Not only is Chance the Rapper an independent artist with full control over every inspiring lyric that flows from his pen onto paper, but he also makes music for god, and fights for young children pursuing all kinds of artistry.
It goes without saying that Chance's talent is in a category all its own. I mean, he did win three Grammys without the help of a single label. Chance is a versatile musician, through songs like "Cocoa Butter Kisses" that dawned from his second mixtape Acid Rap to infamous masterpieces featuring the likes of Lil Wayne and Kanye West. Chance continuously maintains his love for the lord and gospel music while still being unapologetically a bad-ass protagonist in the fight for what's right and we see that in almost every one of his releases.
"All we got" is a testament to music, and how its allowance of self-expression is really the only aspect of life that we have control over. It really is "all we got". The music an artist produces is all theirs until a label comes into the picture. Then, somehow lyrics are distorted to resemble what will help sell the record best. On the track, he calls out record labels as the serpent. Rapping, "I get my word from the sermon. I do not talk to the serpent. That's the holistic discernment." Symbolically, labels become the serpent trying to tempt him to become something he isn't, while the sermon remains his source of guidance musically and otherwise because God will lead him to the promised land.
Chance knows our future lies in the next generation, which makes this next revelation anti-climatic. After Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner neglected educational funding and shut down more than 100 schools, Chance donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools. The money? Well, it was only fitting that it went toward arts and after-school programming.
So what makes Chance the Rapper in a league all of his own? His unending dedication in providing his fans with music that means more than just drugs, sex, and money. His strive to make his music free so that all ears can hear the beauty that shines through lyrical, choir classics like "Sunday Candy" and "Blessings". His hard-earned money that goes toward building up art programs for Chicago's youth. That's what makes Chance stand out, his mission with God to make a difference in people's lives, through music that stems deeper thought, regarding major problems in society, and encouraging people to tackle them.
I leave you with this as food for thought. What makes your favorite artist stand out?
