Chance’s transition to The Social Experiment was smooth for everyone involved but the fans.
It wasn’t that fans didn’t enjoy the “new Chance”. Rather their love for Acid Rap was undying and deviations from that formula were seen as a negative. Personally I really enjoyed Surf, It wasn’t a groundbreaking album but the tracks were layered like posh pastry, each fold as intentionally placed as the last. It was obvious a gang of effort went into pruning the record and that alone almost solidified its enjoyability.
In his Fader piece, Chance mentioned that the friendship in The Social Experiment was something solo rap would never be able to replicate. With the release of this single “Angels” I feel it’s sentiment he still believes in dearly with most of Social Experiment present on the track despite it being marketed as a “Chance The Rapper” record.
Sonically, Angels hits a middle ground between Acid Rap and Surf that I think a lot of fans will be pleased with. Holding on to that robust and lush production tailored by The Social Experiment, while not sacrificing the high energy flow present on most of Chance’s solo tracks. That balance strikes a really unique niche in Hip Hop today. It’s very Roots-esque, and I’m curious to see a full project with this sonic makeup.
Art by your homie, Arthur Banach
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