Tag: Chance the Rapper

WoSo Remix: Chance the Rapper and Chicago Red Stars

Posted on by RJ Allen

This is part three of a three-part series. [Part 1, Part 2]

**DISCLAIMER**

Yes, this is a women’s soccer article referencing a rap album. Yes, there is foul language. Yes, this is your Parental Advisory.

Back in August, Backline Soccer published Part One of this WoSo Remix series featuring Chance The Rapper and the Chicago Red Stars. On the Friday before the Grammys, we published Part Two to recognize his multiple nominations.  And finally, in honor of Chance The Rapper’s recent three Grammy wins (Best Rap Performance, Best New Artist, Best Rap Album), we present the third and final installment of WoSo Remix: Chance The Rapper and Chicago Red Stars.

If you’re into music, you may have heard of the recent Grammy winning Chicago native, Chance the Rapper. If you’re into women’s pro soccer, you may have heard of the Chicago Red Stars. If you’re blessed to be a Chicagoan, you’ve heard of both these things. If you’re not, you can download Chance’s new mixtape for free.

 

WHY WOMEN’S SOCCER & HIP HOP?

It’s no secret that athletes are into music. They use it to motivate their workouts and hype up game days. Here at Backline Soccer, we’re into a whole bunch of cool shit like WoSo, tacos, and music. So when Chance The Rapper dropped that mix-tape, I immediately downloaded it like the loyal Chicagoan I am. It was released back in May, about a month after the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off its historic 4th season.

Similar to athletes listening to tunes when they work out, I usually listen to music whenever I do some kind of writing. So it only seemed appropriate to do a review and remix of the mix-tape that has taken the music world by storm with the squad that literally reps Chicago’s notorious stars on its crest, The Chicago Red Stars.  While going through Coloring Book from start to finish, I will be comparing players from this season’s active roster to specific lyrics in its tracks.

**DISCLAIMER 2** 

AGAIN. This album contains a Parental Advisory for Explicit Content. So, chill the fuck out. Also, not all players will be used in this WoSo Remix to the album. Mostly active starters & players from this season to date, with some honorable mentions.

Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book (cover art)

CHANCE THE RAPPER – COLORING BOOK (Tracks 11-14)

HOW GREAT (ft. Nicole Steen & Jay Electronica)
The religious themes and gratitude to God on this album flow through this track. In this song, Chance features his cousin, Nicole Steen, who opens singing the line “How Great is our God.” The song ends with a rap from Jay Electronica, a practicing Muslim, who continues the underlying message of making rhymes to praise faith and growing as an individual.

The lyric “My village raised ‘em a child, come through the crib and its bustin’ You meet anyone from my city, they gon’ say that we cousins” will be remixed for Naperville native, Vanessa DiBernardo. Often in Chicago circles, claiming someone as your ‘Cousin’ or ‘play brother/sister’ is a pretty common term of endearment. Drafted by the Red Stars back in 2014 out of the University of Illinois, DiBernardo has been a staple on Chicago’s roster. Her Chicagoland roots keep her connected to the city, its fans, and the team. Wearing the captain’s armband while Christen Press was away, her play on the field has been crucial to Chicago’s attack.

While DiBernardo hasn’t been named to any senior national team camps (yet), she continues to elevate her game, earning praise from her teammates, coaches, and the media. In 2016, she led all Red Stars players in total minutes (1,787) and assists (7). And this off-season, she reached the Grand Final with Perth Glory Women in Australia’s W-League.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/826172209949335553

*Honorable mentions: Illinois natives, Michele Dalton and Courtney Raetzman. As the backup Goal Keeper, Dalton has had a busy two seasons filling in for Katrina LeBlanc and Alyssa Naeher. Raetzman contributed in her rookie season with six appearances for the Red Stars*

 

SMOKE BREAK (ft. Future)
Chance continues his album with a slower tempo track in “Smoke Break.” He examines the hectic lifestyles he and his fiancée live, frequently unable to spend time with each other. In a similar style to the earlier track “Same Drugs,” Chance uses drugs as a metaphor for time regarding him and his fiancée. Between the birth of their child and his music career, they both deserve a break with one another.

