Sometimes, a musician comes along who is so persistent and passionate in his love for God that some of that faith will spread. So when you, churchgoing or not, find yourself bobbing your head to these religious jams, you’re not going to mind it, especially when they’re so soulful. That’s why “Coloring Book” triumphs over just about any type of strictly religious music. It follows in the footsteps of the soul and R&B greats that gets even the biggest of skeptics to smile at the sincerity and beauty of the music. “Jesus is Waiting” from Al Green’s “Call Me”, the single version of Marvin Gaye’s “God is Love”, or almost anything from Stevie’s “Songs in the Key of Life”; hip-hop has its own worthy set of religious edibles. Kanye West claimed his new album to be a gospel album (and more infamously “the album of life”), but I’m afraid “Coloring Book” seems to be more worthy of that honor.

Looking back now, I’m a lot more thankful that Chance and his fellow gospel crusaders took that detour last year with "Surf." It has definitely grown on me since then, and we got “Sunday Candy” out of it, a song that’s still the best thing Chance has been on up to this point. Then comes along “Ultralight Beam”, a song of such churchly grandiosity that it stands as some of Kanye’s best work and the best song 2016 has to offer so far. It only makes sense that Chance is on it, and boy, does Chance deliver. Now we’re in May, and it feels as if all of this has culminated into this rapturous mixtape. Kendrick has been fooling around with jazz and funk, and this year, we have Chance reintroducing gospel into rap’s lexicon. Unfortunately, that means the market will inevitably be waterlogged with gospel-rap wannabe’s, but it’s unlikely that any of them will be half as great as Chi-town’s finest.

Speaking of Chi-town’s finest, it makes you think how much of Chance’s success and inspiration can be attributed to Mr. West. Both have a touching mutual admiration for each other after all, as evidenced by their tweets. “Coloring Book’s” gospel aesthetic recalls the magic of West’s “The College Dropout”, and while it’s very obvious, it’s able to do more than just retread over the soulful foundations Kanye laid down in 2004. As much as I wouldn’t mind a carbon copy of “The College Dropout”, Chance has to push forward to maintain the smarts of “Acid Rap”, which is exactly what he does. “Family Business” and “Jesus Walks” are the closest things to true gospel on “The College Dropout”, but Chance builds upon the gospel aspect by adding bigger choirs, professing his love for God, and sparser production. Don’t worry, it’s nowhere near as off-putting as it sounds, and it’s still very much accessible. And like I said, his declarations and prayers never overstep the line into preaching, and never eclipse the fact that this is a mixtape and that typical mixtapes are fun collections of songs that never take themselves too seriously. That’s where bangers like “All Night” and “No Problem” come in handy, balancing the holy “Blessings” and sweet “Same Drugs." It could’ve been shorter with the sermon on “How Great”, but I’m not going to complain. If it still sounds like a tad too much for your taste, keep in mind Chance brought friends with him, some notoriously known for their big pottymouths and vulgar tendencies.

Features can either help or overcrowd an album, and I was a bit worrisome when I first looked at the tracklisting of the long-list of guests (some of them A-list). Quell those worries, because it’s the former. Kanye doesn’t knock out his feature the way Chance did on "Ultralight Beam," but the rest of the features more than make up for that. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz show up, and it’s one of those few occasions where I’m not laughing at how lame the latter’s raps are. In fact, this mixtape is so inviting that the A-listers showing up are not as awkward as it sounds. Think of it as two friends showing up to a party where they weren’t invited, but the crowd is so neighborly and kind that they ask them to stay and have a good time with them. 2 Chainz usually tries to sound harder than he is (it simply doesn’t work for him), but the atmosphere on “No Problem” is so exuberant and convivial that it practically asks him to join in and rap, and deliver he does. Even Justin Bieber manages to get in a good feature here. I'm still questioning the inclusion of Lil Yachty on here, but Young Thug makes “Mixtape” worth listening to, even though it’s probably the weakest song on here. Basically, all you need to know is that the features support Chance like a family on here, much in the same way they did on "Surf."

It’s hard to recall when the mixtape first started to attain album-like quality. 50 Cent popularized them and Lil Wayne mastered them, so where does that leave Chance? Whereas Lil Wayne pretty much rapped over other people’s beats, Chance, The Social Experiment, and the rest of his guest producers methodically take time to create beats, melodies and form within this gospel-rap masterpiece. There’s only so good a mixtape can be, but I’m going to reach far when I say that “Coloring Book” may have raised the ceiling for that greatness. Hit after hit, there’s little flaw, and so much joy to go around. Maybe I’m getting a little too excited, but when “Angels” comes on, I can’t help but crack a slight smile. When “Same Drugs” comes on, a song that only the most gullible will think is about literal drugs, you can’t help but relate. And I’ve never found myself singing along with Justin Bieber until I heard “Juke Jam”. No doubt in my mind that this is this year’s definitive collection of summer earworms and hymns. “Views” may be a disappointing, platinum-selling success, “The Life of Pablo” may be the most sonically adventurous, but “Coloring Book” is the most genuine and heartfelt. And it may be the only time where I’ve heard a reprise, "Blessings," that was as good as its original. The choir asks us near the end of the album, “Are you ready for your blessings?” Well, I believe we’ve already received them. A

(Key Tracks: "Angels," "No Problem," "Blessings/Reprise," "Same Drugs")