Most call him Chance The Rapper.
Others call him the West Chatham Santa.
The Recording Academy calls him a GRAMMY Award winner.
Regardless of what you call him, he’s back, and he comes bearing a new album by the name of Star Line.
Six years following the release, and subsequent criticism and fallout of his debut album, The Big Day, Chance The Rapper has released his sophomore LP, Star Line. After cutting ties with his manager, Pat Corcoran, and a divorce, the Chicago native had more than enough to rap about. Throw in social commentary about the Trump Administration’s weaponization of ICE, police brutality, and the general marginalization of communities of color, Star Line is a sprawling, yet engaging 17-track answer to the questions, “Where has Chance The Rapper been over the last six years and what has he been thinking about?” Along the way, he brings out a star-studded lineup of features, including Chicago royalty like Do or Die, GRAMMY Award winner Jazmine Sullivan, and even the elusive Jay Electronica.
At a point in time when the world seems to be falling apart and joy, growth, and optimism have become scarce, Star Line is a breath of fresh air. It’s honest. It’s earnest. It’s endearing. Adding to a summer complete with Clipse’s Let God Sort ‘Em Out, Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist’s Alfredo II, and JID’s God Does Like Ugly, Star Line is yet another reminder that despite the belief of some, Hip-Hop, particularly at the mainstream level, is in a better state than many give it credit for being in.
