Words by Gabriel Spadaccini
We were recently blessed to witness Chance the Rapper debut a new gospel-leaning track on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In the words of Fallon himself, “The Internet’s gonna go nuts for this one!” Indeed.
Chance was joined on ‘Blessings’ by something like a dozen white-robed choir singers, swaying in time to dual keyboards, trumpet riffs, and slow-groove drum beats. The song also featured soulful vocals from Chicago-based singer/songwriter/poet Jamila Woods, as well as a sermon-like counterpart by American gospel singer Byron Cage. Chano’s verses, on the other hand, feel more like spoken-word poetry. The whole thing culminates into the kind of vibe you’d expect from a Baptist church service, and Chance, with his characteristic dancing, pulls it off in spectacular fashion.
‘Blessings’ arrives in anticipation of the Chicago-born rapper’s third mixtape, titled Chance 3, set for a release date of May 13th. Though the gospel-influenced performance on Fallon might not reflect the tone we can expect on all of Chance’s third project, which comes on the heels the critically acclaimed 10 Day in 2012 and Acid Rap in 2013, one thing is for certain: Chance 3 is sure to continue 2016’s streak of exceptional music. Hell it’s only May – will the latter half of 2016 be able to keep up?
Check out the performance below:
