Chance the Rapper Drops First Album in Six Years with ‘Star Line’

After six years of waiting, Chance the Rapper's new album, Star Line, hit streaming platforms on Friday, August 15. His latest work weaves sounds from Ghana and Jamaica into a fresh take on hip-hop.

Back in 2023, he shared how proud he was of the project despite it being a work-in-progress at the time. "All these amazing, important Black artists, producers, painters, all of these people that are in the Pantheon of Black iconography have been coming and helping me build this project," said Chance the Rapper in an interview with Vocalo.

The title pays tribute to Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line shipping venture from 1919. Working with producer DexLvL, the music mixes raw hip-hop beats with soulful melodies, while speaking on personal growth and community strength.

Artist Brandon Breaux stuck to his roots for the cover art. He's the same mind behind the artworks for Chance's Coloring Book, Acid Rap, and 10 Day mixtapes. Tech meets tradition as these CDs pack NFC chips — just tap them to start playing through Bluetooth speakers.

"Tree" starts strong with Lil Wayne and Smino spitting verses over India.Arie's "Video" sample. Fans got their first taste at a Chicago listening party preview show on July 31, right before the rapper lit up Lollapalooza's main stage to promote the complete record with a set on Perry's stage.

Since 2022, bits of Star Line have trickled out. He had been teasing the project, initially as Star Line Gallery, by releasing some singles with accompanying artworks. The single "Child of God" came with something extra, as Naïla Opiangah's giant canvas took over a wall at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Want some of his merch? You can find them all at Chance the Rapper's website. Each item features a hidden NFC chip that you can scan to reveal secret content.

The rapper will hit the road for his And We Back Tour starting September 26, with stops in Houston, Atlanta, New York, Boston, Toronto, Washington, Chicago, Denver, and Las Vegas. The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles will host the final show on October 20.

You can see all details on his upcoming shows, including venues, dates and ticket prices on Chance The Rapper's official tour page.