Five years ago, Chance the Rapper released a fourteen-track mixtape titled, “Coloring Book”. Today many of his fans refer to this body of work as his magnum opus since it became the first non-streaming album to win a Grammy.
The protege of Kanye followed his mentor’s footsteps as he blended gospel and rap to create some of the most heavenly pieces of music in the opening track “All We Got”. The two Chicago natives sing their hearts out belting out, “Music is all we got”, accompanied by vocals from the Chicago Children’s Choir.
As the mixtape moves onto the next song titled “No Problem” featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, the profanity in the lyrics makes it clear why this piece was nominated for “Best Rap Album” instead of “Best Gospel Album”.
Though I believe these tracks don’t take away from the beauty of this work. In fact, similar tracks like “Summer Friends”, “Mixtape”, and “All Night” adds to the authenticity of the person Chance. He does not hide behind a fake persona but instead shows who he is, flaws and all.
I believe that this was intentional by Chance because as you listen to tracks such as “Same Drugs”, “Blessings”, and “How Great” it is clear that the overarching theme is unconditional love.
In this body of work Chance discusses two types of love with the first being the love of God. While it is evident in the lyrics of “How Great” that proclaim, “How great is our God”, for the first three minutes of the track. He constructs the narrative that God has been faithful to him despite his human nature.
This is then paralleled with his fiance, Kirsten, as she showed him that type of love as they were developing their relationship. For context, before his mixtape and the unbelievable success it achieved, he was a struggling artist that was addicted to drugs and couldn’t afford a place to live. Even through his addiction and failures she stood by his side.
Chance addresses how grateful he is to have someone like her to be his partner and mother of his child in “All We Got”. With a humble tone he sings, “Man my daughter couldn’t have a better mother. If she ever find another, he better love her.”
Then again in “Finish Line/Drown” he says, “Me and my girl plan to stay to the end. Hope there never come a day where we be better as friends. We in a marathon we could build a marriage on.”
The beauty of this narrative of Chance and Kirsten’s love is that it is unconditional despite the flaws each of them have. I remember back when I was sixteen listening to this album not grasping the concept of what it meant to be loved in the way Chance described. It wasn’t until I listened to it again at the age of twenty-two did I realize what he meant of how it is such a blessing to have that love.
When I went through every track it reminded me of the woman I am with today. A person that loves me despite my shortcomings and believes in me. The same kind of love that God shows me everyday in spite of my sinful nature.
This is why this mixtape is such a powerful piece of art. Its dynamic and authentic content can be appreciated by people of all walks of life. I believe that not being labeled a “Christian” album made it more approachable to those who are wary of thematic elements involving God.
As a follower of Jesus I loved it because I resonated with the story of a flawed person that yearns to be loved. In the same way I believe that’s why people that do not believe in God found this appealing. The longing to be loved unconditionally and to have a sense of hope despite the hopelessness that the world offers is something that God placed in every person’s heart.
The “Coloring Book” was able to take those thoughts we have and paint them into reality.
The Beat @APU 