Chance the Rapper returns with first new album since 2019
Why it matters: The Grammy Award-winning artist has grown to become the city's unofficial poet laureate and his generation's Studs Terkel, representing Chicago through his journey to stardom.
The latest: "Star Line" will drop on Aug. 15.
Chance reconnected with illustrator Brandon Breaux to provide the artwork for the new album.
Zoom out: It's been six years since Chance put out "The Big Day," with songs like "Handsome" featuring Megan Thee Stallion and "All Day Long" featuring John Legend.
What they're saying: Chance spoke about making new music at an intimate album listening party at the Adler Planetarium on Thursday as part of Airbnb experiences during Lollapalooza weekend.
"The most challenging part was probably just life," Chance said. "We have so many different things that we got to do, and different roles that we got to play, not just to keep ourselves alive, but also to be a team player for other people in your life."
Context: Chance arrived on the national scene with his 2016 debut album "Coloring Book," for which he won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.
The album was the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy.
Chance has resisted the lure of major record labels, staying independent and releasing music on his own.
Zoom in: Lil Chano was already well-known to Chicago music fans from his wildly popular mixtapes like " Acid Rap" and his collaborations with Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment and the Save Money Crew.
The young artist practically grew up in the spotlight, starting his career at after-school programs at Harold Washington Library and Young Chicago Authors, impressing with his razor-sharp words, wit and charm.
Between the lines: His words and music tell stories of his local experiences, which range from getting suspended from school, growing up on 79th Street, becoming a father, and now, touring the world.
"I want people to understand me," Chance said about the new album. "Some people make it because they want to be heard or seen. Even if you don't necessarily agree with me, I want to be understood."
The bottom line: Chance has always brought his fans into his world, sharing his reflections and experiences. "Star Line" continues that journey.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
34 minutes ago
- Elle
Chappell Roan's ‘The Subway' Lyrics Capture The Heartbreak Of A Lost Love
Chappell Roan has returned with her second single this year. After releasing 'The Giver' in March, Roan is back with 'The Subway.' The mellow pop track is an ode to lost love. The Grammy-winner sings about a mysterious girl with green hair and a beauty mark that she spotted on the train. The two seemingly begin a relationship, but the girl soon moves on, leaving Roan heartbroken. ''Til I don't look for you on the staircase / Or wish you thought that we were still soulmates / But I'm still counting down all of the days / 'Til you're just another girl on the subway,' she sings. In the music video, Roan runs around New York City and chases after the girl with green hair. Roan first debuted the song in 2024 during her set at New York City's Governor's Ball. When she announced the official release of 'The Subway,' she wrote: 'I'm very proud of this song & what a journey she has been on. I first played it at gov ball when I was painted green as lady liberty and in the past have played new songs live to feel them out. Obviously not knowing this really chaotic year would follow the performance , it didn't really leave me the time to build the world the song deserved. But finally we are here. I def ripped my hair out trying to figure out the puzzle of how this song should feel musically and visually and emotionally, luckily there are some to spare. Thank you for sticking it out for a whole year. It was worth it to make sure everything was absolutely right (˘ᴗ˘) xoxo.' This is set to be a busy year for Roan. This autumn, she'll be hitting the road for her Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things pop-up shows. She'll begin with a four-night stint at Forest Hills Stadium in New York, from September 20 to 24. Then she'll hit Kansas City for two nights, on October 3 and 4. And finally, the shows will wrap with two nights in Pasadena on October 10 and 11. And read the full lyrics to 'The Subway' below: Verse 1 I saw your green hair Beauty mark next to your mouth There on the subway I nearly had a breakdown A few weeks later Somebody wore your perfume It almost killed me I had to leave the room Chorus It's just another day And it's not over 'til it's over, it's never over (Ah) And it's not over 'til it's over (Ah) It's never over Post-Chorus 'Til I don't look for you on the staircase Or wish you thought that we were still soulmates But I'm still counting down all of the days 'Til you're just another girl on the subway Verse 2 Made you the villain Evil for just moving on I see your shadow I see it even with the lights off I made a promise, if in four months this feeling ain't gone Well, fuck this city, I'm movin' to Saskatchewan And it's not over 'til it's over (Ah, ah-ah) Oh, 'til it's over 'Til I can break routine during foreplay And trust myself that I won't say your name 'Til you're just another girl on the subway Outro She's got, she's got a way She's got a way, she's got a way And she got, she got away She got away, she got away And she's got, she's got a way (She's got, she's got a way She's got a way, she's got a way) She's got a way (She got, she got away She got away, she got away) ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. Juliana Ukiomogbe is the former Assistant Editor at ELLE. Her work has previously appeared in Interview, i-D, Teen Vogue, Nylon, and more.
