The Big Day…or the Big Failure?
The Big Day
Chance the Rapper is an American rapper, widely known for his albums Acid Rap and Coloring Book. On July 26, 2019 he released his most recent album, The Big Day. This album is longer than most, as it contains an astounding 22 tracks! Making an album this long is a statement in and of itself. The expectations are already set to the extreme. With that said, he also had a large number of big-name features on the album including: Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Megan Thee Stallion, Shawn Mendes, Gucci Mane, and more. This led many to expect one of his best albums yet. However, media reaction via Twitter disproved that assumption. Many believe Chance was actually outshined by the features on his own album.
Rap legend Kanye West was allegedly going to be co-producing Chance’s album. They had begun production on an album that would be titled Good Ass Job. Later, it was said that West began shifting his focus to a project of his own, and Chance was left to produce his album without West’s creative influence. This makes many wonder if the album would have received better feedback had Kanye West been a part of the production. In the finalization of The Big Day, Kanye West was not mentioned in the credits as a co-producer.
The album was inspired by Chance’s recent marriage to Kirsten Corley. The title of the album is referring to their wedding day. Chance’s brother, Taylor Bennett, is also featured on the album, which even further relates it to the theme of family unity. Chance fans felt that the execution of the marriage theme was a bit redundant. Instead of rapping about their journey, Chance repeatedly confirms that he did get married. Not to mention, Chance and Kirsten have only been married since March of 2019. To listeners, this was a bad choice.
Twitter is Not a Fan
A viral meme has surfaced the internet regarding who exactly the target audience of Chance’s latest album is. One twitter user stated that some of the target audience includes children, edgy churchgoers, and adults that enjoy lullabies.
As harsh as this analysis may be, I can see why some would make this claim. His lyrics were often times overly simplified and pop-like. The fact that Shawn Mendes is featured on the album speaks for itself. The depth and introspective writing that kept many adult listeners captivated in the past, wasn’t there. Take these lyrics, for example:
The set of lyrics in green come from Chance’s feature on Ultralight Beam by Kanye West. The meaning of these chosen lyrics were in reference to his own leadership towards independence and freedom. These lyrics were meaningful and strong. They carried depth, and forced listeners to tune into the message he was delivering.
In the yellow, we have lyrics from the song “Ballin Flossin” by Chance the Rapper on The Big Day. These lyrics are in reference to an overplayed and downright obnoxious viral video titled “Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!!” It’s 2019––and Chance is making references to an annoying viral video released in 2006. If he is trying to capture the attention of adult listeners, then this is not the way. This song is an embarrassment to the accomplishments in his career so far.
Now that you are aware of the hate this album has faced, and why, enjoy these other twitter memes regarding his last album!
Final Thoughts
Though I’m not a fan of Chance’s new album, I am not saying he has never released any good music. This album however was NOT it (according to me). I feel a lot of bad decisions were made during production. You can take my word for it and save yourself the time, but I recommend you listen to it––if only so you understand the memes.
October 13, 2019 @ 6:06 pm
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