Over the last 4 years, Chance The Rapper has been doing something that many have tried to do across the world, but haven’t been quite as successful at doing, if they are successful at all; That is having mainstream impact and presence while being 100% independent. That statement is beyond making it on billboard or having your song played by every major DJ and or radio station. Why? Because in 2016, some of your favorite rappers who are independent have major label distribution that they don’t highlight, because right now, it’s “not cool to be backed by the machine”. Artist aren’t showing up to radio stations with major label reps for no reason. That rep is an extension of why that record is getting played, why you can buy that album online or in store and why that “Independent Artist” is added on some of the major tours of the summer whether the music matches sonically or not. It’s not a bad thing, but we live in era where people are more concerned about “the look” than “the truth” or “good product”. The one thing that maintains it’s look and is very real, is the rising and revolutionary rap career of Chance The Rapper.

Chance is the one artist right now without a major distributor and without Rocnation managing him that is getting more mainstream music moments than a vast majority of the artist with major distribution or on Rocnation. While there are arguably better lyricist, songwriters and even legends getting shelved, dropped or waiting for a release date, Chance and his team have managed to drop 4 projects, in 4 years, for free and still be seen on iHeart Fest, Drake and Future’s tour, Lollapalooza, The Bad Boy Reunion tour, The VMA’s and perform on Ellen within 1 summer. The last Indie artist that we seen capable of doing that, was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and that was fueled by a machine once “Thrift Shop” and 2 other singles made Top 40 Radio’s hourly rotation.

In the midst of all this, Chance cooked up his own music festival, The Magnificent Coloring Day and reciprocated support for the other soon to be annual music festival, #AAHHFest, both based in Chicago, which will not only help the music scene soon, it changes the stigma of the entire city to the people that only know how good or bad Chicago is based on the last article they’ve read.

Why is this Revolutionary?
Chance has yet to sell 1 copy of any album
Chance has no phyical copies of his music
Chance is 4 projects deep but mainstream media is treating Coloring Book like a debut album
Every Chance co-sign has been organic and used to make that person look cool for knowing who Chance is
Chance had one of the biggest records of 2016 and only his team and his fans can take credit for it’s success [No Problem with 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne]
A group of people with both industry knowledge and foresight are making this happen
RapperRadio.com

Let’s not forget a very important thing in all this. Chance isn’t pushing the “street n***a that had to hustle and start rapping” story that has severely oversaturated the rap music scene and is the primary reason why people are saying “rap doesn’t sell”. Chance is being who he is and creating a sound that feels so different from the rest of the music out, it’s serving up big W’s. In layman’s terms; Chance has won more than every rapper that has tried to sound like Future, Young Thug and Gucci Mane this year.

I don’t want to make it sound so easy, cause it’s not. I just want to make it seem possible, cause it is. Save Money is possibly the greatest team in music business right now in the realm of rap. And with the right team and of course a great financial resource, an artist career can take monumental leaps. No rapper is prospering at the level Chance is with a few hundred thousand in “drug money” by themselves or with just their “music industry ignorant day ones” around. Stop believing that. You got to spend and know how to spend right to survive quarter to quarter.

Chance doesn’t have to be your favorite rapper, but if you want to be in this changing music industry as an Independent artist, you better pay attention. Im my humble opinion, Chance and Save Money are the only team worth signing to right now if you do rap music. It’s going to take a few years to see just how far ahead of the curve they are.