:Acid Rap

{{For|the style of rap|Psychedelic rap}}

{{pp-move-dispute|small=yes}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Acid Rap

| type = Mixtape

| artist = Chance the Rapper

| cover = Chance the rapper acid rap.jpg

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2013|04|30}}

| recorded = 2012–2013

| studio = Soundscape, Force One, Seven, & Classick in Chicago

| genre = *Hip hop

| length = {{Plainlist|

  • 53:52
  • {{Duration|50:15}} (2019 re-release){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/acid-rap/1470464025 |title=Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper on Apple Music |publisher=Music.apple.com |access-date=2020-04-08}}

}}

| label =

| producer = *Nate Fox

| prev_title = 10 Day

| prev_year = 2012

| next_title = Surf

| next_year = 2015

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Acid Rap

| type = mixtape

| single1 = Juice

| single1date = January 31, 2013

| single2 = Acid Rain

| single2date = February 22, 2013

}}

}}

Acid Rap is the second mixtape by American rapper Chance the Rapper. It was released on April 30, 2013, as a free digital download. In July 2013, the mixtape debuted at number 63 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, due to bootleg downloads on iTunes and Amazon not affiliated with the artist.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/5650665/chance-the-rapper-with-acid-rap-mixtape-meets-the |title=Chance the Rapper, with 'Acid Rap' Mixtape, Meets the Legal Black Hole Around Unsigned Artists (From the Magazine) |magazine=Billboard |date=2013-08-14 |access-date=2013-10-13}} The mixtape has been certified "diamond" on mixtape site Datpiff, for garnering over 1,000,000 downloads.{{cite web|url=http://www.datpiff.com/Chance-The-Rapper-Acid-Rap-mixtape.483826.html |title=Datpiff Acid Rap |website=Datpiff |date= 2014 |access-date= 2015-08-21}} It was rereleased on streaming services on June 21, 2019, alongside his 2012 mixtape 10 Day. A 10th anniversary Complete Edition was later released, including the full version of "Juice", which previously wasn't available for streaming due to sampling issues.

Background and production

Chancelor Bennett has admitted that LSD was used during the production of this mixtape. Bennett has said, "[There] was a lot of acid involved in Acid Rap. I mean, it wasn't too much – I'd say it was about 30 to 40 percent acid... more so 30 percent acid."{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1707187/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-mixtape/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528002212/http://www.mtv.com/news/1707187/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-mixtape/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 28, 2014|title=Chance The Rapper: There Was 'A Lot Of Acid Involved In Acid Rap'|last=Alexis|first=Nadeska|website=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2019-03-17}} He has also made it clear that LSD's involvement was just a small factor in the making of the mixtape. Bennett has said that, "It wasn't the biggest component at all. It was something that I was really interested in for a long time during the making of the tape, but it's not necessarily a huge factor at all. It was more so just a booster, a bit of fuel. It's an allegory to acid, more so than just a tape about acid."

Bennett used artists and producers from Chicago who he had also worked with before. The acid jazz sound of the mixtape can be attributed to the collaboration of artists and producers from multiple genres.{{Citation|last=BackRoomsBasements|title=Chance The Rapper talks Acid Rap, SXSW, Violence in Chicago + more|date=2013-04-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKMrdVbEAbc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/VKMrdVbEAbc |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|access-date=2019-03-17}}{{cbignore}} Bennett has said, "People that I worked with on other projects from multiple genres just came together to make a dope tape." Bennett attributes most of the funky or jazz sound to Peter Cottontale saying, "Peter Cottontale is a really sick jazz pianist."

Bennett describes Acid Rap as more of a music based album and less of a story-based album when compared to his previous mixtape. When asked to compare 10 Day to Acid Rap Bennett said, "Acid Rap is just a whole different monster; it's me as an adult making great music instead of a kid trying to explain a story. It's less of a conceptual project. It's still very cohesive, storytelling-wise, and its own project. But it's more music-based than story-based this time. I'm still telling the story of what it's like coming out of high school, not going to college and my experience with LSD. The new music that I started listening to has got a really heavy Acid Jazz base to it. It's just really good songs; it's a collection of great songs, which is exactly what #10Day is. But it's more of just a really good album than a story."{{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/interviews/id.2099/title.chance-the-rapper-talks-the-chicago-scene-his-acid-rap-mixtape|title=Chance The Rapper Talks The Chicago Scene & His "Acid Rap" Mixtape|date=2013-05-03|website=HipHopDX|access-date=2019-03-17}}

