Chance The Rapper Features Jeremih And R. Kelly In “Somewhere In Paradise”: Listen

Christina Lee | December 13, 2015 10:15 am
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Chance the Rapper is about bringing people together. He followed up his 2013 breakout mixtape Acid Rap not with a solo label debut, but a full-length effort as another member of jazz outfit Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment. That album, Surf, featured Busta Rhymes, B.o.B. and Janelle Monae on a single track, plus the likes of Erykah Badu, J. Cole and Big Sean elsewhere, to feel like an alternate universe where everyone in R&B and hip-hop gets along.

During the December 12 episode of Saturday Night Live, Chance became the first unsigned artist to perform on the sketch comedy show in its 41-year history. He was performing to a bigger TV audience than perhaps ever before, but as should be expected by Chance, he also shone a spotlight on his friends. He brought out R&B singer Jeremih to premiere “Somewhere in Paradise,” which he has been teasing over the past two years of touring.

The final result, which is now out for free, features Jeremih alongside R. Kelly — so, two Chicago natives who have released new music over the past few days. Chance the Rapper is asking a lot of his listeners to see past R. Kelly’s past and present controversies. But if anyone can make that seem possible, it’s this young artist with his sunny outlook, who would rap, “Take them to church, but I need a choir,” before a choir actually sings. Listen to “Somewhere in Paradise” and check out its SNL debut below.

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