Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)
| Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | August 5, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | July 18, 2015 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 36:03 | |||
| Lil B chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Chance the Rapper chronology | ||||
| ||||
Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) is a collaborative mixtape by American rappers Lil B and Chance the Rapper. It was self-released for free download on August 5, 2015.
Background and recording
[edit]Free was recorded in Chicago—Chance the Rapper's hometown—on July 18, 2015. The recording session was supervised by engineers/producers Jeff Arenson and Aidan Sigel-Bruse.[1]
Composition
[edit]Free consists of six tracks.[2] Writing for Consequence, Adam Kivel compared it to a "pretty good episode of an improvised podcast".[3]
Pitchfork's Winston Cook-Wilson compared the beat on the track "Do My Dance" to that on Chance the Rapper's song "Chain Smoker" (2013).[4]
Release
[edit]On July 18, 2015, Chance the Rapper and Lil B announced that they had recorded a collaborative mixtape together.[5][6] Later that month, Chance the Rapper appeared on Wild 94.1, and called it "a masterpiece" and "a classic".[7][8]
Two weeks later, Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) was self-released on August 5, 2015.[9][10] It was uploaded to Lil B's SoundCloud account for free download.[11]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Exclaim! |    [12] |
| NME | 6/10[13] |
| Pitchfork Media | 7.7/10[14] |
| Rolling Stone | [15] |
| Spin | 7/10[16] |
Sheldon Pearce of HipHopDX and Dean Van Nguyen of NME considered the final track, "We Rare", to be the best on the mixtape.[17][18]
Writing for Exclaim!, Calum Slingerland said that "Free's greatest moments come when the pair play off each other's rap skills".[19]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Last Dance" | Uptown Greg | 3:42 |
| 2. | "What's Next" | AK-47 | 5:47 |
| 3. | "First Mixtape" | Gigglebox | 7:00 |
| 4. | "Amen" | Nate Fox | 9:20 |
| 5. | "Do My Dance" | Uptown Greg | 5:36 |
| 6. | "We Rare" | Nate Fox | 4:37 |
| Total length: | 36:03 | ||
Track notes
[edit]- "Last Dance" contains uncredited vocals from Noname.
References
[edit]- ^ "This Is The Untold Story Of Chance The Rapper And Lil B's Based Freestyle Tape". The FADER. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ Turner, David (August 7, 2015). "Lil B and Chance the Rapper Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Album Review: Lil B x Chance the Rapper - Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". August 7, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Chance the Rapper and Lil B say they recorded an album together". Consequence. July 19, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ "Chance The Rapper And Lil B Recorded An Album Together This Weekend". The FADER. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Chance The Rapper Discusses His "Masterpiece" Album With Lil B, The Drake/Meek Mill Feud". Stereogum. July 31, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ Gordon, Jeremy (July 31, 2015). "Chance the Rapper on Lil B Collab Album: "It's All Done. It's a Masterpiece."". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ Weiss, Dan (August 14, 2015). "Review: Lil B and Chance the Rapper, 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". SPIN. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ "Listen To The New Mixtape From Chance The Rapper And Lil B". The FADER. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Chance The Rapper and Lil B share 'Free Based Freestyles Mixtape' album". DIY. August 6, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ Slingerland, Calum. "Lil B & Chance the Rapper Free (The Based Freestyle Mixtape)". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Van Nguyen, Dean. "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)' - NME". New Musical Express. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Turner, David. "Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Weiss, Dan. "Review: Lil B and Chance the Rapper, 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". Spin Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Pearce, Sheldon (August 12, 2015). "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ Nguyen, Dean Van (August 14, 2015). "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". NME. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
- ^ "Lil B & Chance the Rapper │ Exclaim!". Lil B & Chance the Rapper │ Exclaim!. Retrieved January 11, 2025.