Earlier this year at Laneway Festival in Melbourne, I was standing to the front left of Vic Mensa’s set under violent sun-rays. Sometime after Mensa King Kong’ed up the scaffolding and the pasty part in my French braids got so hot I had to cower under my hand, he dropped ‘Cocoa Butter Kisses’. As soon as the organ began quivering the priorly passive crowd lost their fucking minds. Every lyric was blasted back at the stage and by the time we got to the line “Tonight she’s just yelling “fuck me”, two weeks she’ll be yelling “fuck me””, Vic stopped rapping and revelled in the love. It was my favourite moment of the festival, even with the sunburnt scalp.

Artists whose songs can translate into that level of euphoria without them even being there aren’t common. Acid Rap is the best debut album in recent memory and it was issued before the dust of 10 Day had even settled. Since then Chance’s collaborations have been legion. Just yesterday he was on his “Lil Wayne ’08” when he threw down this gem:

It proves that the tender, bratty thug that captivated us two years ago is still intact, and that when he drops Surf next week, he’ll be providing us with another classic album to lose our minds over at festivals. In case you missed that, Chance is dropping Surf next week.

Last night at Michigan State University concert he announced to the crowd that the album would be out within the week. We don’t have official, water tight confirmation yet but Twitter seems to agree:

 

 

If you have any doubt that Surf is going to be huge just check out Chance’s remix of Jeremih’s ‘Planes’ with Lido & The Social Experiment. It stacked a million Soundcloud plays in three days.

More Chance The Rapper

Watch: Action Bronson and Chance The Rapper performing ‘Baby Blue’ on The Late Show with David Letterman
Watch: Chance The Rapper stars in short film – ‘Mr. Happy’
Listen: Nosaj Thing – ‘Cold Stares’ (Feat. Chance The Rapper)