If you are in tune with the Hip Hop world at all, I would assume you have heard about the meteoric rise Milwaukee artists have had over the last couple of years. Milwaukee has as hot a Hip Hop scene as anywhere in the country. The Milwaukee Slap music sound has been making waves online recently, with artists like Myaap, 414bigfrank, Chicken P, and others going viral and putting people on to the awesome and unique music here. But Milwaukee is not defined solely by that Slap music sound; there are plenty of artists making other types of Hip Hop here, many of whom have been grinding for a long time. One of these artists is Wave Chapelle. Before the current Boom in attention to Milwaukee music, Wave Chapelle was making a name for himself several years ago. One could argue he was one of the first Milwaukee rappers to truly gain recognition, starting back at the beginning of the last decade. Wave Chapelle first popped off back in the “Blog Era” of rap music back in the early 2010s; the notoriety he picked up from online music forums and streaming websites ended up getting him signed to Yo Gotti’s CMG record label and even scoring a feature with Lil Uzi Vert on the song ‘Boss Up.’ After returning to Milwaukee following his stint with CMG, Wave Chapelle has been very prolific with his high-quality output over the last few years. In addition to a plethora of enticing singles, Wave Chapelle has dropped several projects recently, including the acclaimed 2023 project Winner’s Circle and the revered In Mode EP from earlier this year. Last month Wave Chapelle released another EP, titled The B&W Pack. Below, I wanted to talk about a few of my top tracks from the project, and then give some overall thoughts at the end to close things out. Let me know in the comments below how you feel about Wave Chapelle and The B&W Pack, and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists you think I should check out!

‘DOING GOOD’ WITH MENEBEATS

I feel like every time I listen to a new Wave Chapelle project, there is at least one song that I immediately coin as one that needs to go on a “workout” or “hype up” playlist. ‘Doing Good’ most likely fits into that category. ‘Doing Good’ is a collaboration with Wave Chapelle’s frequent producer Menebeats. This is a big and bold Trap track with a ton of life and strength to it. Even though ‘Doing Good’ is only 1:55, it feels longer due to how hard it hits. This track also has a ton of repeat value; it is the kind of song you can just put on loop because of how energetic it is. ‘Doing Good’ is driven by foreboding and looming melody which is put on top of a massive, pounding Trap beat. Wave Chapelle attacks this beat with a flow and tone that feels relaxed yet intense. His flow is laid-back, but the tone makes the song feel so huge. If you were looking for a new banger to add to your rotation, ‘Doing Good’ is one for you.

WHATS UP

Considering the tone of the first two songs(and the songs that follow this one, for what it’s worth), a laid-back and more Poppy song like ‘Whats Up’ is not necessarily what I expected to hear on this project. This little switch-up in tone halfway through the EP, though, provides texture and brings a softer moment on the EP which I appreciated a lot. The track is driven by a melancholy yet sweet piano-driven melody that is put on top of a punchy and fun Trap beat. The instrumental for this one honestly makes me think of some of Drake’s best Pop-Trap tracks that have this sort of feeling. The Drake similarities do not just stop with the instrumental. I can also see comparisons to Drake through the way Wave attacks the beat on ‘What’s Up.’ Wave Chapelle raps with a crisp and bold flow on this one; he rides the instrumental nicely, and adds a bit of emphasis to the song as well. ‘What’s Up’ is the kind of silky Pop Trap banger that is great for chilling and partying alike. 

UP FOR IT WITH MENEBEATS

Wave Chapelle closes out the project with a funky banger in ‘Up For It.’ This one, which sees Wave Chapelle once again come back together with Menebeats, has a sound that is nostalgic and modern at the same time. The melody for this one has a super groovy and retro sound that I dig a lot. The track is driven by a buttery guitar riff with a bluesy and warm yet crisp tone to it. This melody is put on top of a light and upbeat Trap beat that gives the song a bit of a Pop element to it. As cool as this instrumental is, Wave Chapelle’s rap performance is what really makes ‘Up For It’ great. Wave Chapelle kills it in every way with his delivery on this one. He uses a multitude of flows that give the song so much texture. His inflection changes as his flow changes, adding emphasis at crucial points in the track. ‘Up For It’ serves as a nice closer for this project, as it sends things off on a powerful and succinct note. 

As I mentioned in the intro, although Wave Chapelle has been a staple in the Milwaukee music scene for many years, his sound and style have contrasted with what is big in the city. For the most part, Wave Chapelle has stayed away from the low-end and Slap-style music that most people associate with the city, going with more of a traditional Trap or old school Hip Hop sound. On The B&W Pack, Wave Chapelle once again goes in this direction. As much as I love the Milwaukee Slap music, Wave Chapelle’s The B&W Pack is a bit of a breath of fresh air. It stands out among the Milwaukee music scene, which makes it pop. If you are into intricate flows and witty, motivational lyricism, Wave Chapelle is a rapper for you. Wave Chapelle once again demonstrates his dynamic and poignant pen game on this EP. I love the way he tells his story and always shows love to his roots in Milwaukee and as a person. The instrumentals on this EP are diverse and wide-ranging; a few of the songs have a very modern and in-your-face feeling, while the others feel more classic and laid-back. One thing about Wave Chapelle is that he is always consistent, as he continues to put out high-quality and sophisticated music with every release. The B&W Pack shows that Wave Chapelle is a master of his craft and that his hard work and dedication are certainly paying off.