Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)

Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)
Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)
Mixtape by Lil B & Chance the Rapper
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

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

Free consists of six tracks.^[2] Writing for Consequence, Adam Kivel compared it to a "pretty good episode of an improvised podcast".^[3]

The opening track, "Last Dance", features a guest appearance from Noname Gypsy.^[4] 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).^[5]

Release

On July 18, 2015, Chance the Rapper and Lil B announced that they had recorded a collaborative mixtape together.^[6]^[7] Later that month, Chance the Rapper appeared on Wild 94.1, and called it "a masterpiece" and "a classic".^[8]^[9]

Two weeks later, Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) was self-released on August 5, 2015.^[10]^[11] It was uploaded to Lil B's SoundCloud account for free download.^[12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Exclaim!	^[13]
NME	6/10^[14]
Pitchfork Media	7.7/10^[15]
Rolling Stone	^[16]
Spin	7/10^[17]

Sheldon Pearce of HipHopDX and Dean Van Nguyen of NME considered the final track, "We Rare", to be the best on the mixtape.^[18]^[19]

Writing for Exclaim!, Calum Slingerland said that "Free's greatest moments come when the pair play off each other's rap skills".^[20]

Track listing

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

"Last Dance" contains uncredited vocals from Noname.

References

^ "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.
^ Dombal, Ryan. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: "Last Dance" [ft. Noname Gypsy]". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 21, 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.

[1] "This Is The Untold Story Of Chance The Rapper And Lil B's Based Freestyle Tape". The FADER. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[2] Turner, David (August 7, 2015). "Lil B and Chance the Rapper Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[3] "Album Review: Lil B x Chance the Rapper - Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". August 7, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[4] Dombal, Ryan. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: "Last Dance" [ft. Noname Gypsy]". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 21, 2025.

[5] Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[6] "Chance the Rapper and Lil B say they recorded an album together". Consequence. July 19, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[7] "Chance The Rapper And Lil B Recorded An Album Together This Weekend". The FADER. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[8] "Chance The Rapper Discusses His "Masterpiece" Album With Lil B, The Drake/Meek Mill Feud". Stereogum. July 31, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[9] 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.

[10] Weiss, Dan (August 14, 2015). "Review: Lil B and Chance the Rapper, 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". SPIN. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[11] "Listen To The New Mixtape From Chance The Rapper And Lil B". The FADER. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[12] "Chance The Rapper and Lil B share 'Free Based Freestyles Mixtape' album". DIY. August 6, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[13] Slingerland, Calum. "Lil B & Chance the Rapper Free (The Based Freestyle Mixtape)". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 6, 2018.

[14] Van Nguyen, Dean. "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)' - NME". New Musical Express. Retrieved December 6, 2018.

[15] Cook-Wilson, Winston. "Lil B / Chance the Rapper: Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 6, 2018.

[16] Turner, David. "Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 6, 2018.

[17] Weiss, Dan. "Review: Lil B and Chance the Rapper, 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". Spin Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2018.

[18] Pearce, Sheldon (August 12, 2015). "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

[19] Nguyen, Dean Van (August 14, 2015). "Chance The Rapper & Lil B - 'Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape)'". NME. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

[20] "Lil B & Chance the Rapper │ Exclaim!". Lil B & Chance the Rapper │ Exclaim!. Retrieved January 11, 2025.

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