On April 30, 2013, a 20 year old Chance the Rapper released ‘Acid Rap’ as a free mixtape via DatPiff, at a time when projects outside the label system were rarely treated as full artistic statements. It would go on to surpass one million downloads, earn widespread critical acclaim, and later debut on the Billboard 200 years after its release once it finally reached streaming services. Constructed with producers and musicians tied closely to Chicago, including Peter Cottontale, the tape blends live instrumentation with hip-hop, soul, and jazz influence, often abandoning traditional song structure. Tracks like “Cocoa Butter Kisses” and “Juice” established its reach, while “Acid Rain” and “Paranoia” introduced a more introspective and uneasy tone beneath the surface. The album cover comes from a candid photograph taken in Austin, Texas during SXSW in March 2013. The image was shot by Brandon Breaux, the Chicago-based visual artist who shaped much of Chance the Rapper’s early visual iden...