Since Chance The Rapper dropped 10 Day, the Chicago MC has been steadily growing his fan base, refining his sound and carving out his own lane. In the span of just a few years Chance has gone from a buzzing mixtape rapper to the most important rapper out. He’s become the voice of the independent artist and changed the game in so many ways, all while creating incredible music with a message. 2016 has definitely been Chance’s year and we felt it necessary to document his significance to the rap game and the entire music industry.
The Voice For All Independent Artists
Chance personifies what it means to be an independent artist and continues to redefine what an independent artist can be. His independence affords a level of freedom that most artists would kill for; both creatively and from a business perspective. That freedom has also allowed him to be the voice of the people; a reporter who’s almost on the inside but has the ability to speak freely and give the public the unedited truth about the industry. On ‘Finish Line’ Chance raps “I’ve been getting blocked just trying to make songs with friends, labels told me to my face that they own friends.” It’s an issue that isn’t discussed enough but archaic label structures often result in artists becoming prisoners of the system, with labels having so much control over them that they can’t even make free songs with their friends. Chance further explains the power of artistic freedom and the label system in his conversation with the University of Chicago letting everyone know the whole publishing and master system with major labels is “goofy as hell.” Whether or not you agree with Chance’s outlook is not what’s most important, the fact that he’s pulling back the curtain and showing things for truly what they are is. So many young artists dream of locking in a deal and getting that coveted advance check, Chance is schooling the public and letting them know about the other side. This knowledge will help to guide future generations and may completely shift the way the music industry operates. All because Chance is in a position where he doesn’t need to be afraid of taking a stand for artistry and artists’ rights. I mean ‘No Problem’ is an anthem centered around frustration with labels and the fact he performed it on Ellen only proves how influential he’s become.
Truly Changing The Game
More powerful than Chance’s voice are his actions and accomplishments. If actions speak louder than words then the volume of Chance’s actions are nothing short of deafening. In 2015, as part of The Social Experiment, Chance released the first free album on iTunes with Surf. The release was the first of many actions that showed Chance’s power and desire to shake up the status quo. With Chance citing in interviews that he may never sell his music, he proved to be a man of his word with the release of 2016’s ‘Coloring Book’. But just putting out incredible music for free wasn’t enough for Chance, even if it was on a platform that had never done it before. Furthering to his importance, Chance was the face of a change.org petition which championed the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to rethink the guidelines for Grammy Awards. The campaign was a success and has opened the door for projects which are not commercially sold to be considered for Grammy’s. With this win Chance embodied the definition of game-changing.
The victory this morning isn't about me, it's about all the Soundcloud albums that may now be recognized for excellence.
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) June 16, 2016
If Chance isn’t selling music how can he sustain a career? There’s a variety of ways from merchandise and endorsements to partnerships, but most importantly is touring. Showing the power and potential of what can be done without the backing of a label, Chance once again pushed the envelope by booking a massive headlining tour – selling out cities from Toronto to LA, Atlanta to London. On top of that he is also partnering with the NAACP to bring voter registration to the tour stops. This not only illustrates his influence but also the fact that he’s using it to make a difference. Of course, being a man of the people, he needed to do something truly special for his hometown of Chicago, curating his own festival with the likes of Skrillex, John Legend, Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys and more. Not only did the event sell out, but it will also set the attendance record for U.S. Cellular Field. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Chance took things one step further proving to truly be the rap game Robin Hood. Upset with scalpers snatching up tickets and reselling them at astronomical prices, Chance took it upon himself to buy back tickets from scalpers and resell them at face value giving his true fans the opportunity to attend. It doesn’t get any realer than that.
I took back almost 2k #MCD tix from fuckboy scalpers and made them into physicals. And these are just floor seats pic.twitter.com/EaFfoFeuIA
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 9, 2016
Major labels and the Grammy Association aren’t he only things on Chance’s radar. His next target: commercial radio. Where most indie artists would say, “fuck it, we don’t need it” Chance instead ops to say, “I want it.” His track record has proved that he isn’t content with maintaining the status quo and he proved it once more with the creation rapperradio.com. The site allows users to enter their city and creates a tweet to local radio stations requesting to play either ‘No Problem’ or ‘Summer Friends’. Sure it seems like a nice idea but did it actually work? According to Billboard, within the first two hours Chance’s songs were played on KMEL 106 in San Francisco, K 97.5 in North Carolina, Power 98.3 in Phoenix and U 92.5 in Salt Lake City, among others. The campaign is yet another testament to Chance’s ability to take on the giants and win on his own terms. We’ve been so focused on Chance’s impact that we haven’t even touched upon the impact of his actual music, don’t worry we’re getting there.
Chance Brings A Positive Message
Above all of Chance’s achievements and impacts is the power of his music. With the release of ‘Coloring Book’ Chance encompassed an air of maturity, responsibility and positivity without being preachy. A hell of an accomplishment considering the underlying gospel influence. It’s no secret that rap has been a genre shadowed by misogyny. On ‘Coloring Book’ Chance’s outlook on his relationship and feelings toward women is refreshing and inspiring. While most rappers greet their baby momma’s with disses and condescension Chance takes a different approach screaming “Man my daughter couldn’t have a better mother, if she ever find another, he better love her.” It’s a breathe of fresh air coming from an artist that’s only 23. That’s just one example of how he pushes beyond the norm. ‘Same Drugs’ may be the most powerful embodiment of this. Despite its title the song isn’t actually about drugs but rather about growing up and drifting apart. The song’s conclusion speaks to listeners on a deep level as chants question them prodding, “Wide eyed kids being kids, why did you stop? What did you do to your hair? Where did you go to end up right back here? When did you start to forget how to fly?” The sentiment is further echoed by “Don’t you color out, don’t you bleed on out, oh, stay in the line, stay in the line Dandelion”. The lyrics manifest everything Chance stands for, constantly colouring outside of societies lines, pushing the boundaries and knocking down societal constructs. And that’s exactly what makes Chance the most important rapper out, he never forgot how to fly and he’s reminding us all how to.
