Seriously, what the fuck is this? It’s almost depressing that this is technically the debut album from arguably one the most influential and critically adored rappers of the past ten years. Previously only releasing music through free mixtapes, it’s a little baffling that Chance has decided the album that sees him starting to go after that Bruno Mars crowd should be the one that people should have to pay for.
This is officially the end of 2018! And it’s only the 5th January [EDIT: Still only the 6th!]! Although there’s freaking one hundred and thirty six tracks to get through, so this may well take until mid May! Happy Cinco de Mayo! No time to talk! A shit load of songs to get through!!
Gorgeous, innit?
While Z-Tape’s ‘Spring’ collection was veritably busting at the seems with Legit Bosses, as you’ll soon see, this is the only similarly legitimate position of authority from their ‘Summer’ collection. They’re all still great though, as is the Epic Reflexes’s album ‘ChaChaChinatown‘.
I had a lot of problems with ‘Everything is Love’, the surprising debut release from Beyonce and Jay-Z. Part of the reason I struggled with it was that I wasn’t sure how canonical it is. Like, is this it, Bee? Is this underwhelming collection of occasionally very entertaining rap boasts officially your actual follow-up to one of the most acclaimed albums of the 21st century? It’s an album about how two very rich people love each other but probably love their money more, that includes the line “My grandchildren’s grandchildren already rich” which, despite Kanye’s crisis of publicity, is by far the line from 2018 that Donald Trump is most likely to high five in a men’s locker room. Also, there’s a moment on the opening track where Mr Carter drawls out “Let it breaaaathe, let it breaaaathe” like JB Rockefeller basking in the glory of a fart he’d just released under the bedsheets, which marks the first time in more than two decades that I’ve thought to myself that I don’t think I really like Jay-Z. However, he often wins me back with the later claim that he’s “Good on any MLK boulevard”. This song’s pretty great though
Fucking hell, Jay, that haircut though… One hundred and thirty three more after the jump!
Chance the Rapper is a brilliant example of post-capitalism, asking for no money from fans for his musical releases as he makes his living entirely from touring, even acknowledging his existence is an admission to failure in front of the oncoming revolution and next year the only way you’ll be able to get a copy of the next album by even your favourite artist Marti Pellow is if you turn up to the front door of the YMCA he sleeps at in person and trade him a tote bag of heroin for a private performance. The band of collaborators Social Experiment’s debut ‘Surf’ is the first studio album (released for free on iTunes) of any sort chiefly by CTR and despite (or perhaps because of) its extraordinary ambitions it can’t help but sound insignificant and weightless on first listens, bogged down by horrendously MOR production that sands off any rough edges the sound really deserves. The record is designed to convey levity though, so it’s unassuming flippancy is entirely intentional and it rewards repeated listens as it’s more subtle genius shines, it’s a record that deserves whole months to be lost into. In the end though despite its high quality it can’t help but sound a rather throwaway release more designed to show off the talents of CTR’s friends.
‘Fun’ Fact: Chance the Rapper was born almost a week before Macedonia was admitted into the UN, so don’t believe any of the shit he says about how he remembers it
That was another one of those half-arsed reviews where I couldn’t actually tell if you liked it or not: Don’t be so fucking ridiculous, it has its faults but I definitely like it, ‘Slip Slide‘ being one of its many high points
Necessary Evil 