Another personal song for Chance, the lyric “she don’t have time for herself, she putting points on the board, yes” will be remixed for outside back Arin Gilliland.  Gilliland started all 20 games for the Red Stars last season, even after being subbed out of a game with what many assumed was a significant injury. While only in her second season with Chicago, she has already become a key part of the backline for the Red Stars, showing off her pace against forwards like Shea Groom and Alex Morgan. She also came up huge on more than one goal line save in 2016.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/832601537092386817

Although Gilliland recorded no goals for Chicago, it wasn’t from lack of effort, as she posted a 75% SOG rate. Her goals came in the off-season for Australian W-league team Newcastle Jets, where she recorded a hat trick during a game against Sydney FC.

 

FINISH LINE/DROWN (ft. Noname, Eryn Allen Kane, Kirk Franklin, T-Pain)
The longest track on Coloring Book, at just under seven minutes, this track breaks down as two parts of one whole song. In the first part on “Finish Line” Chance raps about his journey and challenges in navigating the music business while trying to release his art to the world. He features several artists on this track, including T-Pain who sings the hook of praise “All my days I prayed and prayed, and now, I see the finish line.”

However, the lyric “LA for 4 months end up leaving right back, I’m in love with my city, Bitch, I sleep in my hat” will be remixed for longtime Red Star, Jen Hoy. Drafted back in 2013 as Chicago’s fourth-round selection, Hoy will enter her fifth season with the Red Stars this year.  She has been a consistent option at forward for the Red Stars during her time on the team, and has 13 goals in her 63 appearances with the club to date. Hoy battled through injury and played with plantar fasciitis for most the 2016 season. In the off-season, she joined other Chicago teammates on the Newcastle Jets in Australia’s W-League and scored five goals.

Part two of this track is “Drown,” which features local Chicago rapper Noname. She continues the trend of recognizing God’s blessings through her own experiences and her mother. The track ends with Kirk Franklin singing a bit of praise as prayer in the form of an outro, even mentioning “So someday Chicago will be free,” and reminds us that Chicago will always see the finish line.

*Honorable Mention: Cara Walls for the lyric “She like my blessing in disguise.” Walls came through as another option at forward while Christen Press was off on national team duty and Hoy nursed her injury. Although she only netted one goal in 2016, it was in the final game of the regular season to help Chicago clinch the 3rd playoff seed.

 

Blessings (Reprise)
For the final track of the album, Chance closes out his mixtape with a reprise of the earlier track “Blessings.” This reprise features a flow from Chance that echoes more like a spoken word prayer than an actual rap. On the track, he reminisces on moments that have led up to this point in his career. He mentions his early struggles and process in making prior mixtapes, literally passing out music, and his later success leading up to the release of Coloring Book.

No matter the lows or the highs, Chance has always been strong in his faith, never wavering from the path he has chosen to navigate for his music being label free. Through his constant efforts in creating his third mixtape, he anticipates the moments in which he can reap the blessings of his hard work. He sings and asks the question, “You got it you got it you got it, it’s coming. So are you ready? Are you ready?”

This lyric will be remixed for all Red Stars fans. From international fans, to supporters’ group Local 134. The years of watching and following this team has led to some special moments, especially recently. Chicago has been trying to build towards something over the last few seasons, and even though they are home to one of the younger teams in NWSL, they made repeat appearances in the NWSL semifinals in 2015 and 2016.

Fans have seen the continued growth of the club over all, from its birth as a WPS franchise to establishing itself as a locally grown, draft-winning, blue collar team. Although the team hasn’t exactly made it the promised land (yet), much of the previous roster is returning for the 2017 season, and several players continued working on their game during the off-season in Australia’s W-League. It’s not surprising that some fans are entering 2017 with a sense of optimism.

https://twitter.com/chicagoredstars/status/829703567275618304

So, are you ready?

You can find season tickets to the Chicago Red Stars here. Chance the Rapper announced a Spring Tour, tickets can be found here.

WoSo Remix: Chance the Rapper and Chicago Red Stars

Posted on by RJ Allen

This is part two of a three-part series. [Part 1]

*DISCLAIMER*

Yes, this is a women’s soccer article referencing a rap album. Yes, there is foul language. Yes, this is your Parental Advisory.

Back in August, Backline Soccer published Part One of a WoSo Remix series featuring Chance the Rapper and the Chicago Red Stars. In honor of Chance the Rapper’s recent groundbreaking SEVEN Grammy nominations for a streaming album, we present Part Two of WoSo Remix: Chance The Rapper and Chicago Red Stars.

If you’re from Chicago and are unfamiliar with hip hop or have been living under some rock the last four years, Chance The Rapper is an artist from the south side of Chicago who has been receiving tons of critical acclaim for his new release, Coloring Book. The album has been nominated for seven Grammys this year. If you haven’t heard it yet, go do yourself a favor and download it. It is free.