The cover art for Acid Rap was based on a real picture taken at South by Southwest, an annual conglomerate of film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. The picture was taken by Brandon Breaux, who also designed the cover art for Bennett's previous mixtape 10 Day.{{cite web |title=The Artist Responsible For Chance The Rapper's Meme-Inspired Abstract Art |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/07/27/632812919/the-artist-responsible-for-chance-the-rappers-meme-inspired-abstract-art |access-date=2019-03-11 |website=NPR.org |language=en}} The picture happened by chance, according to Beaux, "I had made these Tie Dye tank tops before we went to SXSW and I gave them to Chance… In the back of my mind I'm like I hope you wear this."{{cite web |title=Here's the Original Photo That Inspired Chance the Rapper's 'Acid Rap' Cover |url=https://genius.com/a/here-s-the-original-photo-that-inspired-chance-the-rapper-s-acid-rap-cover |access-date=2019-03-11 |website=Genius |language=en}}

Release

Acid Rap was released as a mixtape and not an album. Bennett has said "One of my biggest talents is performing live. and considered live performances and selling merchandise a more important source of income than recorded music, which he wanted to release for free. More recently he has also rapped about his hatred for record labels on "No Problem".{{Citation|last=TR|title=Chance The Rapper - No Problem (feat. Lil Wayne 2 Chainz) Explicit|date=2016-05-16|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoSUseCSD7s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/BoSUseCSD7s |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|access-date=2019-03-17}}{{cbignore}} Bennett being unsigned also gave him the ability to collaborate with any available artist.

On June 28, 2019, Bennett officially released the mixtape onto streaming services along with his prior mixtape 10 Day.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/chance-the-rapper-mixtapes-acid-rap-and-10day-hit-streaming-listen/amp/|title=Chance the Rapper's Mixtapes Are Now Streaming, Coming to Vinyl|website=Pitchfork |access-date=2019-06-28}} The track "Juice" didn't have its sample cleared and is instead replaced by a 30-second voice memo by Bennett. It was later included in a 10th anniversary Complete Edition.

Reception

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 8.1/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/5487/Chance-The-Rapper-Acid-Rap.aspx|title=Acid Rap by Chance The Rapper reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=July 12, 2019}}

| MC = 86/100

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Fred|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/acid-rap-mw0002550344|title=Acid Rap - Chance the Rapper {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|work=AllMusic|date=April 30, 2013|access-date=February 16, 2022}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = A−{{cite web|last=Rytlewski|first=Evan|url=https://www.avclub.com/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-1798176804|title=Chance The Rapper: Acid Rap|work=The A.V. Club|date=May 14, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013}}

| rev3 = Consequence of Sound

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Kivel|first=Adam|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/05/album-review-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|title=Album Review: Chance The Rapper – Acid Rap|work=Consequence of Sound|date=May 8, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603183232/http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/05/album-review-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|archive-date=June 3, 2013|url-status=dead}}

| rev4 = Fact

| rev4Score = 4/5{{cite web|last=Kalev|first=Maya|url=https://www.factmag.com/2013/05/14/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|title=Acid Rap|work=Fact|date=May 14, 2013|access-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409120042/http://www.factmag.com/2013/05/14/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|archive-date=April 9, 2016|url-status=dead}}

| rev5 = MSN Music (Consumer Guide)

| rev5Score = A−{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/ew2013-06.php|title=Chance the Rapper/Homeboy Sandman|work=MSN Music|date=June 2013|access-date=June 27, 2016}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6Score = 8.4/10{{cite web|last=Weiss|first=Jeff|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18105-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|title=Chance the Rapper: Acid Rap|work=Pitchfork|date=May 7, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013}}

| rev7 = PopMatters

| rev7Score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Tryneski|first=John M.|url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/171829-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|title=Chance the Rapper: Acid Rap|work=PopMatters|date=June 20, 2013|access-date=June 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822063552/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/171829-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|archive-date=August 22, 2013|url-status=live}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Rosen|first=Jody|author-link=Jody Rosen|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/acid-rap-20130508|title=Acid Rap|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 8, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9Score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Soderberg|first=Brandon|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-mixtape/|title=Chance the Rapper, 'Acid Rap' (Self-Released)|work=Spin|date=May 2, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013}}

| rev10 = XXL

| rev10Score = 4/5{{cite web|last=C. M.|first=Emmanuel|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2013/05/mixtape-review-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap/|title=Mixtape Review: Chance the Rapper, Acid Rap|work=XXL|date=May 13, 2013|access-date=October 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607044010/http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2013/05/mixtape-review-chance-the-rapper-acid-rap|archive-date=June 7, 2013|url-status=dead}}

