After the release of Chance the Rapper’s (of Chicago hip-hop collective Save Money) successful debut mixtape 10 Day (named for his 10-day suspension), it’s clear the South Side spitter’s latest project can’t be described with the usual terminology.  Flow?  He never uses the same flow twice.  Wordplay?  It’s beyond playing.  Acid Rap, Chance’s second tape, is a game-changer.  In fact, it just might be the best mixtape this year.
The first thing most listeners notice about Chance isn’t his sometimes erratic and untamed flow.  It isn’t his trademark ad-lib (IGH!), or his (at times) beyond-innovative wordplay.  It’s his annoying, stereotypically pubertal voice reminiscent of Kendrick’s occasional voice cracks on good kid, m.A.A.d city. While Chance’s voice might initially alienate some, its true nature is revealed on tracks like Juice that epitomize his indescribable, off-tempo flow and all-over-the-place delivery.  The frequent pitch-swinging and ADD-like character of Chance’s flow allows him to be incredibly versatile, rapping upbeat about newfound fame, respect and “juice” (a shoutout to the 1992 classic starring Tupac) on one song but melancholically philosophizing and reflecting on his upbringing and the dangers of his hometown on another (Acid Rain).  Topping off Chance’s lyrical skills is his remarkable aptitude for wordplay, like triple entendres (“Lean all on the square/That’s a — rhombus” from Smoke Again) and even new forms thereof, seen in the “fired-higher” contrast (NaNa).  It doesn’t hurt that accompanying Chance on Acid Rap are a spectrum of features from classics to XXL 2013 Freshmen and consistent, fresh production.
From Ab-Soul’s pun-filled verse (Smoke Again) to Action Bronson’s playful bars (NaNa) to legend Twista’s rhymes (Cocoa Butter Kisses), Acid Rap is full of expected and, honestly, unexpected features that somehow mesh perfectly.  Fellow Save Money member Vic Mensa kills it on Cocoa Butter Kisses alongside Twista, probably the best example of this phenomenon.  True to his roots, Chance also includes lots of Chicago talent, like BJ the Chicago Kid and Pivot’s Saba.  In fact, the only disappointing feature (Childish Gambino), is well-placed on the lighthearted Favorite Song.
The mostly consistent gospel/soul-inspired instrumentals also help to solidify Acid Rap as the mixtape of the year so far.  Interestingly enough, the tape’s most well-known producers (Blended Babies, Odd Future’s Brandun DeShay and ex-G-Unit member Jake One) are still far from mainstream celebrities.  The others, like Ceej, are near-unknowns outside the realm of hip-hop.
Despite the intriguing instrumentals, biting wordplay and fitting features, the most laudable aspect of Chance’s second mixtape is its mass appeal.  Acid Rap is by far the most accessible project in recent years that maintains a solid lyrical, thematic and musical foundation.  Chance’s roots in the South Side of Chicago and membership in Save Money grant him respect from the likes of those who wouldn’t give Asher Roth a second listen.  On the other hand, his playful tone, use of LSD (“Acid” Rap) and even his tie-dye tank top on the cover all appeal to the average suburban teenager. In other words, you.  Chance has achieved something in a couple of years that most rappers couldn’t in a lifetime: he made the inaccessible accessible.  He saturated the quintessential summer mixtape with heavy themes about gun violence, family love and nostalgia as well as intricate wordplay that most creative writing majors could never fully understand.
In other words, it looks like school suspensions do serve a purpose.