Six years after his negatively received album “The Big Day,” Chicago artist Chance the Rapper returned with “Star Line,” marking his transition into a new era of a mature sound. The endurance Chance went through for the past few years, such as the negative comments he received for his music, and the passion to come back made this project personal. The album dropped on Friday Aug. 15. “Star Line” debuted at 22 in the U.S. Billboard 200, with the help of several singles and fan hype. The 17 tracks dive into topics of personal growth, societal change and the experiences of the Black community. The record has strong lyrical performances; however, the vile vocals and autotune bring down the quality, ultimately leaving the audience wanting more.
The album captures a more personal and reflective project for Chance, with the first song “Star Side (Intro)” addressing how every setback the rapper has faced is now behind him. This isn’t anything new, as Chance has already explored these themes in his abundant mixtapes “Acid Rap” and “Coloring Book.” The strong opening performance sets the stage for exploring topics by its lyrical performance and melody showing vulnerability and conflicting emotions. Chance reflects on his past conflicts and troubles, such as a reference to his divorce with his wife. Chance says, “Tell me, how can you now afford to file divorce / The child support, the back door, take the trial to court? / Either I’m the best or these times is good.” This shows that he is able to open up about his mistakes and overall provides an emotional depth to his album that enhances the quality.
The track “No More Old Men” shows Chance’s reflection of his youth, his parents’ effort to raise him and how the rapper himself is getting older. As Chance recaps his life, “They used to rub ’em on their hair that they can’t grow back | Clippers buzzin’, cryin’ grandbaby boy cousin | The first cut, “Lil’ man, quit all that fussing.”
This self-reflective lyric shows nostalgia as he thinks back of his childhood days reminiscing about the old barbershop he used to go see and how he is in the process of aging. The rapper’s lyrics create a strong visual of his childhood and the slow pace of the song helps the listener reflect alongside Chance.
Chance explores other topics such as the experiences of the Black community, as shown in the song “The N— Problem,” in which he talks about systemic racism against Black people, such as police brutality, prejudice in the court system and discrimination in health care. As Chance says, “Nowadays, you 13 you gotta think 30 | Keep your head on a swivel because the pistols have switches on them.” The fast beats show how quick life goes by, and the words show how dangerous life is. This tone creates a vision of Chance sitting down and talking to the listener about the struggle of a Black man. Chance argues if a Black man complains about the life they are in right now, the judge will always say that it is a Black man’s problem. This strong message makes Chance a mentor for young Black men, showing his maturity and his experience, making a powerful characteristic for the rapper.
Diving deeper into the album, Chance then tackles another issue in the Black community with the institutional American Church. The 13th song “Letters” critiques how Black Churches have become hypocritical. Chance questions whether the church is used for faith or as a tactic for profit. As a result of the desire for economic power, Black Churches had begun to transition from being a center of community organization into a petty profit generating scheme. As one of the leading voices for the Black Community, Chance calls for accountability of the Church and questions the use of money over faith. Chance shows his mixed emotions of his care, and emotions of doubt and frustration, giving the listener a good perspective on what the rapper feels.
One of the biggest flaws of “Star Line” is Chance consistently including vocal inflections and effects that make it a difficult listen. The awkward autotune and high-pitched voices, as heard in the songs “Link Me in the Future” and “Burn Ya Block,” sound like robots. Additionally, he lacks energy on “Space & Time,” and it sounds like a song that would be more fitting in a Disney movie than a rap song. Chance struggles with inflections, with the raspy high-pitched voice affecting the listening experience, as it feels emotionless, which makes it difficult to know how how he feels about his subject. From songs eight to 12, this is a recurring issue, which results in a poor lineup of music and makes the message unclear.
However, Chance finishes strong. “Speed of Light” features a dreamy beat that makes the listener feel as if they are on a late-night car ride, with the lyrics talking about moving on despite multiple obstacles disrupting one’s path. The closing track “Speed of Love” shows Chance yearning for real love, with the chorus asking “Where is the love?” over and over again, waiting for an answer. The mood is like a climax that is waiting to be resolved, with Chance not being able to find a woman he can love throughout the song. As Chance sings, “My heart beat fast when the love come slow, The end of the day, man, the day gon’ end, But I always end up where the love don’t go.” Chance expresses on how his life has shifted from being lost as a person into a path of maturing and self-love. The satisfying performance shows the rapper showing appreciation for everything that has led him to his point, and ends with him searching for parental wisdom, concluding one of the most lyrically powerful songs on the album.
“Star Line,” although far from Chance’s best work, has shown how strong Chance can be lyrically, such as the track “No More Old Men.” The questionable decisions Chance and his team made when it came to vocal inflections and sound must be taken into consideration, as it clearly degrades the overall quality of the album. However, the energetic and lively beats capture the listener’s attention, and overall the subjects Chance raps about are relatable to older audiences. With a successful comeback on his shoulder, we can only wonder what Chance can achieve next.
RATING: 3.5/5
