As a newlywed myself, it is completely understandable to get lost in the post-marital bliss, but as with any young newlyweds, it is realized that marriage is work. Not just a little work, but hard work. The kind of hard work that only comes with maturity. Communication, compromise, adjustments, self-improvement, tense moments, and hard conversations, are all things that you will have to work through in a marriage. The hard work is worth everything in the end, as it is these tough moments that make the foundation of a marriage sturdier and infinitely long lasting. Let Chance the Rapper tell it on his album, Big Day, and he will explain marriage is nothing but unicorns, lollipops, and a big chocolate river filled with multi-colored candy. On March 9, 2019, Chance The Rapper dived into the ultimate commitment with his wife Kirsten Corley, and judging by the tracks on his official full-length debut Big Day, the sanctity of marriage was the outstanding theme.
In a music industry filled with polyamorous situations, braggadocios sexual conquests, and hot girl and city boy summers, there isn’t much for us monogamous married folks to relate to, however although Big Day is an ode to marriage, I couldn’t find myself relating too much to it at all. Thematically, sonically, and lyrically, the whole project felt like a disingenuous attempt at proving he has reached moral flawlessness. “Found A Good One (Single No More)”, starts off with “Let me tell y’all musty crusties something,” and then he proceeds to say how he has found himself a good one and is definitely “single no more.” The SWV sample was a definitely a refreshing step in the nostalgic direction. The Hip House production, and the Chicago nod to juke music at the end of the track stayed true to his Windy City roots, but still felt like a track that would have been better suited for a less official project.
“Hot Shower” is the “get lit” and twerk track of the album, but it even fails in the category of fun rap because the bars are nonsensical. Not even funny nonsensical like a Blueface verse, but they might be some of the corniest bars ever uttered on an album. Lines like “I don’t wanna sit and argue, Good Burger shoulda taught you we all dudes.” I’m sorry, what? DaBaby and MadeinTYO prove much better efforts on the track, but it still falls short as a tune deserving of the replay button.
Chance is essentially the overly optimistic, sensationalist Spongebob, while us in the rest of the world are all Squidward looking down at him with slight annoyance from our Easter Island heads while we struggle to find the right notes on our clarinets. “Is having a perfect relationship and being one with God really this disgustingly easy?” we think to ourselves. While hyperactive positivity is needed, it isn’t entirely realistic, especially when talking about something as multi-dimensional and layered as spending your life with one person while simultaneously finding yourself as an individual. Doubts, insecurity, and overthought are all things that you will experience, and that is okay. These are the things that make a relationship and love real. These are things I’m learning and finding out everyday as I continue this wonderfully beautiful journey with my wife. While Chance painted marital imagery of the blissful part it would be nice to here more of the vulnerable sides that more of us could relate to.
Rating: 5.0/10
