Gospel-Soul Rap
tagStarted 2016Peak 2016-2019Last big hit still active
Located in 3 routes
Rap soaked in Chicago gospel and classic soul: children's choirs, brass led by live trumpet, organ and praise-break hooks lift bars about faith, family and gratitude. Auto-tuned, joyful and sample-rich rather than doctrinal, it sets church textures in modern hip-hop, with the choir's lift doing as much work as the rapper's verse.
History
Defined by Chance the Rapper's 'Coloring Book' (2016), built with The Social Experiment, Donnie Trumpet, the Chicago Children's Choir and gospel icon Kirk Franklin as hype-man. The first stream-only project to chart on the Billboard 200, it won Best Rap Album at the 2017 Grammys and proved gospel-soul textures could top hip-hop without preaching.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- No Problem — Chance the Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 ChainzSpotifyYouTube
- Blessings — Chance the Rapper feat. Jamila WoodsSpotifyYouTube
- How Great — Chance the Rapper feat. Jay Electronica & My Cousin NicoleSpotifyYouTube
- All We Got — Chance the Rapper feat. Kanye West & Chicago Children's ChoirSpotifyYouTube
- Finish Line / Drown — Chance the Rapper feat. T-Pain, Kirk Franklin, Eryn Allen Kane & NonameSpotifyYouTube
- Sunday Candy — Donnie Trumpet & The Social ExperimentSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coloring_Book_(mixtape)
- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/chance-the-rappers-coloring-book-is-a-gospel-rap-masterpiece-160856/
- https://www.thefader.com/2016/05/19/kirk-franklin-gospel-hip-hop-chance-the-rapper