}}

Acid Rap was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the mixtape received an average score of 86, based on 21 reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/acid-rap/chance-the-rapper|title=Reviews for Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=October 13, 2013}} It was also nominated for Best Mixtape at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/08/bet-award-2013-nominees |title=Here Are The BET Award Nominees |website=Complex |date=2013-08-22 |access-date=2013-10-13}} The mixtape was ranked at number two on Spin{{'}}s list{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/12/best-albums-2013/chance-acid-rap/|title=SPIN's 50 Best Album's of 2013|website=Spin.com|access-date=April 30, 2025}} and number 26 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s list of the 50 best albums of 2013, and first on their list of best mixtapes of 2013.{{cite web|date=December 2, 2013|work=Rolling Stone|title=50 Best Albums of 2013|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-albums-of-2013-20131202/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-19691231}} It was the second most downloaded mixtape on MixtapeMonkey.com.{{Cite web|url=https://mixtapemonkey.com/charts|title=MixtapeMonkey | Mixtape Charts|first=Mark|last=Serrano|website=Mixtapemonkey.com|access-date=April 30, 2025}} It was also ranked at number 12 on Pitchfork{{'}}s Top 50 Albums of 2013.{{cite web|title=The Top 50 Albums of 2013|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9293-the-top-50-albums-of-2013/4/|work=Pitchfork}}

President Barack Obama added the song "Acid Rain" to his 2016 summer playlist.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/POTUS44/status/763744742072913920|title=Been waiting to drop this: summer playlist, the encore. What's everybody listening to?pic.twitter.com/mqh1YVrycj|last=Obama|first=President|date=2016-08-11|website=@POTUS44|language=en|access-date=2019-03-11}}

In 2019, Pitchfork listed it 84 on its top 200 albums of the decade.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-08|title=The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-2010s/|access-date=2021-08-28|website=Pitchfork|language=en-US}}

{{clear}}

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal and the album's vinyl liner notes, and reflect the 2019 re-release.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/112262593|title=Acid Rap / Chance the Rapper – TIDAL|publisher=Tidal|access-date=28 June 2019}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 53:50

| title1 = Good Ass Intro

| note1 = featuring BJ the Chicago Kid

| writer1 = {{hlist|Chancelor Bennett|Bryan J. Sledge|Lilliana Kryzanek|Kiara Lanier|Peter Wilkins|Will Miller|J.P. Floyd|Cameron Osteen|Stefan Ponce|Lonnie Lynn|Kanye West|John Stephens|Dewayne Julius Rogers Sr.}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Peter Cottontale|Cam O'bi|Ponce}}

| length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Pusha Man

| note2 = featuring Nate Fox

| writer2 = {{hlist|Bennett|Charles Jennings|Nate Fox|Dave Grusin|Curtis Mayfield}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Sushi Ceej}}

| length2 = 2:19

| title3 = Paranoia

| note3 = featuring Lili K. and Nosaj Thing

| writer3 = {{hlist|Bennett|Jason Chung}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Nosaj Thing}}

| length3 = 4:35

| title4 = Cocoa Butter Kisses

| note4 = featuring Vic Mensa and Twista

| writer4 = {{hlist|Bennett|Victor Mensah|Carl Mitchell|Osteen|Wilkins}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Cam O'bi|Peter Cottontale}}

| length4 = 5:07

| title5 = Juice

| writer5 = {{hlist|Bennett|Fox|Donny Hathaway|John Lennon}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Fox}}

| length5 = 3:35

| title6 = Lost

| note6 = featuring Noname

| writer6 = {{hlist|Bennett|Fatimah Warner|Fox|Wilkins|Willie Hutch}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Fox}}

| length6 = 3:04

| title7 = Everybody's Something

| note7 = featuring Saba and BJ the Chicago Kid

| writer7 = {{hlist|Bennett|DJ O-Zone|Chuck Mangione|Roger Kay Karshner|James Yancey|Titus Glover}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|DJ O-Zone}}

| length7 = 4:36

| title8 = Interlude (That's Love)

| writer8 = {{hlist|Bennett|Ludwig Göransson}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Göransson}}

| length8 = 2:29

| title9 = Favorite Song

| note9 = featuring Childish Gambino

| writer9 = {{hlist|Bennett|Fox|Donald Glover II|Willie Clarke|Clarence Reid}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Fox}}

