Chance The Rapper and SoundCloud Rap

(photo courtesy of ABC/Fred Lee)

If you’re pro-SoundCloud, things might have seemed grim the last few weeks. When reports of 40% layoffs and only being fully funded until Q4 of this year were passed down, the internet went into a panic. The potential loss of the service would be detrimental to more than just musicians: podcasters, DJs making mixes, and a plethora of other audio arts—hundreds of thousands of hours of material would be effectively lost or obscured to fringes.

SoundCloud rap became a sub genre of its own, an audible do-it-yourself scene that emerged from teenagers and less publicized artists dumping lo-fi musical ideas and qualities with minimal judgement. The worst part of this incumbent failure is an age old story: it all boils down to not having enough money.

In steps Chance The Rapper:

After a series of tweets announcing his lunch with SoundCloud, where he said the service was “here to stay,” and after a small campaign urging his followers to @ their favorite rapper you discovered via SoundCloud and link him personally to their favorite tracks, the whole ordeal seemed to be looking up.

I'm working on the SoundCloud thing

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 13, 2017

@ an artist who you wouldn't know if not for @SoundCloud

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 14, 2017

Now link me to a song on @SoundCloud that you swear you're responsible for like atleast a thousand plays

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 14, 2017

Just had a very fruitful call with Alex Ljung. @SoundCloud is here to stay.

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) July 14, 2017

While it looks as if the anxiety has cooled down, Chance reminds us that social media platforms aren’t just for creeping on exes or mindless consumption: it can be a tool for empathy and a way to effectively reach out to our communities—not just a physical communities but are ever-important online ones. Music is universal and we need to protect the avenues that allow us to totally be ourselves. Even if you’re not a subscriber to the music of Smokepurpp, or Terrance Escobar or Divine Council or Noname or Lil Peep or Mozzy or Little Simz or Brockhampton (should I keep going…), it’s important to Hip Hop culture and its further development that we cement these venues for expression.

You don’t have to make “positive music” like Chance to make a positive impact. I hope other artists follow this example.