Why 2015 Will Be Chance The Rapper's Biggest Year Yet

Chance’s next album Surf will be "the first Social Experiment project" guided by Chance, Peter Cottontale, Greg "Stix" Landfair Jr. and Donnie Trumpet. Like Acid Rap, Surf will be available for free. Unlike Acid Rap, however, Surf is not a rap album, nor is it a Chance the Rapper release, but rather a soulful, long-form group effort recorded in both Chicago and LA.

Chance has made it clear that Surf is Donnie Trumpet’s project, telling Billboard, "It's a big step for all of us all putting our heads together and letting Nico [Segal, a.k.a Donnie Trumpet] hold the reigns and carry it." Chance may be the face of the group, but he does not want to be known as the group's frontman.

Chance has maintained that all of the band members are working on solo material, so any rumors of collaboration apply to Chance’s as-yet untitled solo album as well as the Social Experiment. That being said, details about Chance’s album are largely rumored features and many of the names are the same who may or may not have contributed to Surf. Chance has multiple projects that have yet to see the light of day, including a collaborative EP with Childish Gambino.

Now, keep in mind: Chance The Rapper still hasn't released an official album. Acid Rap was a free mixtape, and even that charted because of illegal bootleg copies on iTunes. If Chance can chart through bootleg copies of a free mixtape, just imagine the impact he could have with an official release.

Whether it be the Lion King or the influence of Chance's friend Donald Glover, the Social Experiment's output has been dramatically inspired. It comes as no surprise, then, that the first visual from the album would be theater-influenced; the short teaser video, titled “Nothing Came To Me” stars supermodel Cara Delevigne as an actress who receives some troubling news right before she takes the stage. The short was written by Francis Starlite of Francis and the Lights, whom Chance has credited as being a “big help on Surf” and directed by Jake Schreier, who collaborated with Starlite on the film Robot & Frank.

Chance told Billboard that he is “not so focused on making a radio hit," continuing, "I'm more focused on making great pieces. I think of "No Better Blues" as a piece and "Arthur" as a piece. In my mind, I never really have to drop a project. I never really feel inclined to.” This could explain why singles from the album have been few and far between.

Acid Rap made excellent use of cultural touchstones, from the Kiwi Mystic on "Smoke Again" to the fabricated Rugrat named Timmy on "Cocoa Butter Kisses." This cultural savvy will continue to be a presence in Chance's output, if his recent releases are anything to go by.

The Social Experiment’s goal, according to Chance, is the “peaceful and positive extension" of a “real, grungy aesthetic.” Chance has continued to draw inspiration from nostalgic pop culture, including the Social Experiment's cover of the Arthur theme song, live covers of Coldplay’s “Fix You”, and repeated viewings (and Instagrams) of the Lion King musical.

The Broadway influence will presumably extend to the Social Experiment’s live show, which will include the Social Experiment as a live band, “stage blocking, choreography, video. Even puppets.” Chance also told GQ that the theatrical experience “is a lot about exclusivity” and “creating a space that you can only see in the moment.”

Over the years, Chance has become a staple at festivals and big stages across the country, and as he puts more emphasis on the live band, he could develop into one of the best performers in hip-hop.

Chance The Rapper’s collaborative streak has led to a slew of artists dropping by the Social Experiment’s studio sessions, with Chance telling Billboard: “We worked with Migos. We worked with J. Cole. We did some work with Emily King just last week. Somebody who helped us out a lot with just getting into the project was Rick Rubin. And Frank Ocean.”

The Fader also reported a feature on Surf from fellow Chicagoan Noname Gypsy, who appeared on Acid Rap, and rising Atlanta artist Raury. While Chance's idea for a "compound" project with James Blake may have fallen through, GQ has reported that Ocean and J.Cole are to appear Chance’s debut album, as well as the ever-elusive Andre 3000. And these are only the collabs we know about.

The Social Experiment is a band, so Chance's contributions to Surf will have to be parsed out by listeners. The band will not be indicating which tracks Chance contributed to as a rapper, but some of his contributions will be even more subtle: he also acted as a producer on many of the album's tracks.

Chance has been flexing his creativity in other ways too, voice acting for Adult Swim show Black Dynamite, for example. As Chance becomes a more well-rounded creative, we're sure to see him expressing himself in different ways. Chance the Rapper is definitely not "just" a rapper.

As far as songwriting goes, Chance has been drawing on experience working with and writing for other artists. He told Billboard, “I have my own stuff that I've been working on and I've been producing for other artists and writing for other artists and writing with other artists. So all that shit is an influence. There's so many different genres being covered and being created every time we start on something. I'm just so much more focused on creating an atmosphere with each song. I'm working on each song as a project in itself.”