Chance The Rapper's 25 Favorite Albums

Chance The Rapper has become the toast of hip-hop over a very short time. A year ago, he was known primarily as a regional star in the Chicago area, as his #10Day tape built buzz below the national radar. But with the release of this year's Acid Rap, Chicago's most dexterous talent has exploded on the national scene, opening for some of hip-hop's biggest stars like Macklemore, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. 

The latter two artists have definitely been influential on the rapper's style—you can hear Em in his delivery and the way his flow sometimes goes on extended metaphorical flights of fancy, and his good kid in a drill city approach can't help but be compared to Lamar. But he's a child of the internet age, and his influences are as diverse as those of any music obsessive. Listening to Acid Rap never feels like a history lesson; instead, exploring the many strands of musical DNA that makes up its overall sound becomes an exploration of the artist's personality and taste.

We spoke with Chance The Rapper about the multitude of artists who've had an impact on hip-hop's rookie of the year. From hip-hop classics to indie to street rap to R&B legends, Chance's favorite performers are a diverse example of cornucopia of styles available to anyone who grew up post-Napster. Here are Chance The Rapper's 25 Favorite Albums.

RELATED: Chance The Rapper Covers Complex's October/November 2013 Issue!
RELATED: Chance The Rapper: "Acid Test" (2013 Cover Story) 
RELATED: Iggy Azalea Covers Complex's October/November 2013 Issue! 

Label: Epic

Chance The Rapper: "The greatest album by the greatest entertainer of all time."

Label: Epic

Chance The Rapper: "The reason why this was hot as hell was because of all the amazing singles."

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Priority

Chance The Rapper: "The most hungry Jay Z I've ever heard."

Label: Ruffhouse, Columbia

Chance The Rapper: "For obvious reasons, but specifically because of 'Zion.' It was basically like the most beautiful resignation letter I've ever read, ya know?"

Label: Hidden Beach

Chance The Rapper: "That 'The Roots (Interlude)' was my favorite shit to sing in the hallway when I was a shorty."

Label: Cheeba Sound, Virgin

Chance The Rapper: "This is where I got my musicality from."

Label: Aftermath, Interscope, Shady

Chance The Rapper: "Where I got my flow from."

Label: Jive

Chance The Rapper: "'Fiesta,' 'Feelin On Yo Booty,' 'I Wish.' Like come on g."

Label: Roc-A-Fella

Chance The Rapper: "The most tactical Jay Z."

Label: LaFace, Arista

Chance The Rapper: "It was 3 Stacks, saying he was 3 Stacks, and it was the last time he had to say it."

Label: Aftermath, Interscope, Shady

Chance The Rapper: "He only had hits, 50 owned the 2000s."

Label: Getting Out Our Dreams, Sony Urban Music, Columbia

Chance The Rapper: "A complete paradigm in soul and R&B and a classic."

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "First album I ever owned."

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "The perfect example of a perfect album."

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "It taught me how to make songs for live shows."

Label: Roc Nation

Chance The Rapper: "Jay Z came back hard with a new sound, awesome collaborations."

Label: Maybach Music Group, Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "Best production selection for a hip-hop album in years and years."

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "It taught me that visuals were very important in creating a successful album."

Label: N/A

Chance The Rapper: "He's the new Prince, nooooo gas."

Label: ATLAS, A&M, Polydor

Chance The Rapper: "Completely new sounds. The vocal layering is something I'm trying to master myself."

Label: Def Jam

Chance The Rapper: "Probably the album I listened to most during the making of Acid Rap and also a great example of a musician helping to redefine a genre."