Chance The Rapper is currently the most talented Hip Hop artist outta Chicago, Illinois (May 12, 2016). His flow and ideas are progressive, but not without his own personality. Old heads will hate this album. The artist doesn’t conform to archaic rap stereotypes. Chance keeps it street with a book smart perspective. That’s Midwest style.
For the last couple weeks, we’ve been waiting on edge to hear more about his Chance 3 project… I love it! This is just a sample of what’s to come for the poet, emcee, dancer, educator and leader too. The Coloring Book album is the creation of a young god with genius level brainpower. Plenty of soul and collaboration on this to follow his SURF,Acid Rap and 10 Day albums.
GOOD to see Chance and Kanye working together, regardless of how ya feel about the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star. Both have been critical in bringing the EDM to the jazzy and funky Chicago Hip Hop, which has since spread out to Wisconsin, Missouri and many other parts of the re-surging Midwest music scene.
Chance The Rapper pushes the boundaries of race, class, gender, religion and music. Hip Hop and humanitarianism can be one and the same. This is much bigger than Southside Chi.
From “All We Got” :
“I get my word from the sermon I do not talk to the serpent That’s the holistic discernment Daddy said I’m so determined”
Allan Kingdom created his own sound for Northern Lights. He brought Hip Hop and Folk together with a nerdy flow and a folksy way of singing, fitting the two seemingly contrasting styles together more beautifully than one would ever expect. Yesterday (January 6, 2016), the emcee went Minnesota weird with his latest album.
The artist was born and raised in a cold, serious environment Up Nort – many miles from the rest of the cities in The Midwest. The St. Paul, Minnesota artist had no choice but to find a new angle, even coming from the more unknown side of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis has had Rhymesayers since the mid-90s but the other half wasn’t popping until Thestand4rd dropped in 2014.
In 2014, Kingdom became part of one of the most talented teams in the country. With Spooky Black, Bobby Raps and Psymun on the team, the group together goes in a more R&B direction than Northern Lights, but they work together on everything. The lows will be the most ominous on one joint and then switch up to the utmost funkiness on faster tracks. The Stand4rd is creative with the drums, beeps and boops. They always grab a bright sample to bring the Soul in the mix out too. The group is on a new wave Hip Hop / Folk fusion.
Allan Kingdom is more into rap. He has a hard Midwest flow with somber undertones – like he’ll be out committing sins to repent them in church the following Sunday. Get turnt to “The Ride” and “Monkey See”. Fade into “Fables” and “Hypocrite” with an open mind. Then play “Northern Lights”, “Disconnect” and “I Feel Ya” a few times back.
The Minnesota artist has his own thing popping and this album shows that. He has a huge range on the project. His flow is smart and his singing is on a new wave. The production is always on sumn weird. Coming from a cold city in The North, Kingdom will bring people together with his brilliant music, regardless of where they’re from.
Donnie Trumpet and Chance The Rapper‘s group The Social Experiment piece together a beautiful and complex work of art for the city – Surf (May 28, 2015). The gang is getting more clouted up now, so they were able to get some other rappers on there too. More than anything, this shows a bright future for Hip Hop in a land that could use some shine. The trumpeter is a coo nuance.
