Full disclosure, Chris Crack was this author’s most listened to artist of 2019. That’s not a flex, since I knew rather little about the enigmatic Chicago figure until recently, besides the fact that he was an underground critical darling who was worthy of his online accolades. He keeps a pretty low profile, standing in stark contrast to his sporadically prolific output, with releases coming in short bursts, almost like when Curren$y goes on a mixtape run (more on that later*). Sometimes it feels like his projects are nearly indistinguishable, but they often compete with each other for playing time. Chris has a nasally, smooth-talking delivery, often spit over lightly warped soul and 70s jazz samples, with clever song titles that have layered meanings and lyrics that follow suit. He’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek, hinting at or mocking broader rap trends while still remaining true to his experiences and viewpoint. That authentic balance lies at the core of Chris Crack’s appeal.
He’s received plentiful acclaim throughout his career, notably when 2016’s collab mixtape with Vic Spencer Who the Fuck is Chris Spencer?? earned him some Earl Sweatshirt comparisons as an innovative lyricist on the brink of emergence. He hasn’t yet broken through the mainstream consciousness in a major way, partly because he’s cagey and moderately highbrow. Some of his references can be obscured by multiple meanings, or it’s an inside joke that you were never meant to understand. A lot of his songs are short, interspersed with oddball vocal samples, and can switch up tone at the drop of a hat, like every track on 2018’s Just Gimme a Minute. The way he reworks the Janet Jackson sample from Kendrick’s “Poetic Justice” on “Goals Only Exist in Soccer” is an accurate encapsulation of what you can expect from every Chris Crack project.
Chris now dons an even more sarcastic, self-aware, half-winking perspective -- recently quoted, he offered up “I would describe my music as big girls and BBQ sauce.” White People Love Algorithms only lightly reflects that sentiment but stays true to form, continuing to be more focused without sacrificing attitude. He again admirably re-appropriates familiar samples like on “Wingman of the Year,” which you may recognize from Curren$y’s “Hi Top Whites.” (*Searching for this track inspired me to start compiling the best three-mixtape runs of Curren$y’s discography. Stay tuned.) Chris’ style feels thoroughly effortless at times, like he could write a banger mainstream single if only he felt like it. He can flaunt crowd-pleasing tendencies like the semi-autotuned crooning and piano found on “Marshall Law.” It may be stripped down, but the production shines in its simplicity and execution; it’s subdued to let the samples and rapping shine. “Chipped My Teeth While Eating Pussy” has to be a subtle Chasing Amy reference, and it’s strangely dark, like R&B played underwater.
The infectious Weeknd-esque chorus on “Baby Hair Check” is a little cryptic, as a lot of his lyrics are -- “now I’m feeling all her vibes / I just want her money, I don’t care about her time / that’s just by design.” On “Bad Bitch Big Folks,” he esoterically raps “you can’t be the best and have a day job; this is State Farm.” We also find bars like “find the moments of happiness and you never leave it, there’s too many demons / Being Woke Ain’t Fun I’m trying not to see it,” referencing his own album from 2018, one of four that he released that year. It’s only lightly meta.
Chris is out on his own limb to be certain, but his music is more accessible than you might expect. I’d consider this review less of a discussion of a single project and more of a coronation of Chris Crack’s approach and overall body of work. He might not please everyone, but give me another example of an artist who can hold your attention across five full-length releases in an eight month period. All of his records are compelling in their own ways, but are also part of a larger arc that deserves to be experienced in its entirety. And he works closely with a lot of other names who more than worth exploring in equal depth -- Vic Spencer, U.G.L.Y. Boy Modeling, frequent collaborator Cutta. He also runs adjacent to other underground branches; see NYC underdog Your Old Droog showing up on “Todo Roasado.” I can’t imagine Chris Crack will be falling out of my rotation anytime soon; White People Love Algorithms is a noteworthy addition to the catalog, but I would direct newcomers to last year’s exquisite Pretty N*ggas Only. Somehow, we never even got around to mentioning his New Deal Crew.
Released April 19th, 2020. Reviewed May 29th, 2020.
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