By Trey Alessio
As I listened through Big Sean’s new album, “I Decided,” and reached the eleventh song, a light bulb clicked on above my head. The gospel vibes belted through my headphones and Sean rapped, “Thanking God for all my setbacks, ‘cause he the reason I’m able to get back.” It instantly became my favorite song from the album, but the theme and message sounded eerily familiar.
Flashback to February 2016: Kanye West finally dropped “The Life of Pablo” after the sloppiest album rollout in the history of music. If you recall the first song from that album, “Ultralight Beam,” it evoked a similar chord in me. I wanted to go to church and turn up. The music was beautiful, the melodies were beautiful and the message was beautiful. The song also featured Chance the Rapper—the MVP of 2016 and the man who took gospel rap to another level.
Super sim to May 2016: Chance the Rapper dropped “Coloring Book”—an album/mixtape/project/whatever you want to call a collection of songs filled with church-friendly raps and more gospel vibes. The song that most exemplifies this is the first “Blessings.” Chance rapped, “When the praises go up, the blessings come down.” Again, I wanted to go to church and turn up, but where have I heard something like that before? It kind of followed the same premise I heard when Big Sean rapped, “Feel like I sent the prayers up and got blessed back,” on “Sunday Morning Jetpack.” I think there’s a connection here.
Flashback to February 2016: Kanye West finally dropped “The Life of Pablo” after the sloppiest album rollout in the history of music. If you recall the first song from that album, “Ultralight Beam,” it evoked a similar chord in me. I wanted to go to church and turn up. The music was beautiful, the melodies were beautiful and the message was beautiful. The song also featured Chance the Rapper—the MVP of 2016 and the man who took gospel rap to another level.
Super sim to May 2016: Chance the Rapper dropped “Coloring Book”—an album/mixtape/project/whatever you want to call a collection of songs filled with church-friendly raps and more gospel vibes. The song that most exemplifies this is the first “Blessings.” Chance rapped, “When the praises go up, the blessings come down.” Again, I wanted to go to church and turn up, but where have I heard something like that before? It kind of followed the same premise I heard when Big Sean rapped, “Feel like I sent the prayers up and got blessed back,” on “Sunday Morning Jetpack.” I think there’s a connection here.
Kanye West started this gospel rap theme with “Ultralight Beam,” but my heart of hearts tells me that Chance the Rapper rubbed off on Kanye more so than the other way around. Weird, right? But where does Big Sean fit in to the scenario?
I think Kanye, Chance and Sean are connected in this Bermuda Triangle of gospel rap, which is pretty ironic because this is also known as the “Devil’s Triangle.” Am I crazy or am I on to something? Let’s explore further.
While Kanye West isn’t the head of G.O.O.D. Music anymore, he still is the label’s biggest and most popular artist. Who else is signed to G.O.O.D. Music? Big Sean. But then where does Chance fit in?
Chance the Rapper has been very outspoken about Kanye West trying to sign him but declining his offer in order to pave the way for independent artists. Chance is also from Chicago—the same birthplace as Kanye. So Chance rubs off on Kanye who rubs off on label mate Big Sean. Don’t let it go over your head.
I think Kanye, Chance and Sean are connected in this Bermuda Triangle of gospel rap, which is pretty ironic because this is also known as the “Devil’s Triangle.” Am I crazy or am I on to something? Let’s explore further.
While Kanye West isn’t the head of G.O.O.D. Music anymore, he still is the label’s biggest and most popular artist. Who else is signed to G.O.O.D. Music? Big Sean. But then where does Chance fit in?
Chance the Rapper has been very outspoken about Kanye West trying to sign him but declining his offer in order to pave the way for independent artists. Chance is also from Chicago—the same birthplace as Kanye. So Chance rubs off on Kanye who rubs off on label mate Big Sean. Don’t let it go over your head.
CREDIT: Live Science
The Bermuda Triangle is known for a number of aircraft and ships to have mysteriously gone missing. Well, it’s kind of like our Bermuda Triangle of gospel rap between Kanye, Chance and Sean—mysterious and easy to overlook, but the irony in this point comes with the fact that these rappers aren’t going into hiding or disappearing. They’re coming out, into the spotlight better than ever.
What else could be misconstrued in the shape of a triangle? Well, the haters will say it’s Illuminati. But I don’t think Kanye West, Chance the Rapper or Big Sean sold their soul to the devil for fame and fortune—quite the opposite actually. I think they’re making it cool to rap about God again. They’re trying to inspire and empower, and it’s working.
“Ultralight Beam” is a Grammy-nominated song, Chance the Rapper is up for seven Grammy awards and Big Sean just dropped the best album in his discography with one of his best songs in “Sunday Morning Jetpack.”
The haters will say it’s Illuminati, but I’ll let you decide for yourself (hence Big Sean’s album title, “I Decided”).
What else could be misconstrued in the shape of a triangle? Well, the haters will say it’s Illuminati. But I don’t think Kanye West, Chance the Rapper or Big Sean sold their soul to the devil for fame and fortune—quite the opposite actually. I think they’re making it cool to rap about God again. They’re trying to inspire and empower, and it’s working.
“Ultralight Beam” is a Grammy-nominated song, Chance the Rapper is up for seven Grammy awards and Big Sean just dropped the best album in his discography with one of his best songs in “Sunday Morning Jetpack.”
The haters will say it’s Illuminati, but I’ll let you decide for yourself (hence Big Sean’s album title, “I Decided”).
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