The breakdown of Chance the Rapper's faith in his most recent mixtape "Coloring Book" is no surprise to those who have followed Chance's journey since the beginning. The eclectic collection of gospel flavored tunes combined with Chance's creativity have become a reflection of what could be considered "new church" -- the gospel being embraced by a new generation of believers. With the release of the music video for "How Great", the attraction of Chance's fans broadened as a more vulnerable sign of his life has been revealed -- his faith.
I was first introduced to the gospel approach of Chance's art when I heard "Sunday Candy" by Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment which is a project Chance is apart of. The song is a dedication to Chance's roots -- Sunday mornings in the pews of his childhood church. The lyrics embody a contagious gospel sound while still making way for Chance's unmatchable rhymes. "Sunday Candy" was just a slight sneak peek into the future of Chance's fearlessness in speaking of his faith in his mixtape.
The May 12, 2016 release of "Coloring Book" contained mirror displays of Chance's faith in songs like "Blessings", "Angels" and "How Great".
When my ears were first filled with Chance's rendition of "How Great", I was taken back at first. That song was a song I new all too well -- a song that my mom would sing in my childhood church. To hear such an embraced twist on a gospel classic was like hearing the song for the first time. Chance gave his listeners an opportunity to embrace a generational gospel twist on a song that now contains a new meaning compared to hearing it at the church house. The relationship between both the rapper and his maker became evident to listeners alike as we discovered that Chance is fearless in bringing glory to God in an album that isn't the cleanest, but God embraces the dirty, no matter what form it comes in.
Dubbed casually as "My cousin Nicole" on the track list of "Coloring Book", Chance's cousin Nicole Steen enticed listeners with her leading vocals as the Chicago Children's Choir mixed in a bit more of gospel style while paying tribute to Chance's roots. The unique generational sound was furthered by a bit of an electronic twist on the gospel classic. Filmed on an iPhone, the releasing of "How Great" as a music video made way for a unique viewing as the film was specifically designed to be watched on a mobile device so the viewer could follow the rotations of the video.
"Coloring Book" couldn't be more of a reflection of Chance's individualistic personality. It's ability to attract the audience of both those who share the same faith and those who do not make Chance unstoppable. It is time to embrace Chance's unapologetic independency as he makes way for a generation to be fearless in their faith and lionhearted in their art.
