The big comeback

After a six-year hiatus, and surviving personal turmoil, Chance delivers his most soulful, reflective and socially conscious album yet with Star Line

- Kibo Ngowi

Chance the Rapper has had a rough couple of years. Born Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, the Chicago native emerged as one of the most promising young rappers of the last decade through a run of mixtapes, starting with 10 Day (2012) followed by Acid Rap (2013) and culminating in Coloring Book (2016).

The success of that third project saw him take home three Grammy Awards including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance. That's not to mention the multiple hit singles and collaborations with everyone from Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran to Cardi B and pre-Nazi Kanye West.

All this made him seem poised to deliver a memorable debut studio album that would solidify his place in the hip-hop landscape. Then came The Big Day (2019) — an album conceived as a celebration of his marriage to longtime girlfriend Kirsten Corley — which was met with ridicule from both critics and fans.

While some reviews were positive, it notoriously received a zero out of 10 rating from music critic Anthony Fantano and generated a flood of unflattering memes.