The rise of Chance the Rapper was a defining story of 2010s music. He was a blog-era darling who catapulted from the vibrant, psychedelic world of Acid Rap to the history-making, Grammy-winning gospel of Coloring Book. He was inescapable, a beacon of independent success and infectious joy. And then came The Big Day. The 2019 album was a critical and commercial misstep of such magnitude that it abruptly halted his prolific run, burying his reputation under an avalanche of memes and fan backlash. In the years since, Chance has been quietly mounting a comeback, and now, with his new album Star Line, he has finally returned.
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This is an album acutely aware of its own narrative. “Surprise, it’s the boy who lived,” Chance announces on the opening track, a direct and defiant acknowledgment of his own resurrection. Throughout Star Line, he makes it clear that this is a moment to prove that the artist so many fell in love with is still here. The result is a confident, sincere, and heartfelt collection of songs that serves as a much-needed return to form, even if it sometimes feels a bit too safe.
When he is at his best, Chance the Rapper is a force of undeniable charisma. His malleable, off-kilter flow, combined with his earnest, wholesome energy, creates a style that is uniquely his own. He is at his most powerful when he floats through verses about the things closest to his heart: his family, his faith, his friends, and his city. This is perfectly captured on the Jamila Woods-assisted “No More Old Men.” On the track’s second verse, he paints a touching and thoughtful picture of his childhood and the male role models in his life, capturing a specific nostalgia while simultaneously looking ahead.
The album’s closer, “Speed of Love” featuring Jazmine Sullivan, is another stunning showcase of Chance at his peak. He delivers deeply personal verses, meditating on his struggles with drug addiction, bankruptcy, and loss, before arriving at the conclusion that love has always been his driving force. In the hands of a less sincere artist, this could be overwhelmingly corny, but Chance’s earnestness makes every word feel true. The same can be said for other highlights, like the beautiful love letter to his hometown, “Ride,” featuring Do or Die.
Unfortunately, the album is not without its flaws. At his worst, Chance’s earnestness can curdle into something that feels forced and performative. On tracks like “Drapetomania,” his attempt at a harder edge comes across with a “theatre kid-esque” quality that is difficult to connect with. He also stumbles when he retreads waters that are a bit too familiar. The most glaring example is “Just a Drop,” a collaboration with Jay Electronica that feels like a pale imitation of their triumphant Coloring Book track, “How Great.” The instrumental is generic, the guest verse feels phoned in, and the entire song falls completely flat.
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Still, Star Line is a massive step up from the blunder that was The Big Day. It is not a perfect project, but its highs far outweigh its lows. It is the sound of an artist who is firmly back in his element, reconnecting with his strengths and enjoying making music again. While it may not reach the transcendent heights of Acid Rap or Coloring Book, it proves that those heights are still within his reach. This is a valiant return for an artist many had cast aside.
