Acid Rap (10th Anniversary)

If Chance the Rappers 2012 debut mixtape, 10 Day, was exciting, its 2013 follow-up Acid Rap was nothing short of monumental, heightening the enthusiasm, personality, and creative power of the already impressive debut. Chances combination of nonstop charisma and genuine rap skills would have made him stand out over even the most generic instrumentals, but his euphoric blur of gospel, jazz, soul, and multiple eras of hip-hop production made his tracks even more infectious. Acid Rap amplifies Chances stylistic dexterity and slaphappy genre juggling with clearer production, and the psychedelic undercurrent hinted at in the title comes through in the form of riskier songwriting moves and lyrics born from the kind of cosmic thinking that happens at the peak of an acid trip. Theres a mellow joyousness that flows throughout the mixtape, even when Chance is getting into bars about paranoia, overdoing it with substances, or even losing friends. "Favorite Song" is bright and springy, with Chance and Childish Gambino rapping over a happily melodic instrumental built around a Betty Wright sample, and the lovestruck "Cocoa Butter Kisses" folds church organ swells and synthesizer swirls into its huge, straightforward beat for one of the best and catchiest tracks on the album. Guest contributions enhance some of Acid Raps tracks, with fellow Chicago rappers Noname and Saba stopping by for verses and Nosaj Things glitchy production driving the darkly atmospheric "Paranoia." Chances nasal flows can be reflective, animated, or over-the-top depending on the subject matter. "Acid Rain" finds him wandering nostalgically through memories of youth after dropping LSD in the rain, and his cadence can recall both peers like Kendrick Lamar and forebears like Kanye West and early Eminem (especially on the second half of the Slum Village-sampling "Everybodys Something"). Acid Rap is overflowing with hooks and positivity, but it doesnt shy away from painful struggles. Even in its rawest moments, the mixtape captures Chance in a state of triumph and inspiration, exploding in all directions as his artistry is beginning to come into its own. ~ Fred Thomas