 

WHY WOMEN’S SOCCER & HIP HOP?
It’s no secret athletes are into music. They use it to motivate their workouts and hype up game days. Here at Backline Soccer, we’re into a whole bunch of cool shit like WoSo, tacos, and music. So when Chance The Rapper dropped that mix-tape, I immediately downloaded it. It was released back in May 2016, about a month after the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off their historic 4th season.

Like athletes, music usually accompanies me whenever I do any writing. So, it only seemed appropriate to do a review and remix of the mix-tape that has taken the music world by storm with the squad that literally reps Chicago’s notorious stars on its crest, The Chicago Red Stars.  While going through Coloring Book from start to finish, I will be comparing players from the 2016 active roster to specific lyrics in its tracks.

*DISCLAIMER 2*

AGAIN. This album contains a Parental Advisory for Explicit Content. So chill the fuck out. Also, not all players will be used in this WoSo Remix to the album. Mostly active starters & players from this season to date, with some honorable mentions.

 

Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book (cover art)

CHANCE THE RAPPER – COLORING BOOK (Tracks 6-10) 

SAME DRUGS
If you would’ve told me that when I grew up there was going to be a rapper from the south side who would take two of my favorite things – the Peter Pan movie adaption ‘Hook’ and Hip Hop – as inspiration for a song, I’d have called you a terrible person. Turns out I am the terrible person for not realizing this could be possible because Chance does exactly that in this track.

This song–accompanied by somber, yet melodic piano–has Chance reminiscing on former lovers and friends. While using drugs as a metaphor for changing interests and personal evolution, he takes us through the thoughts and processes of realizing that sometimes people just grow apart.

The lines “Where did you go to end up right back here? When did you start to forget how to fly?” have us selecting Stephanie McCaffrey for this remix. McCaffrey was originally drafted by Chicago in 2015 only to be traded to Boston in the same round back, a transaction that brought Danielle Colaprico and Sofia Huerta onto the roster.  Despite having struggled with Boston early in the 2016 season, a mid-season trade brought McCaffrey back to the windy city and her arrival added a spark to the Red Stars offense. In her first three games back with the Red Stars, McCaffrey netted three goals. Welcome back, Hoodrat.

 

MIXTAPE (ft. Young Thug & Lil Yachty)
On this track, Chance invites Young Thug and Lil Yachty to rap along with him on themes about being an independent artist and releasing mixtapes. The freedom that comes from producing your own content, label-free is represented by each of the artists featured on this track.

The lyric “I like my women real tall ayy, type that can really play ball, ayy” will be remixed for Red Stars 2016 rookie Katie Naughton. Standing at 5’10, the Notre Dame draftee proved she could ball. Naughton came up huge in her very first start with Chicago when she was asked to fill the shoes of Julie Johnston against the visiting Alex Morgan and the Orlando Pride.

Naughton held her own and proved to be a viable option as a defensive sub throughout the remainder of the season. During this off-season, Naughton signed with Australian W-League team Adelaide United FC. The defender had a strong presence for AUFC, playing all games for her Australian side this 2016 season.

 

ANGELS (ft. Saba)
This track was released with a video about a month before the entire Coloring Book album dropped. While the entire mixtape showcases Chicago as muse for Coloring Book, this song (and the video) is laced with love for the city Chance calls home. It features SABA (another Chicago grown rapper), lyrics with references to Chief Keef and Kanye West (more Chicago rappers), and shout-outs to locally known urban radio stations WGCI 107.5 (Chicago) and Power 92 (Hammond/Northwest Indiana).

The Red Stars have many local players in Chicagoland natives like Vanessa DiBernardo, Casey Short, and Katie Naughton. However, the lyric “I just had a growth spurt, it done took so long my tippy toes hurt” is what will be remixed for Jersey girl, Danielle Colaprico. Yes, she is listed at 5’3, and yes, she has laughed at herself in regards to her height.

However, it’s hard to ignore Colaprico’s ‘growth spurt’ this past season. She showed no signs of a sophomore slump, and I wrote about her earlier in the season as a mini-fortress. Her strong efforts got the attention of U.S. National team coach Jill Ellis and earned her a national team camp invitation. She joined Katie Naughton in Australia this off-season, and played for Australian W-League team Adelaide United FC.

