spirited Kanye fandom became combative amongst some of my contemporaries. Where my delight in all things Kanye had once been nothing more than an exercise of personal taste, it had suddenly become an affront to other people’s existence; as if to insinuate I share the same outlooks as a mercurial music superstar. Kanye had suddenly become a combative subject, even if the discourse was purely superficial. But nonetheless, groups of people inherently abhorred anyone who even remotely enjoyed any aspect of Kanye.

And it was in that moment I realized just how silly all of the controversy of Kanye really was. Granted, there were technical aspects surrounding The Life of Pablo that were less than stellar (looking at you, Tidal), but getting caught up in who Kanye thinks owes him their career?

Who cares?

It’s a song for crying out loud.

If there are songs on The Life of Pablo some might find detestable, then those who have such an inclination would be best served not listening. Why look for something to gripe about when we’re all better off focusing on things that have more personal appeal?

If Kanye’s behavior places such displeasure in your life, why bother spewing vitriolic epithets and the like when its so much easier to place your focus on someone or something else?

Ultimately, the World of Kanye is an exercise in futlity - whether you’re an avid disciple (such as myself) or one of his biggest detractors. Kanye is going to do what Kanye wants to do, and there’s no way around it. He is a self-fulfilling prophecy that continues to adapt and create, providing some with great joy, and others great irritation.

Its for these exact reasons that I rest my final defense of Kanye, and relegate myself from Kanye apologist to Kanye aficionado. 

But before I go, I just wanted people to recognize that Beyonce really did have the one of the best music videos of all time.

You can read our full The Life of Pablo album review here and "Kanye's Original The Life of Pablo Tracklist Analyzed in Three Acts by @NathanZed & @jonnysun" here.

Kanye's Original 'The Life of Pablo' Tracklist Analyzed in Three Acts by @NathanZed & @jonnysun

EditorialTransverso MediaComment

This is a guest post from @NathanZed and @jonnysun analyzing Kanye's original The Life of Pablo tracklist.

INTRO

"LOW LIGHTS" (Added Track) - Starts off with “I want to tell you a testimony about my life." This album, The Life of Pablo, is the testimony. See this as the introduction framing the entire album as Kanye’s testimony about his life. 

ACT 1

ACT 1 is Kanye on a crazy high off his fame, with excessive sex, drugs, money, and big egos. All the tracks from "Famous" to "Highlights" are upbeat and mostly bangers, indicating that he’s having the time of his life.

"FAMOUS" - He shows off his braggadocio side on "Famous." The very first verse shows how petty he is when it comes to fame with the infamous Taylor Swift line, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous."
 
"FATHER STRETCH MY HANDS Pt. 1 / Pt. 2" - The line “I just wanna feel liberated” is mixed between lines describing excessive sex and drugs. Like that… ”bleached asshole” line…

"WAVES" - Lyrics describing his excessive ego, “Step up in this bitch like / I’m the one your bitch like / Yeah I’m the one your bitch like / And I be talkin' shit like / I ain’t scared to lose a fistfight / And she grabbin’ on my dick like / She wanna see if it’ll fit right / That’s just the wave”

"HIGHLIGHTS" - This is the highest point that Kanye is at, ending the song with “I need every bad bitch up in Equinox / I need to know right now if you a freak or not.”
 
"FEEDBACK" (Added Track) - The first track with a beat that sounds more distorted and less straight forward. Lyrics describe an obsession with money, “Wake up nigga wake up / We bout to get this paper," “I’ve been outta my mind, a long time." This transitions into Act 2.

ACT 2

ACT 2 is him coming down from the high and waking up, having a moment of clarity, and realizing for the first time what his life has become. 

"FREESTYLE 4" (Added Track) - Starts off with nightmarish production. This is the craziest that Kanye's high gets, and he’s mumbling through the track talking about sex. The end of the track you hear him “waking up."
 
"30 HOURS" - Kanye waking up from this nightmare / his high and having a moment of clarity. First lines are,
“I wake up assessin’ the damages / Checkin’ media takeout / Pictures of me drunk walkin’ out with a bitch / But it’s blurry enough to get the fakeout"

"NO MORE PARTIES IN LA" - He’s realizing for the first time what his life has become. He begs “please baby no more parties in LA”.
 
"FADE" - The lyrics speak from themselves, “Your love is fadin’ / I feel it’s fadin’ / When no one ain’t around / I feel it’s fadin' / I think I think too much / Ain’t nobody watchin'" Towards the end, the gospel song “I Get Lifted” is sampled, presenting more gospel themes.

ACT 3

ACT 3 is Kanye then renouncing this life, & turning to God and religion for redemption.

"FML (For My Lady)" - A story of the difficulties Kanye faces as he tries to control himself and stay truthful to his wife, Kim.
 
"REAL FRIENDS" - A look at Kanye’s relationship struggles with his friends and family, which he blames himself for in certain lyrics.
 
"WOLVES" - He compares himself and Kim to Mary and Joseph, presenting more biblical themes. Ends with Frank's verse, “Life is precious / We found out, we found out"
 
"ULTRALIGHT BEAM" - Kanye finally turns to God and religion for redemption. Kanye revealed in his tweets that the “Pablo” in the title is not Picasso or Escobar (or at least not only them), but rather “PAUL” from the bible.

