Tag Archives: acid rap

Interview, Music, These Days

Brandon Breaux: The Man Behind The Cover Art Of Acid Rap, 10 Day & Chance 3

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(Originally Appeared for TheseDays)

At this point, it’s a sort of foregone conclusion that Chance The Rapper will only continue to assert his control over the music world at-large with the impending release of his #Chance3 project. That got a further teasing this week with the unveiling of theartwork for the project. Three years since Acid Rapand nearly five since 10 Day, Chance’s new project will be the third installment in what he’s calling his mixtape trilogy, As Chance has grown and evolved both as a musician and a person, the covers of his projects have seemed to reflect each; the music itself following suit. One prevailing aesthetic of each project though has been the cover art, which seems to be artistic takes on distinct points in young Chano’s growth. The reason for that consistency is easy to figure as well, there has been a singular force behind the imagery that finds itself to the front page of Chance’s work and that force is none other than Chicago artist Brandon Breaux.  Continue reading Brandon Breaux: The Man Behind The Cover Art Of Acid Rap, 10 Day & Chance 3 →

DJBooth

THE STATE OF CHICAGO HIP-HOP: NO END IN SIGHT

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Three years ago things were just getting exciting around Chicago. Chief Keef had just made the country take a collective gulp as he shoved guns into the lens of a Handicam protected by his thick mop of locks, Kids These Days had just dropped Hard Times and were preparing their proper full-length and a kid named Chance was beginning to get some attention for his recent 10 Day mixtape. The spotlights were on their way, quickly tearing themselves from Atlanta long enough to get entranced by the almost creepy sound of drill, packed full of real-life assertions that played on America’s penchant for struggle behind glass. Fresh off of journalism school I arrived in Chicago, the local scene seemed set for big things and I was at the center of it, reporting at the time for the Chicago Sun-Times. Continue reading THE STATE OF CHICAGO HIP-HOP: NO END IN SIGHT →

Features, Music, Noisey

Saba’s West Side Story Is One Worth Listening To

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Originally Appeared on Noisey

“It’s go time! Y’all not acting like it’s go time,” Saba shouts to the people gathered backstage at North Coast Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park. He turns around with wide eyes, clapping loudly, in a moment of enthusiasm that seems uncharacteristic from the self-professed nerd and career quiet kid. After pacing the distance from his tent to the stage several times, he dips his head and trots up the stairs leading to the stage. As his band goes through sound check, he squints through the stage’s backdrop at the slowly gathering crowd. His feet move up and down, fingertips nervously drumming against his microphone. He holds it tight to his chin. “PIVOT!” he yells, a smile crossing his face as he repeats his clique’s nickname in call and response. “PIVOT” the hundred or so in attendance for the set shout back. Continue reading Saba’s West Side Story Is One Worth Listening To →

Chicago Sun-Times, Music, News, Portfolio

Chance the Rapper spearheads #SaveChicago campaign

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Photo by Allen Daniels

On Chancelor Bennett’s sophomore mixtape, “Acid Rap,” he rhymes on “Paranoia”: “It just got warm out/this the s— I been warned about/I hope it storm in the morning/I hope it’s pouring out.” For those in-the-know about Chicago summers, it’s a nod to the dramatic uptick in gun violence that tends to follow the rising temperatures. Continue reading Chance the Rapper spearheads #SaveChicago campaign →

Blog

‘Acid Rap’ – A Year Later

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April 30, 2013 was a sunny day, one of the first nice days we’d had to that point in Chicago and appropriately so. Chance The Rapper, Chicago’s prodigal son in the post-Derrick Rose world, was set to release his largest project to date and it seemed as if there was no one in his hometown who wasn’t aware. Living with “Brain Cells”, “Good Ass Intro” and “Cocoa Butter Kisses” producer Peter CottonTale at the time, I had certainly heard my share of the tracks on the project, understood it was to be something special. Pulling up to the clothing boutique Jugrnaut in the city’s South Loop though, the line was mind-blowing, five wide and around the block anxiously waiting for a chance to, see Chance. Continue reading ‘Acid Rap’ – A Year Later →

Chicago Sun-Times, News

After whirlwind year, Chance the Rapper comes home

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ChanceTheRapper-10_26_13-Champaign-By Bryan Lamb

Story originally appeared for Chicago Sun Times.

