As an independent artist, Chance the Rapper is able to operate more freely and explore the vast array of digital platforms available to push his content. Case in point, his excellent Coloring Book was a streaming-only release available exclusively on Apple Music, and yet it still managed to top the Billboard album charts and become the first streaming-only release nominated for a Grammy.
Today, Chance once again tested the boundaries by premiering his new video for “Same Drugs” on Facebook Live. For whatever reason, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat all declined the opportunity to stream the video the way he had envisioned, as Chance explained:
Following its premiere on Facebook, Chance uploaded “Same Drugs” to YouTube, which is now streaming in full above. Directed by Jake Schreirer, the fuzzy toned video features a muted, pastel background and an initially somber mood. Chance sits at a white grand piano, accompanied by one of the puppets from his recent Magnificent Coloring World Tour. Together, they perform an alternate version of the track featuring vocals from Eryn Allen Kane, Yebba, John Legend, Francis Starlite and Macie Stewart. Later, as snow flurries down, Chance stands up to passionately sing the closing verse and slowly exits the stage to reveal the production has been put on entirely by puppets.
