Chance the Rapper may be the most ironic name in hip-hop.

Yes, his name is Chancelor Bennett, a 23-year-old recording artist from the South Side of Chicago. Yes, he has been hailed by critics as the heir to Kanye West's industry throne and subsequent stature of influence within the genre. But, in all seriousness, it might be negligent to call Chance merely a rapper.

Since the mid-May release of his third mixtape titled Coloring Book, Chano (as Bennett dubs himself) has been subject to an explosion in popularity that transcends musical genre norms. Not only can his bars be heard bumping in the West Chatham neighborhood, they're blasting their way into cars, parties and dorm rooms all across the nation. Just in the past year, Chance has performed on Saturday Night Live and at the ESPYs, produced and sang on Kanye's The Life of Pablo and been mentioned on President Obama's summer playlist. This even a month before he is set to play the Magnificent Coloring Day festival at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, the hometown leg of his tour that will feature Lil Wayne, Skrillex, John Legend and Alicia Keys, among others. Its clear that Chance is at the top of his class, that is if he is in a class at all.

Believe it or not, the first person I heard talking about Chance was a local Christian youth pastor. Yes, that's right, a man who's devoted his career to serving through faith was raving about this new rapper who by no stretch of the imagination refrained from dropping the F-bomb and N-word in his songs. My first inclination was to question this guy's judgement.

Whoa, that's weird, right? The church can't like, be OK with that. What makes him any different than, say, Eminem or Snoop Dogg in the category of raunchiness?

But then I really started listening to him go on. Chance, this guy said, raps about real stuff. He raps about family and racism and God. He's mixing gospel with rap and R&B. There's never been anything like it before. His music is so cool.

I'd be lying if I said in that moment I was sold, but I definitely needed to check this guy out. So I pulled up Coloring Book and started working my way through the mixtape.

First thought: this dude uses horns! The opening track "All We Got" opens with a riff from Chance's performing partner and best friend Donnie Trumpet (who you might have guessed plays his byname) that soon segways into a backing clap-track as Chance enters the song with what can only be described as pure auditory joy. You can hear him smile, if such a thing exists, and its almost impossible not to smile along. Give it a listen yourself:

The song goes on to blend in what seems like dozens of instruments, along with guest appearances from the Chicago Children's Choir and Kanye himself. Still, its the first couple of lines at the top of the second verse that stick out.

I get my word from the sermon

I do not talk to the serpent

That's the holistic discernment

Daddy said I'm so determined

Told me these goofies can't hurt me

I just might make me some earl tea

I was baptized like real early

I might give Satan a swirlie

Right off the bat, Chance references the church's role in inspiring parts of his lyricism, which actually isn't too uncommon among many in the hip-hop industry. However, this isn't simply an allusion to God's role in his music, but rather an embrace of spirituality and rap music becoming one. Yes, there are contemporary Christian rap artists in the game right now but Chance reaches into an entirely new audience, one that people of faith and non-faith backgrounds can claim membership to.

This is only the beginning of gospel's influence on this album. Track 5, titled "Blessings", not only alludes to, but embraces God's hand of influence on the musician's life. The once again horn-driven chorus sings:

I'm gon' praise him, praise him till I'm gone

I'm gon' praise him, praise him till I'm gone

When the praises go up, the blessings come down

When the praises go up, the blessings come down...

It seems like blessings keep falling in my lap

But then there's track 11, "How Great", which's 2 1/2 minute intro features a choral remix on Christian artist Chris Tomlin's popular worship song "How great is our God". And then there's "Finish Line / Drown", the mixtape's penultimate song that spotlights Grammy-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin. The list goes on.

Still, it is more than just faith that makes Coloring Book, and Chance for that matter, simply irresistible. While its already clear that his music has a purpose outside of "having sex with women and obtaining wealth" (the clean version of modern rap's popular mission statement pioneered by the Notorious B.I.G.), Chance dares to dig into deeper issues within the black community.

The song "Summer Friends" is a melancholy ode to the violence in inner-city Chicago, particularly every summer when the murder rates skyrocket. CNNrecently reported that there have now been over 500 homicides in the city this calendar year, the highest number in two decades, and there seems to be no signs of slowing down. Chance addresses this reality, singing of his early childhood summers:

First day, n****s shooting

Summer school get to losing students

But the CPD getting new recruitment

Our summer don't, our summer, our summer don't get no shine no more

Our summer die, our summer time don't got no time no more

Through Chance, we experience this alarming juxtaposition between childhood innocence and gang violence, two paradoxically, co-existing truths in his own backyard. He humanizes these murdered boys and girls, not as statistics or as bodies, but as "summer friends", something to which all people, not just those on the South Side, can relate.

Perhaps it is for reasons like this that Chance makes his music free, that's right, free, to everyone. Every track he has ever released is available for streaming on SoundCloud, one of the perks that comes with his decision to remain independent from a major record label. Chance stands apart from the rest of the industry, only using concerts and merch to bankroll his projects. He's even been known to combat wholesale ticket buyers, whose primary goal is to jack up the price of admission. After he became aware that $75 floor seats to his Magical Coloring Day show were selling online for $2,000, Chance went to his site and began selling GA tickets for $25. His desire is to minimize corporate interference so that everyone can get in on the fun.

But finally, we love Chance because we feel that he's one of us. We see ourselves through his compassion, his energy, his love for family and for friends. This not to mention, his recently viral love for Beyoncé:

"People who listen to him are proud to share their passion for his music because you're also sharing a long list of very thoughtful ideals aiming to tackle gang violence, give inner-city kids opportunities, and seek to find and bring God further into your life," said my good friend and huge Chance fan, Ryan. "He's cool, because he's a talented hip-hop artist, he's righteous because of his relentless quest to resolve social issues. He's everywhere because you don't need to be a Christian to appreciate his music."

That, is something with which we have no problem.

CUE OUTRO!

Sources

Green, Emma. "Track of the Day: 'How Great'" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 18 May 2016. Web. 06 Sept. 2016.

Baron, Zach. "How Chance the Rapper's Life Became Perfect." GQ. Condé Nast, 24 Aug. 2016. Web. 06 Sept. 2016.

Ketchum, William E., III. "Chance The Rapper Battles With Greedy Ticket Scalpers for the Fans." DJ Booth. N.p., 06 Aug. 2016. Web. 06 Sept. 2016.