According to his tweets,

Before Paul became who he was, he was “Saul”, a sinner and someone who was persecuting God. “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” (Acts 9:1)

In "Ultralight Beam," Kanye becomes redeemed for his sins across the album.  Take “The addict’s moment of clarity and redemption” and mirror that as a contemporary modern day version of "Saul the sinner turning into Paul." The song then ends with a prayer from Kirk Franklin, perhaps for anyone who can relate to the struggle shown in this album.
 

You can read our full The Life of Pablo album review here and "Closing Remarks of a Reformed Kanye Apologist" here.

'The Life of Pablo' Reaches Into the Backpack Days of the Life of Kanye

Music ReviewEzra CarpenterComment

The genius of The Life of Pablo is indiscernible from the album’s opening tracks, which boast intellectual assertions of the following quality: “Now if I fuck this model / And she just bleached her asshole / And I get bleach on my T-shirt / Imma feel like an asshole.”

No, Kanye West’s seventh album does not impress early on with auto-tuned vocals, mumble-rap contributions from unknown Future impersonators, or with the trap percussions upon which both parts of “Father Stretch My Hands” build. On the contrary, they show West indulging in the contemporary hip-hop trends that are dissolving into cliché, demonstrating fad as opposed to the zeitgeist which West’s more ambitious works so precisely captured. The beginning of The Life of Pablo appears to confirm fans’ worst fears about an album whose title was only finalized hours before the songs premiered. It suggests a lack of censorship, slipshod compilation, the work of an artist whose ego has been fed to the point of complacency – a food coma in which the artist is too bloated to move towards innovation.

What innovation there is on The Life of Pablo is subtle: impressive use synth-feedback on “Feedback,” various samples’ distorting spatial effects. It is the first album in which West does not overtly challenge norms of culture (The College Dropout), genre (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy), or politics (Yeezus). But granting fairness to Kanye West in consideration of his past several releases beg the questions “How much more room for innovation (in music at least) is there for an artist who has already produced four albums in the seven years of the current decade?” “What reason is there to innovate when the most loyal sect of his fan base has fervently demanded the Kanye of old?” By the time the instrumental on “Famous” kicks in after Rihanna’s vocals, Kanye’s response to the predicament, along with his genius, becomes perfectly clear.

What validates Kanye West’s latest release is the effortlessness of its creation. The Life of Pablo is an album in which Kanye relies on his proven studio techniques and battle-tested ear for what captivates to produce an album that is easy to enjoy. The album is nostalgically reminiscent of Kanye’s rise in hip-hop, evidenced first by the resemblance between the instrumentals of “Famous” and “Get Em High” from The College Dropout. Everything from and between the percussion pattern, the vocal melody and cadence, and the arrogant bravado of the song’s opening line: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous,” harken back to Kanye’s idiosyncratic presence in the bling-era of hip-hop.

This reminiscence is not short-lived. “Highlights”’ instrumental arrangement is similar to “I Wonder” (Graduation), “Real Friends” is carried by the cadence of “Big Brother” (Graduation), the various interludes on TLoP reemploy Kanye’s early contextual framing techniques, and even the soliloquy on “30 Hours” reminds us of a young Kanye with a burgeoning desire to engage his listeners in dialogue, no matter how one-sided that dialogue would be or would become. While remaining faithful to his own tradition, Kanye also draws from the fundamentals of his art form. “No More Parties in LA,” which features a guest verse from Kendrick Lamar, is a quintessential boom-bap track and the drums on “30 Hours” are undeniably influenced by the most revered and most sampled drum track in hip-hop: James Brown’s “The Funky Drummer.”

Though The Life of Pablo embodies the classic standard of Kanye West production, it does not achieve greatness by tracing its artist’s laurels. The album does indeed suffer from a lack of editing. Kanye’s choices on what songs to include on the album sometimes enhance its rap appeal (“No More Parties in LA,” “30 Hours”), but other times degrade the album’s intellectual premise (“Freestyle 4,” “Facts”). What we gain from this excessive over-inclusion are glimpses of the genre-defying, experimental Kanye West of Yeezus alongside the hit-maker of his first three albums.

While the forty-four second lament/gloat of “I Love Kanye” may not seem like the most stimulating track to be featured on The Life of Pablo, it offers the album’s most profound truths. Yes, we did miss the old Kanye. Yes, we hate the new, always rude Kanye. Yes, every rapper to come after Kanye in some way derives his or her art from Kanye’s advancements. It is ironic, unexpected, and fortunate that we are given an album in which the old Kanye remerges. However, in typical Kanye fashion, he ignores pleas for decency and self-control. As far as personality is concerned, he is still very much the new Kanye. But can we blame him? We never hold him accountable anyway. Our praise has enabled the flamboyance we’ve grown to despise. We have fed his ego enough to assure him that he can do absolutely anything. Fortunately, a return to his old style lies within the parameters of what we have empowered Kanye to do.  He is, and has been for a long time, that much empowered.

Similarly, The Life of Pablo is music to feel empowered by, for the sake of self-esteem, self-exploration, or mere enjoyment. Its palate satisfies in nearly every way a Kanye West album should, in modes of both old and new. Reflect fondly on the pink polo you bought once upon a 2004, which is by now stashed somewhere deep in an old dresser or donated to a local thrift store. This album will offer you bittersweet memories. 

You can read "Kanye's Original The Life of Pablo Tracklist Analyzed in Three Acts by @NathanZed & @jonnysun" here and "Closing Remarks of a Reformed Kanye Apologist" here.