 

JUKE JAM (ft. Justin Bieber & Towkio)
The track ‘Juke Jam’ comes right in between two tracks that get you moving. Chance reminisces on his youth and the past feelings of a former romantic interest. Spending time at the roller rink, and too young and intimidated to advance the relationship to the next level, he settles for the closeness of a typical Chicago dance move, juking. The ‘slow jam’ of Coloring Book, this song features Justin Bieber singing the smooth hook.

However, it’s the line Towkio echos, “You came with your best friend, came up for the weekend” that will be remixed for Red Stars players Alyssa Mautz and Taylor Comeau. In a national team cycle that saw national teamers leave for friendlies and Olympic duties, both players were often relied upon to come off the bench and help fulfill the role of absent players.

A veteran of the team since the WPSL, Mautz has been a reliable utility player providing depth in the Forward and Midfield roles. Comeau arrived via the Portland Thorns for the 2016 season. The former Thorn scored a game winner for Chicago in a crucial game against Orlando to maintain playoff positioning.

*Honorable mention: Janelle Flaws. The reserve player literally ‘came up for the weekend’ and played 45 minutes against the Washington Spirit. You can find her lighting it up for the Red Stars Reserves, way to go Flaws*

 

ALL NIGHT (ft. Knox Fortune)
‘All Night’ is a bit of a dance track for the Chicago House Heads out there. Historically known as the birthplace of House Music, Chance uses this track to crack jokes at various moments on a night out in Chicago. He pokes fun at his insecurities around his new fame and those around him asking for favors when he’s just trying to have a good time.

The lyric “So back up, back up, I need space now” will be remixed for Sofia Huerta. After a breakout 2015 rookie season that saw her become the secondary goal scorer for Chicago, many fans were looking forward to seeing more production in 2016. Huerta may have got off to a slower start for some, but broke through the scoring barrier in week seven when she was given a bit too much space to score.

Huerta finished the NWSL season strong with seven goals and two assists. This off-season she joined teammates in playing for the Australian W-League team Adelaide United FC and was named Player of the Month for January. She netted eight goals in 12 matches for AUFC.

 

TUNE IN
The Grammy’s will be airing this Sunday, February 12th. You can find the Chicago Red Stars playing at Toyota Park, in Bridgeview, IL.

Check their website for season tickets.

WoSo Remix: Chance The Rapper and Chicago Red Stars

Posted on by RJ Allen

This is the first installment of a three-part series.

*DISCLAIMER*

Yes, this is a women’s soccer article referencing a rap album. Yes, there is foul language. Yes, this is your Parental Advisory.

Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book (cover art)
Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book (cover art)

If you’re from Chicago and are unfamiliar with hip hop or have been living under a rock the last 4 years, Chance The Rapper is an artist from the south side of Chicago who has been receiving tons of critical acclaim for his new release, Coloring Book. If you haven’t heard it yet, go do yourself a favor and download it. It is free.

In Chance’s album, he touches on many of his loves. His Family, his Faith, and his City. Although it holds gospel influences, the tracks throughout the album invite you into his world with native Chicago house music influences and juke beats – all guided by a flow uniquely his own. Seriously, go download it.

 

WHY WOMEN’S SOCCER & HIP HOP?

It’s no secret athletes are into music. They use it to motivate their workouts and hype up game days. Here at Backline Soccer we’re into a whole bunch of cool shit like WoSo, tacos, and music. So when Chance The Rapper dropped that mix-tape, I immediately downloaded it like the loyal Chicagoan I am. It was released back in May, about a month after the National Women’s Soccer League kicked off their historic 4th season.

Similar to athletes, music usually accompanies me whenever I do some kind of writing. So it only seemed appropriate to do a review and remix of the mix-tape that has taken the music world by storm with the squad that literally reps Chicago’s notorious stars on its crest, The Chicago Red Stars.  While going through Coloring Book’s from start to finish, I will be comparing players from this season’s active roster to specific lyrics in its tracks.

ChicagoRedStars

*DISCLAIMER 2*

AGAIN. This album contains a Parental Advisory for Explicit Content. So chill the fuck out. Also, not all players will be used in this WoSo Remix to the album. Mostly active starters and players from this season to date, with some honorable mentions.

CHANCE THE RAPPER – COLORING BOOK

ALL WE GOT (FT. Kanye West & Chicago Children’s Choir) – “AND WE BACK.”  In this track Chance lets us know he’s arrived and yet he’s never really left us. He touches on the moments in his life at the release of his album and introduces the gospel influences we will hear throughout the album.