The Chicago kid who released arguably the year’s hottest, free hip-hop album returns to town this week for his debut headlining tour, dubbed the “Social Experiment Tour.” For his first show home since he performed at Lollapalooza earlier this year, tickets to the first show sold out so fast that a second was quickly scheduled and just as quickly
sold out.

“The whole thing has just been crazy,” said Chance during a break from rehearsal last month. “I definitely thought it might sell out, but not as fast as it did. The whole show is different from what we’ve done before, so it’ll be cool to show it to Chicago.” Continue reading After whirlwind year, Chance the Rapper comes home →

Blog, Interview, Music

|Interview| Getting to Know Producer Nate Fox

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Photo by FragDFilms

A year ago, Nate Fox was living in Pittsburgh, working on a construction site. That all changed on April 30 when Chance The Rapper released his critically-acclaimed project, Acid Rap, featuring production from Fox. The past four months have taken him far from that manual labor life, traveling the country and then the world on the strength of his production and the success of Chance’s latest release. To say it has been a long road is not an overstatement, after ten years plugging away in his native Pittsburgh and later Cleveland, Fox caught the ear of Chancellor with his beat for the Acid Rap single “Juice” with its quirky, bouncing, up-tempo beat. The rest is quickly becoming history as Fox and a talented team of producers including Peter CottonTale and Cam Osteen head back out on the road with Chance for his headlining Social Experiment tour. I got the opportunity to catch Fox while he was in Chicago preparing for the tour and had a chance to catch him for a few minutes between a salad and a session.  Read about the crazy path his life has taken in 2013 and what lays ahead, below. Continue reading |Interview| Getting to Know Producer Nate Fox →

News

‘Acid Rap’ Nominated for ‘BET Best Mixtape’

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Photo by Nolis

“Better than I was the last time/Did a ton of drugs and did better than all my alma mater”
Words have quickly become reality for Chancellor Bennett, better known to the rest of the world as Chance The Rapper, whose latest release, Acid Rap, was nominated this week for a BET Hip Hop Award for Mixtape of the Year. Continue reading ‘Acid Rap’ Nominated for ‘BET Best Mixtape’ →

Features, Music, RubyHornet

The Day I Overdosed on Acid Rap

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Photo by Roger Tino MoralesSince dropping Acid Rap in late April as the follow up to 2012′s 10 Day, Chance The Rapper has quickly turned much of the city’s youth into unapologetic junkies.

The squirrely nanas and schizophrenic flow have taken the city and the national underground hip-hop scene by storm over the past year, and Friday at Lollapalooza set the perfect stage for Chance’s tie-dyed Acid raps to shine. First off, I’ll admit I’m an avid user. Having followed Chance for most of the past year and for days at a time at SXSW in Austin, I felt more than prepared as I rode in the car to a noon rehearsal at The Music Garage on the near West Side with “Good Ass Intro” producer Peter CottonTale. Continue reading The Day I Overdosed on Acid Rap →

Chicago Sun-Times

Chance the Rapper continues his artistic climb with ‘Acid Rap’

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Artwork by Brandon Breaux
By Jake Krzeczowski for Chicago Sun Times
April 29, 2013 8:21PM

Chance the Rapper, “Acid Rap” ★★★½

One of the most difficult feats in hip-hop is the ability to create a fully cohesive project. Rising Chicago artist Chance the Rapper did that on his debut, “10 Day.” With “Acid Rap,” his follow-up mixtape, he proves it was no fluke as his latest adds to the composite picture of Chance as an artist and a person.

“Acid Rap” picks up where his debut left off, as the lead track, “Good Ass Intro,” starts off with a familiar blend of soul-and-juke aesthetics that have become Chance’s calling card. The track also is completely Chicago, with production from his go-to team of Peter CottonTale and Stefan Ponce blending with the sultry sounds of Lili K and Kiara Lanier and vocals by BJ the Chicago Kid. With horns, thoughtful lyrics and a throbbing bass, it’s obvious why Pitchfork Media recently named it as a “Best New Track.” Continue reading Chance the Rapper continues his artistic climb with ‘Acid Rap’ →