What I Wish Kanye Was Still Rapping About: Chance the Rapper’s “Paranoia” (Listen) Posted by Nathan S. on 05/07/13 | Filed under Top Stories, Chance the Rapper

At this point I'm betting you've already listened to Chance the Rapper's "Acid Rap" - if not, you really should. And as anyone who's at least perused the tape knows, one of the most memorable moments comes in the form of "Paranoia", a track that on the mixtape is tacked onto the end of "Pusha Man", but today is finally receiving some separate attention.

The beat by electronic producer Nosaj Thing is absolutely excellent, but it's really the lyrics here that have kept me coming back. Given everything that's been happening in Chicago over the last few years, I legitimately think these are some of the most important lines I've heard in a minute. It's exactly the kind of shit I wish Kanye was still saying:

"They merking kids, they murder kids here
Why you think they don't talk about it? They deserted us here
Where the fuck is Matt Lauer at? Somebody get Katie Couric in here
Probably scared of all the refugees, look like we had a fucking hurricane here
They be shooting whether it's dark or not, I mean the days is pretty dark a lot
Down here it's easier to find a gun than it is to find a fucking parking spot
No love for the opposition, specifically a cop position,
Cause they've never been in our position."

Now that's what hip-hop was meant to be. And as long as we're here, if you're interested in the topic, I highly recommend Gotty's latest article, and this incredible piece by This American Life.

The track is below the "making of" video, enjoy...

See Also:  Read Our Album Review of Chance the Rapper’s “Acid Rap” Now
See Also:  The Immersion: Hearing Screams With Chance the Rapper