an hour ago
Salt-N-Pepa claim Universal Music Group is blocking its music from streaming amid legal battle
The women behind Salt-N-Pepa, the history-making female hip-hop group, claim that Universal Music Group has removed some of their biggest hits from streaming platforms amid a legal battle. Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandra "Pepa" Denton said in a new interview with " Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts that their fans are not able to hear some of their music amid the lawsuit, in which the singers claim Universal Music Group is allegedly denying them the rights to the master recordings of their early music, including hits like "Push It." "It just keeps us from re-releasing our music -- promotin' it," Denton told Roberts in the interview, which aired Monday on "GMA." Denton and James claim that Universal is allegedly violating federal copyright law by refusing to allow them to exercise their so-called "termination rights," which allows artists to reclaim the copyright to their original recordings after a period of time, according to the U.S. Copyright Office. "When you're an artist, in the beginning, you sign a contract saying that the copyrights will revert back to you after 35 years," James said. "And we've done all the things legally to get our copyrights back. But they're just refusing, so we had to sue them." "It's the law. That's what it really boils down to. It's the law," Denton added. The Grammy Award-winning duo filed the lawsuit against Universal Music Group in May in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Universal Music Group has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming in part that Salt-N-Pepa cannot exercise their "termination rights" because they were not the ones who signed the relevant contract. The company declined to comment to ABC News citing the active litigation. Denton and James told Roberts that they are the artists, and they believe the copyright law is meant to "protect the artists." "We didn't have that leverage. We didn't have that knowledge. We didn't have that control in the '80s. And so, to be held to a contract from 1985, and 40 years later, it's, like, ridiculous," said James. Denton said she believes Universal Music Group is allegedly holding onto their music because they know its "worth." "Obviously, it's something. They wanna keep it. They wanna hold onto it. And they're tryin' to fight us," she claimed. "So, obviously, they understand what's the worth of that." The duo's lawsuit against Universal Music Group comes as they are preparing for a high point in their career, receiving the Musical Influence Award at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony this November. Salt-N-Pepa will make history as the first hip-hop act to receive the coveted award. "It's an amazing feeling, because ... it's for your music, not just one hit," Denton said of the honor. "It's about your journey, your legacy, what you have done, you know, the influence that you had ... 40 years and we're still here." Amid both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honor and the ongoing lawsuit, the boundary-breaking artists told Roberts they want to be remembered for staying true to who they are. "Authenticity, especially in art, I think, leads to longevity. And I feel like that's a big part of why people took to Salt-N-Pepa, because we are authentic," James said. "And I wanna inspire women, inspire and encourage women to be themselves, to go for it, you know? And to not be afraid to knock down barriers in the workplace, in the world, whatever you're doing. Just be strong."
Vogue
3 hours ago
- Vogue
Chappell Roan on 'The Subway,' Writing Through Heartbreak, and Loving Her Job Again
The triumph of Roan's Grammy-winning debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, has prompted much speculation about its follow-up, with fans scrutinizing her recent fixation on dragons, knights, and other medieval motifs and noting how the lyric video for 'The Giver' features a DVD menu that scrolls past tracks called 'To Be Yours' and 'Read & Make Out.' But 'the second project doesn't exist yet,' Roan clarifies. 'There is no album. There is no collection of songs.' She goes on: 'It took me five years to write the first one, and it's probably going to take at least five to write the next. I'm not that type of writer that can pump it out.' Nor does Roan see any creative value in churning out music under pressure. 'I don't think I make good music whenever I force myself to do anything,' she says. 'I see some comments sometimes, like, 'She's everywhere except that damn studio.' Even if I was in the studio 12 hours a day, every single day, that does not mean that you would get an album any faster.' And on that note: These days, Roan only goes on Instagram to post before swiftly deleting the app from her phone again. 'Socials harm the fuck out of me and my art,' she says. 'I'm not doing that to myself anymore.' She's excited to see how her project will develop without the internet's influence. 'I've never written an album where I don't have Instagram or anything,' she says. 'The album process is purely, only mine. No one on TikTok gets to see it.'
