Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear) Secondary Research (improved)
Sunset - Chance the Rapper Father
1. 7/29/2015 Chance the Father: What Does Chance the Rapper’s Impending Fatherhood Mean for Surf? | Sunset in the Rearview
http://sunsetintherearview.com/chance-the-rapper-fatherhood/ 1/5
28 JULY 2015
Chance the Father: What Does Chance the Rapper’s
Impending Fatherhood Mean for Surf?
posted by: Grant News & Humor Edit
It’s been quite the few months for Chancelor Bennett. First he released Surf, the out of nowhere follow-up
to his sensational Acid Rap mixtape, then he demolished the closing set of Pitchfork Music Festival and
topped it off by announcing his Family Matters tour, which kicks off in October.
And somewhere in there, he managed to find the time to announce that he is bringing a life form into this
world.
For the record, I still believe the pregnancy announcement may’ve just been a tongue-in-cheek promo for
his latest set of road dates. He pulled a similar prank on the public when he announced he was “going to
college…” and then kicked off a campus tour in Fall 2014.
But maybe that’s just my cynicism showing through, or concern over the fact that Chance is barely a year
older than me and is on the precipice of fatherhood. For this article’s sake, let’s assume Chance is about to
be a dad, and take a look at what that means in the context of his latest project.
Filter By Genre
Sunset's Jams on Spotify:
HOME ABOUT LATEST SHUFFLE CONTACT
Featured Latest New Music Daily Reviews Daily Specials Artists' Choices and Voices Lists & Rankings News & Humor Mixtapes
Tweet 12 08Like
2. 7/29/2015 Chance the Father: What Does Chance the Rapper’s Impending Fatherhood Mean for Surf? | Sunset in the Rearview
http://sunsetintherearview.com/chance-the-rapper-fatherhood/ 2/5
Full disclosure: I’ve been blown away by Chance’s output over the past few years, but I’m not enamored
with Surf, in part because it isn’t actually a Chance the Rapper album.
It’s a Social Experiment album, and, as one member of the band, Chance winds up with about as much
airtime as Stix or Petter Cottontale. It’s a bold choice for a rapper on the rise to subjugate himself for a
group project, but it certainly speaks to a kind of fatherly maturity.
It would have been easy for Chance to step back into the booth and make an Acid Rap 2 album filled with
instrumentals that allow him to showcase his considerable talent behind the mic, but he opted to go a more
communal route.
In an interview with The Fader, Chance says, “Surf is Nico’s project,“ and while it’s certainly true that Nico
Segal’s trumpet drips from practically every bar of the album, the simple fact of the matter is that most
casual fans got the project to hear Chance the Rapper and the Social Experiment, not Donnie Trumpet
and the Social Experiment. It’s hard to examine Surf without looking at Chance’s role, or lack thereof, on
the record.
Beyond just the issue of top billing, which is ultimately trivial, the sound and lyricism behind Surf can be
contextualized around his recent announcement, and I’m not just referring to obvious nuggets like titling
tracks “Caretaker” and “Miracle.” News recently surfaced via The Guardian that Kanye West was originally
supposed to narrate the album, and we’ve all seen the effect of fatherhood on West.
Sonically, Surf is a much kinder and gentler album than Chance’s previous work. It doesn’t have any of the
hard edges of Acid Rap or 10 Day. As The Fader’s Andrew Nosnitsky writes, “the record roughly splits the
difference between spirituals and lullabies.”
While Chance still delves into some difficult subject matter, nothing approaches the haunting pain of
“Paranoia” or the braggadocio of “U Got Me Fucked Up.” Overall, it’s a joyous and celebratory album
punctuated by gorgeous live instrumentation and a cavalcade of vocalists.
Anna, Please Don't Go
Life in Film
Jams 2015, Part 2 - Sunset…
:
Anna, Please Don't Go
Life in Film
1
:Blood Stutter - Color Study R…
Handsome Ghost, Pell
2
:
Just Smoke
Mumford & Sons
3
:
Only Love
Mumford & Sons
4
:
Love Me Back
Lunchmoney Lewis
5
:Love Me Badder
Elliphant
6
:
Come Back To Me
7
You and 7 other friends like this
Sunset in the Rearview
Heading to Lollapalooza this year? We've
picked 10 non-‐‑headlining artists you
need to see.
Find out who the artists are and get a
taste for their music:
http://sunsetintherearview.com/lollapal
ooza-‐‑2015-‐‑10-‐‑must-‐‑s…/
27 July at 18:28
Sunset in the Rearview
7,349 likes
Liked Contact Us
- Facebook Members WordPress Plugin
"Donnie Trumpet"
Caretaker
35,113
Cookie policy
3. 7/29/2015 Chance the Father: What Does Chance the Rapper’s Impending Fatherhood Mean for Surf? | Sunset in the Rearview
http://sunsetintherearview.com/chance-the-rapper-fatherhood/ 3/5
Another element less present on Surf is nostalgia, something that has always been on full display in his
previous music.
