Chance the Rapper makes a huge comeback with STAR LIN

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2025 has been filled with the unexpected, and one more surprise can be added to the list – the career resurgence of Chance the Rapper. After taking a six-year break, Chance has returned with a brand new full-length album. On August 15, Chance dropped his second studio offering, named STAR LINE. This album serves as a sequel to his 2019 release, the controversial The Big Day.

If you were to examine the rap scene only a decade back, it would be challenging to identify an artist as prominent as Chance. His 2016 mixtape, “Coloring Book,” achieved mainstream success and even won a Grammy, suggesting a meteoric rise in his career. Furthermore, his collaborations on other prominent rappers’ albums further highlighted the seemingly boundless potential he held.

Everything shifted when he unveiled “The Big Day” – a thematic album centered around his wedding day. Prior to its launch, Chance possessed something that many aspiring artists yearn for but seldom attain. With three mixtapes under his belt before debuting an official album – “10 Day” (2012), “Acid Rap” (2013), and “Coloring Book” (2016) – he had already cultivated a dedicated fanbase. It goes without saying that anticipation for his first full-length studio release was significant.

Chance the Rapper’s STAR LINE: A possible career-reviving new album?

Regrettably, the new album failed to impress both critics and fans for Chance, leading to a significant decrease in his fanbase due to the drastic change in style compared to his previous work. Consequently, many people, including myself, concluded that he may have squandered his potential as a rapper before fully realizing it.

The album significantly harmed his public image, earning him the nickname “the ‘I love my wife’ guy” on social media. However, no one criticized Chance more harshly than he did himself, as the album’s poor performance seemed to take a toll on his professional life. Instead of immediately starting a new project, he chose to pause and reflect on both the dissatisfaction with his album’s response and the challenges of his divorce.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but notice how Chance seems to have grown and evolved over time. From the lyrics in “STAR LINE,” it appears he’s taken the time to reflect deeply on his personal struggles – battling self-doubt, navigating audience expectations, and enduring the painful loss of his marriage. It’s encouraging to see him emerge stronger and more resilient.

It’s well-known that during his entire career, Chance regularly acknowledges Kanye West as one of his major musical influences. Although Chance has hinted at a growing distance between them in recent times (we all understand the reason), West’s impact on music is still evidently strong within this new project.

In a noticeable way, this is evident in the first track of the album titled “Star Side Intro.” This intro bears a strong resemblance to Kanye West’s production style, featuring layered harmonies reminiscent of a church choir backing Chance’s rapping. The overall sound echoes the choral style that West made famous in songs such as “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1.

I’ve been absolutely captivated by the distinctive production style that carries across tracks such as “Space & Time,” “Speed of Light,” and “Just A Drop.” Each one transports me to a new cosmos, with every beat pulsating like a star in the night sky.

Instead of focusing primarily on one theme like in “The Big Day,” this album by Chance explores multiple topics. It contains several introspective tracks that delve into Chance’s personal experiences. A significant aspect covered in the album is the overwhelming pressure he feels from his fans, who often seem to expect him to revert back to his old habits for their preferred style of music, despite the unhealthy implications.

Chance has been candid about his battles with substance abuse, a theme evident in his early music. As Chance’s fame escalated following the success of Acid Rap, his struggle with substances intensified. He openly admitted that if he hadn’t made changes, he probably wouldn’t be here today.

Gratefully, Chance made a significant change in his life in 2015 following the arrival of his first daughter. This event prompted him to return to Chicago where he focused on rebuilding his life. From that point forward, spirituality played a pivotal role in his life and was evident in his music.

For certain initial fans, this transition was unsettling, with some persistently urging him to return to drug use as a means to recapture the caliber of music he once produced. On “Speed Of Love,” Chance acknowledges this, expressing, “You’re the one taking the acid because you’re worried / They discuss it as if it’s some kind of magical elixir.

Chance keeps insisting that it wasn’t drugs but rather love that drove his music creation, as he puts it, ‘Love served as my inspiration, and I used words as my medium – this has been true ever since our school lunch table days.’

Standout tracks

Among the exceptional songs in this album, I particularly love “No More Old Men,” “Back To The Go,” “Just A Drop,” and “Speed Of Love.” Out of these tracks, “Pretty” stands out as one of my top picks. This song is a sample of DeBarge’s classic ’80s R&B hit, “All This Love,” which happens to be one of my personal favorites from that era.

One thing I really enjoy about hip-hop is its practice of incorporating samples, which makes it exciting to spot a sample or even uncover an older song that was previously unknown. So, when I heard the chorus from DeBarge’s 1982 hit being used as a sample, I just had to smile.

I love how hip-hop often includes samples, as it’s enjoyable to catch a sample or even stumble upon an old tune that was new to me before. Hearing DeBarge’s 1982 single being sampled made me grin.

A notable addition is ‘Back To The Go’ with Vic Mensa. This song once again showcases Chance’s emotional openness, as he expresses feelings associated with his divorce and the resulting separation from his kids.

The song encapsulates Chance’s battles with self-doubt amidst personal adversity. This sentiment is encapsulated in the chorus: “Inform mom that I’m holed up again in my room / I’ll be ready to depart shortly, but for now, it’s best I keep a low profile / If anyone asks about me, should they encounter me, kindly reply ‘No.’

Not omitting any details, I’d like to bring up the two standout songs from the album that I particularly enjoy: “The Highs & The Lows,” featuring Joey Bada$$, and “Tree.” “The Highs & The Lows” was actually released earlier in 2022, with Chance premiering it back in June.

This song serves as a profound mirror for both artists, expressing the highs and lows they’ve encountered in their personal lives and careers. It’s not just an exceptional tune (which has been my comfort music since its debut), but also marked the beginning of anticipation that Chance might still release another outstanding project.

Earlier in July, Chance the Rapper launched his latest single from the album, titled “Tree,” featuring artists Smino and Lil Wayne. In my view, this tune is just as catchy as his 2016 hit “No Problem,” which also included Wayne. The track exudes a lively, upbeat mood, making it an ideal summertime listen.

Fundamentally, the album “STAR LINE” showcases a remarkable resurgence in Chance the Rapper’s artistic prowess. This work represents a reclamation for Chance following the turbulent release of “The Big Day“. Instead of conforming to the desires of those yearning for “the original Chance”, he has opted to remain authentic to his personal growth.

This album showcases a more seasoned side of Chance, having navigated through various challenges, trials, and his own personal struggles.

Throughout this album, Chance openly displays his emotions, wearing his heart on his sleeve and offering a remarkable display of vulnerability. Interestingly, this openness contrasts sharply with the response to his last project, but fortunately for him, it has been met with a dramatic reversal in reception.

Following the momentum, Chance has unveiled the “And We Back” tour spanning throughout North America, commencing on September 26. This fresh phase seems to herald a potential resurgence or a second golden era for Chance the Rapper.

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2025-08-23 19:00