Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book (May 12, 2016) Album • Page 16

i am head over heels about this. i've been sleeping

 

Cancelled Spotify, joined Apple Music. Coloring Book is awesome so far.

 

How are y'all non religious folks vibin to the themes on the album?

 

I don't think you have to be religious to feel out religious lyrics. I wouldn't consider myself religious but I do know how it feels to have things I'm thankful for, be optimisitic, or overcoming negative forces. (not really using specifics from the album because i've only been able to listen a couple of times, but this is generally how I listen to things with similar subject matter)

 

Chance makes me want to believe.

Really tho, I'm not religious but I love religious imagery. From subverted uses to more "preacher" stuff. I find it fascinating. As long as I don't find out Chance is in some hateful church like the guy from Thrice I enjoy the themes.

 

Do you mean as in people who don't know the themes themselves because of never being religious, or as in people who understand them but aren't religious so they don't have the same beliefs?

If the latter, I enjoy them regardless. Very beautiful way to portray thoughts and feels easy to enjoy even without being religious.

 

I feel very very similarly to this haha, you put it way better than me.

 

The latter. I feel what all of you are saying and agree. I think the beauty and happiness that shines through the record makes everything work. The literal Gospel song at the beginning of How Great is a bit much for me but I do enjoy the verses and biblical references.

 

Feel the same about that as well, if it were shorter it may not have that problem for me, but eh who am I to say because maybe for religious people having it that length is perfect who knows haha

 

Lol yeah I mean I can't shit on it because its so clearly coming from a place of love and spirituality, I just don't see myself listening to the entire thing every time I throw it on. I'm really happy to see that no one is being disrespectful about the themes on ideas presented on the album, and I'm happy with the way Chance went about infusing his music with his faith

 

I don't think I've ever seen dissent towards artist for delving into their faith in rap, hip hop, and r&b.

 

It happens quite a bit but this community here has been great about not doing that

 

I agree, and wonder why when compared to a lot of hate that Christian rock bands tend to get

 

I was just watching TV and there was a priest speaking and I winced a bit, this happened just after my post so I felt a bit hypocritical. But I guess I have bigger problems with the catholic church than believing as a whole. for art like this and Ultralight Beam etc. I can disagree at a base level (beginning of How Great) but obviously religion and god has a huge impact on Chance and has helped him be in a happy and warm place which outweighs my personal thoughts on religion and god.

 

Yeah that's exactly what I'm thinking. Maybe because of hip hop and r&b's ties to gospel music and soul?

 

As someone who was raised catholic but it non-religious (the internet has made me hate the atheist connotation), I understand the themes even if I don't, I guess, personally follow them. However, kind of like how @Owlex said, I can relate to and appreciate the happiness, optimism, love, etc. Chance feels despite not really relating to their cause.

Also I'm interested in and enjoy religious imagery so theres that. And unless an artist is using their beliefs to defend or promote a hateful agenda, then faith isn't really something that affects my enjoyment. This is ramble-y.

 

Most likely, although I bet that you wouldn't find most of us praising this album (myself included) specifically seeking out Gospel music or music with overtly religious messages. I fuck with the fact that Chance can spread the message he wants to people who normally wouldn't seek it out, and no one is faulting him for that. Like, he performed a gospel song on Fallon the other night, that's crazy to think about.

 

Echoing all of the praise for this. Can't wait to listen to this all Summer. Feels like he is improving in almost every aspect of his game with this. Great flows and singing.

 

I'm thinking it has to do with the presentation, if that makes sense at all. I'm kinda thinking out loud as I go so apologies in advance, but I think it's because a lot of Christian Rock bands are so unbelievably in-your-face about it and put off a "holier than thou" persona because of it but most hip hop/R&B artists (and a lot of rock/post hardcore/whatever as well) put it in an "I'm just trying my best, I understand we're all flawed and this is what helps me in my life" way. It is an interesting point, because you're right that there seems to be a strange double standard to it, maybe that's the root? I don't know

 

That's actually a really good point. I'm loving every second of this but I don't think I'd want to hear a Christian rock band now. But I think that stems a lot from when I was younger and struggling with faith, the church in Ireland and who I am as I was real into Christian rocks bands back then so that brings me back to that place,a darker more hateful place.

And what TableFlip said

 

its nice to find meaning in someone else expressing how they found their own

 

Really enjoyed this on first listen. It's different, which I like, and the beats are freaking awesome.

 

I also think that my aversion to religious music has a lot to do with all of the hate and bigotry and closemindedness that came with the religion I was learning. Like, the topic of Fate vs. Faith came up in my class last week in regards to Romeo and Juliet and my 8th grade started talking about things that they don't necessarily vibe with in regards to the bible, and they all pointed out that the religion teacher basically tells them that they are sinning if they doubt their faith or question anything. That can fuck a kid up. Like a kid told me he wasn't that religious because his family wasn't and it was causing him to question whether or not he was a good person. Horrible shit.

I think, regardless of whether or not you believe in a god or religion or whatever, Chance does a great job of keeping it positive without all of the other nonsense. The struggle part of it is also something I enjoy as well, how he can switch attitudes or ideas within his music and still keep that positivity. I feel like my only exposure to Christian oriented rock have all been cheeseball songs that only focus on praise or thanks without grounding it in personal experience, which he does well. Saying thank you and you're great a bunch is one thing, ground it in how you were saved or changed or why you believe or why you're thankful, which Chance seems to do here. I'm probably generalizing a lot of Christian music and I apologize since I know this site has a pretty large following, that's just been my own ignorant exposure to it.

 

Yeah 9 or so years of Sunday school, it wasn't (at least in my experience) wasn't really the most promoting place for critical thinking in that way. I was confused and conflicted a lot about that in middle school, weird times.

 

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