Some of Chano’s most arresting verses have come from looking back at the past, whether he’s reflecting
on skipping prom to spit bars on “Prom Night,” or missing the simplicity of youth on “Cocoa Butter Kisses,”
Chance has always trafficked in bittersweet memories, but Surf by in large is an album looking towards the
future.
The only track that truly goes all out on nostalgia is the gospel-soaked “Sunday Candy,” which also
happens to be the only track from the album to have been released early. It is also the last song on the
album to feature Chance rapping, and actually sticks out in a way as one of the most structured songs on
the record. In short, it isn’t emblematic of the whole record’s focus.
There’s also a kind of family feel to the album that extends beyond just the Social Experiment itself. Surf is
overflowing with guests both local and high profile, but when the album was released on iTunes none of
the features were listed. The listener had the opportunity to discover each new feature, from Quavo’s
magnificent auto-tune drawl on “Familiar” to Erykah Badu’s soulful crooning on “Rememory.” (You also
could’ve just gone on Wikipedia and ruined the whole surprise for yourself, this is the Internet Age after
all.)
Chance posited that, “Every record has like 50 people on it,” in his Fader interview, and there is an
undeniable community feel to the album that makes it so unique. If you’ve followed Chance at all, you
know how much community means to him, from his constant support of other Chicago MCs, to his free
Teens in the Park Fest event on Northerly Island in June. Family is obviously a big part of community, and
that role has always suited Chance well.
Lastly, and perhaps most glaringly, is the shift in lyricism and subject matter rom Chance’s previous work.
He’s never come close to scraping the violent or misogynistic heights of some of his colleagues, but he
has indulged in classic hip-hop tropes now and again.
“Smoke Again” is a quintessential weed anthem, and “Fuck You Tahm Bout” checks off just about every
box on the ignorant rap checklist, albeit while showcasing Chance’s terrific timing and sense of humor.
Lyrically, Surf is tamer, and comes from a more assured, mellowed-out place that could certainly be
described as paternal. On “Warm Enough, “ Chance asks, “Who are you to tell me I can’t love you the way
mothers love daughters?/The way Mary was closest to Joseph and babies is close to they father?”
Blogroll
2DopeBoyz
All Things Go
Disco Naivete
Earmilk
Fuel Friends Blog
Herfection
Hilly Dilly
Hype Machine
I Guess I'm Floating
Indie Shuffle
Knox Road
Mostly Junk Food
Neon Gold
New Music Co
Pigeons and Planes
Pitchfork
Pretty Much Amazing
The Chuckness
The Music Ninja
Tympanogram
NOSAJ THING
Nosaj Thing x Chance The Rapper - Par…
5,916,234
Cookie policy
"Donnie Trumpet"
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experime…
8,891,784
Cookie policy
"Chance The Rapper"
Fuck You Tahm Bout
1,301,734
Cookie policy
4. 7/29/2015 Chance the Father: What Does Chance the Rapper’s Impending Fatherhood Mean for Surf? | Sunset in the Rearview
http://sunsetintherearview.com/chance-the-rapper-fatherhood/ 4/5
[Video] Shawn Chrystopher
- Name On My Heart
(Commercial)
Logic - Tic Tac Toe Skizzy Mars - Phases [Free
Download]
Elsewhere, “Familiar” sends up the interchangeable, shallow girls who have been hounding him since he
hit the big time. “She the latest model, but these hoes retro/One in a million, but these bitches special?” he
asks sarcastically.
“Wanna Be Cool” accomplishes a similar goal, albeit this time focusing on internal authenticity and the
importance of being true to yourself. Chance leaves most of the spotlight to Kyle and Big Sean, but puts
plenty of passion and earnestness on the hook to get his point across.
Look, I’m not here to label Surf as “dad rap,” in fact just writing that term made me cringe, but there’s a
maturity and family feel to the album that only become more evident in light of this recent news. Chance is
a generational talent, and one whose music demonstrates a perspective rarely shown in rap today.
Now let’s just all hope he makes a good ass parent.
Comments
Tagged: Chance the Rapper, chance the rapper pregnant, chance the rapper surf, Featured, Hip Hop
Recommended for you...
We All Want Someone To Shout For
We Listen For You
Buy ad space
DAILY SPECIALS
Mashup Mondays
Tape Tuesdays
Womp Wednesday
FEATURES
Album Reviews
Artist Picks
Best of the Month
FEATURED ARTISTS
Allan Rayman
Chance The Rapper
Johnny Yukon
SUBSCRIBE TO SUNSET
Facebook
Hype Machine
RSS
SUNSET IN THE REARVIEW
About
Contact
Music Blog
GIBAMRON HIP HOP
Chance The Rapper - Warm Enough (S…
22,754
Cookie policy
Hits On Hits
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experime…
77,476
Cookie policy
0 Comments Sort by
Facebook Comments Plugin
Top
Add a comment...
Tweet 12 08Like
