In an interview with XXL magazine in 2014, Chance the Rapper pointed out the complex relationship between rap music and profits. He argued:
“I don’t think selling [songs] is the right way to do it. It’s more about spreading it… And once this bohemian community really, fully [develops], the value of music will go up. There’s no iTunes without artists. There’s no radio without artists. There’s no art without artists.”
It’s not clear which community—Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, young hip hop artists, “bohemians,” or unsigned musicians in general – benefits the most from the release of Chance and Donny Trumpet’s completely free record, Surf. But a lot of people, including the critics, agree on its value. Watch the video for Chance’s gospel-inflected love song to his grandma, “Sunday Candy.”