The lyric “They don’t give nothing away, you gotta fight for your way” will be remixed for Chicago Red Stars Goal Keeper Alyssa Naeher. Granted the ‘they’ in this line can also be attributed to Chicago’s backline as well, however in the event that they do give ‘something’ away, Naeher is still there to be reckoned with. Just try and fight your way past her.

 

NO PROBLEM (FT. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz) – “You don’t want ZERO problems big fella.”  This song was the first track to get a music video to accompany it after the album released (Angels was first). In it, Chance calls out the major music labels who failed in their efforts to deny him access to the artists he wanted to collaborate with, and his desire to put out the music he wanted to release – for free.

The hypnotizing hook “You don’t want no problems, want no problems with me” will be remixed for Chicago Red Stars captain, Christen Press. Press has been referred to as the main component of Chicago’s offensive presence on the pitch. Few goalkeepers want to be caught one on one with her on the pitch. Before she got named to the Olympic roster she left the team with four goals, 27 shots on goal, and 42 total shots. You don’t want ZERO problems with Press.

 

SUMMER FRIENDS (FT. Jeremih & Francis & The Lights) – “Summer friends don’t stay.”  A very somber track that has Chance reminiscing on friends and lives lost in his south side community of Chatham, specifically in summer time in Chicago. In remembering past summers, he acknowledges how they have shaped his present. He collaborates with fellow Chicagoan Jeremih who sings an outro on the track expressing the importance of remaining loyal with those who came up through the trials with you.

The song hits home due to the truth it holds. Some Chicagoland communities have a history with violence. It’s not hard to find someone directly affected by it somehow. It is a sensitive subject that should be discussed not glorified. Although difficult to choose a specific lyric from this very moving song, the line “Oh I used to kill em with the long hair” stands out since Chance has referenced his long natural hair in prior songs.

This line will be remixed for Julie Johnston and Samantha Johnson. Along with their fantastic defensive and leadership skills, they both have a strong hair and fashion game. They both do a great job of reaching out and working with youth as well. They have both formed a strong bond as the main center backs of the defense. Johnson has done a great job of filling as the voice of the backline during Johnston’s Olympic duty absence. And let’s not forget the recent animated short where Johnston tells us how she used to ‘kill em with the long hair.’

 

D.R.A.M SINGS SPECIAL – This track is the shortest on Chance’s album. It clocks in at one minute and 42 seconds. It features D.R.A.M and Elle Varner singing a very melodic verse repeatedly, serving as a bit of a lullaby interlude for the album. The track is literally five lines repeated twice: “You are very special. You’re special too. Everyone is special. This I know is true, when I look at you.”

Due to the short length of this track and its minimal yet significant lyrics, this whole interlude will be remixed for Sarah Gorden.

Drafted second overall for the Red Stars in the NWSL 2016 draft, she hasn’t seen much playing time on the pitch this year, logging minutes in only two games so far this season. However, that doesn’t reflect her great work ethic or stop her from working on her game. It’s not easy being a professional athlete and a mom on an NWSL salary, but somehow she’s doing it. We all know she’s special and it’s a matter of time before we see her on the pitch again.

Honorable Mention: Lori Chalupny. Long time Red Star and retired captain, Chups’s jersey was recently retired by the team, so we know how special she is to the Red Stars and Chicagoland fans. Check out her jersey retirement ceremony here.

 

BLESSINGS – “The praises go up. The blessings come down.” A break out song from Coloring Book, Chance literally utilizes this track as his praise song. By remembering God throughout his journey in music, Chance knows that his blessing will come. The refrain that Jamila Woods sings echoes throughout the track like a holy reprise. It is that lyric that we will remix for Casey Short.

Short has been on the Red Stars’ radar for years. Initially drafted fifth overall by Boston in 2013, she suffered a season ending injury. Chicago picked up her rights for 2014, but Short had another setback due to injury. After fighting her way back to playing form, she had a successful 27 appearances for Avaldsnes in Norway in 2015. Finally, in 2016, we saw her long-awaited arrival to Chicago.

When you put in the work, you reap the rewards. Her long journey has seen plenty of adversity, but Short has now become a staple in Chicago’s back-five, a defense that includes National Team regulars like Julie Johnston and Alyssa Naeher. Coupled with fellow outside back Arin Gilliland, she is one part of a lethal duo. Ultimately, it’s not just Short, but the fans who are blessed as well.

 

 

We will continue this WoSo Remix as a series. Coloring Book Tracks 6 through 10 and 11 through 14 will be covered in separate parts. Stay tuned!

 

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