Longtime Chance the Rapper fans, rejoice: A new mixtape is coming sometime later this month, as first reported by Esquire. The timing couldn’t be better as Chance has been on a roll lately, following his 2015 collaboration with Donny Trumpet and the Social Experiment, Surf, and most recently, his star-making verse on Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam.”
It’ll be interesting to see what he brings to this new endeavor, though it seems likely that the gospel-influenced flourishes and fatherly reflection (he became a dad last year) found throughout “Ultralight Beam” and those Surf tracks will continue to carry over. Aside from the music itself, which is always brimming with energy and Chance’s dexterous lyrical wordplay, what remains most fascinating about him as an artist is the fact that even as his star continues to rise, there’s still no sign that he’ll ever release a “proper” commercial album. From 2012’s 10 Day and 2013’s Acid Rap up until now, Chance has basically remained a free agent, self-releasing all of his albums while providing scene-stealing verses on more established rappers’ tracks, including those of West and Childish Gambino.
He may be in one of the best positions you could possibly be as a relative newcomer in the music industry—the ultimate creative freedom from corporate labels with many of the perks that usually come with them: appearances at major festivals, performing on The Late Show With Colbert. Ultimately, we the fans win out as well.
