Chance The Rapper Shines Again on Late Night With Stephen Colbert
Too many lines to quote, but one of my favorites is "the automatic quarterback that doesn't rap." How many of you played those playground football games with auto-QB? That brought back some memories...
But to the main point, Chance has kind of made it a habit of taking new material to live television. Last night he did it again, going back to old friend and collaborator Stephen Colbert and "The Late Show".
Chance performed a new and as yet untitled song last night, and was joined by Daniel Caesar on vocals and guitar (along with Nico, Stix, and Peter Cottontale from SOX, as well as background vocalists). The new song is very deserving of a breakdown, and I feel will continue to reveal its meaning with continued listens.
On surface, and after a couple listens, I believe the overarching theme to be the sacrifices Chance has had to make in order to achieve success as an artist. At one point, the dream of success and stardom was far off, and the sacrifices may have seemed small or absolutely necessary and wanted. In the second verse, he references skipping his prom, something he did to perform at former street wear store, AKIN.
While missing high school dances is significant, it pales in comparison to leaving your daughter for tour, being asked for autographs at church, and losing time with friends and families. The demands are intense. And it is clear that there is burnout and times of exhaustion. One of the earliest lines in the record sees Chance admit that he needs a nap.
But what I also hear in the song is a continued determination, not just on the quest to stardom but in fighting for justices and the importance of the community work that Chance has taken up. We can't just use our couches as safety nets. Throughout the hook, Chance puts his feelings of burnout in perspective of other issues - First World Problems as he sings in the refrain. The continued battle against police brutality, school funding, gay rights definitely put over eager autograph seekers in perspective.
The performance was dope, and I am looking forward to digging further into the new song.
Before the performance, Chance also talked to Colbert about Social Works and the Second Chance Fund, which he announced at the beginning of September. The fund will be giving money to specific public schools and help with initiatives in art, music, science, and math. He also talked about his faith, organizing and action over politics, and disclosed that he wrote the new record on Saturday. Originally he was going to perform "Grown Ass Kid", but had to switch it up last minute. I think the change worked out well, and I'm looking forward to more new music from Chance. He said he's in the studio cooking up YAMMERS!
[Video] St. Vincent Performs On 'The Colbert Report'
St. Vincent AKA Annie Clark just released her eccentric fourth full-length, self-titled record, St. Vincent. Clark is exploding out of herself, bringing her strange, yet dazzling sound to new levels.
St. Vincent performed some of her new material after a comical and informative interview with Stephen Colbert. Colbert asked about "getting" the new album, highlighted Clark's genius, and commented on her Einstein-style hair-do.
Check out St. Vincent performing "Birth In Reverse," below and download the track for free here.
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[Video] Pussy Riot Visits The Colbert Report
One of the biggest stories to hit the international registry over the past few years was the jailing of the all-woman punk rock band Pussy Riot by the Russian government in early March following a wild punk-inspired protest at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. The court case garnered international attention as the world's focus narrowed on human rights abuses by the Kremlin, making the three imprisoned Pussy Riot members international celebrities in the process.
Russia is again in the spotlight as of late, the twenty-second running of the Winter Olympic games begins in Sochi, Russia in just two days. On December 23, 2013, the last two members of Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, were released from prison. The release was viewed by many as a public relations move for the regime, plagued by allegations of human rights abuses towards women and homosexuals, as well as several explosions that rocked train stations near the site of the games last month. Upon her release, Alyokhina said to the New York Times, "I think this is an attempt to improve the image of the current government, a little, before the Sochi Olympics — particularly for the Western Europeans. But I don't consider this humane or merciful. This is a lie." Tolokonnikova added, "Whether one likes it or not, going to the Olympics in Russia is an acceptance of the internal political situation in Russia, an acceptance of the course taken by a person who is interested in the Olympics above all else — Vladimir Putin." The trio, who have vowed to not perform musically anymore, appeared last night on The Colbert Report to discuss their experiences and what's next for them and Russia proper. Watch the video below.
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