| length9 = 3:05

| title10 = NaNa

| note10 = featuring Action Bronson

| writer10 = {{hlist|Bennett|Brandon Rudolph|Ariyan Arslani|Freddie Hubbard}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Brandun DeShay}}

| length10 = 3:20

| title11 = Smoke Again

| note11 = featuring Ab-Soul

| writer11 = {{hlist|Bennett|Herbert Stevens IV|Richard Neville Parry|Jonathan Keller}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Blended Babies}}

| length11 = 4:32

| title12 = Acid Rain

| writer12 = {{hlist|Bennett|Jacob Dutton}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Jake One}}

| length12 = 3:36

| title13 = Chain Smoker

| writer13 = {{hlist|Bennett|Fox|Felix Pappalardi|John Ventura|Leslie Weinstein|Norman Landsberg}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Fox}}

| length13 = 3:30

| title14 = Everything's Good (Good Ass Outro)

| writer14 = {{hlist|Bennett|Osteen}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Chance the Rapper|Cam O'bi}}

| length14 = 5:33

}}

Notes

  • "Paranoia" was included as a hidden track following "Pusha Man" for the original mixtape release, with Nosaj Thing's contributions receiving no credit. The 28 seconds of silence that separated the two tracks was omitted entirely on the 2019 streaming re-release and vinyl release. The 2023 'complete edition', released on streaming services to commemorate the mixtape's tenth anniversary, restores 15 seconds of silence between the two tracks.
  • "Juice" was replaced by a 30-second voice memo for the 2019 streaming re-release and was omitted entirely on the vinyl release. After clearing the requisite sample, the song made its streaming debut on the 2023 'complete edition' release.{{Cite web |last=Caraan |first=Sophie |date=2023-04-25 |title=Chance the Rapper Announces 'Acid Rap' 10th Anniversary Show |url=https://hypebeast.com/2023/4/chance-the-rapper-acid-rap-10th-anniversary-show-announcement-info |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=Hypebeast}}

Samples

Production personnel

  • Brandon Breaux – artwork
  • OJ Hays – "Acid Rap" typeface
  • Elton "L10mixedit" Chueng – engineering, mixing, mastering
  • Na'el Shehade – engineer, producer
  • Alex "PapiBeatz" Baez – engineering
  • Andrew Barber – Founder of Fake Shore Drive
  • Su$h! Ceej – Member of Two-9, producer ("Pusha Man")
  • Peter CottonTale – Music Director, Producer ("Good Ass Intro," "Cocoa Butter Kisses")
  • brandUn DeShay (Ace Hashimoto) – producer ("NaNa")
  • J.P. Floyd – Trombonist, featured artist ("Good Ass Intro")
  • Nate Fox – Member of the Social Experiment, featured artist ("Pusha Man"), producer ("Juice," "Lost," "Favorite Song," "Chain Smoker")
  • Alex Fruchter – Founder of Closed Sessions
  • Rich Gains – Member of Blended Babies, producer ("Smoke Again")
  • Ludwig Göransson – producer ("Interlude [That's Love]")
  • JP – Member of Blended Babies, producer ("Smoke Again")
  • Kiara Lanier – singer, featured artist ("Good Ass Intro")
  • Lili K – singer, featured artist ("Good Ass Intro," "Pusha Man")
  • Mike Kolar – engineer, owner of Soundscape Studios, founder of Closed Sessions
  • Vic Mensa – rapper, featured artist ("Cocoa Butter Kisses")
  • Cam O'bi – producer ("Good Ass Intro," "Cocoa Butter Kisses," "Everything's Good [Good Ass Outro]")
  • Stefan Ponce – producer ("Good Ass Intro")
  • Nico Segal – Trumpeter, member of the Social Experiment
  • Twista – rapper, featured artist ("Cocoa Butter Kisses")
  • Austin Vesely – director ("Juice," "Everybody's Something," "NaNa")

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2013)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|26|artist=Chance the Rapper|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2016}}
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|63|artist=Chance the Rapper|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2016}}
scope="col"| Chart (2019)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|BillboardCanada|19|M|url=https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/fyi-charts/billboard-canadian-albums|title=Billboard Canadian Albums|work=FYIMusicNews|artist=Chance the Rapper|rowheader=true|access-date=July 9, 2019}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|5|artist=Chance the Rapper|rowheader=true|access-date=July 9, 2019}}
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|3|artist=Chance the Rapper|rowheader=true|access-date=July 9, 2019|refname=R&B2019}}

References

{{Reflist}}