Chance The Rapper just dropped his debut album, The Big Day, over the weekend. The Chicago based hip hop artist has seemed somewhat ubiquitous over the last few years so just knowing that The Big Day is his official debut record is surprising. After his success with his five previously released mixtapes, it seems fitting that Chance has finally made it all official. While the album definitely has some real high points, the whole endeavour may come off like a mixed bag depending on how much of a Chance fan you are.

The record kicks off spectacularly with “All Day Long” with its disco-lite vibe and some big sing a long choruses. From the moment the track starts, it’s clear this is also a great way for Chance to showcase his very smooth flow right at the top of the record. “Do You Remember” slows things down a bit with a deliberate groove and the slow but sweet vocal hook of the chorus. It feels like a throwback to some 90s hip hop; a mashup of Casual and The Fresh Prince with a “Summertime” esque vibe. “Eternal” kicks off with a beat that is so immediate it’ll get you grooving right away. The monogamous message of the track does feel a little overly sentimental but it comes off as genuine and that excuses some of the saccharine elements of its lyrical content. Album namesake “The Big Day” is a nice, refreshing change. The track has a cool Prince type feel to it with its drawn out melodies and guitar and big drum breaks. The screaming in the song’s bridge is a nice big surprise that works perfectly in context.

There are a few short skits that break up the running time of The Big Day which adds to the nostalgic feel of the record. It’s not that Chance’s melodic takes feel old or outdated, his style is definitely very modern, but as stated previously, there is a real Hieroglyphics meets Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince vibe to it. The former crews understated cool and smooth delivery mixed with the more affably fun and larger than life elements of the latter. If you’re already a fan of Chance then there is a lot here for you to love. As a casual observer wanting to check out what the fuss is about you may be left a bit wondering what the big deal is but will definitely find some enjoyment along the way.

review by Adam Fink

Chance The Rapper
Tour Dates

Saturday, September 14, 2019 San Francisco, CA Chase Center
Monday, September 16, 2019 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 San Diego, CA Pechanga Arena
Friday, September 20, 2019 Las Vegas, NV Life is Beautiful
Saturday, September 21, 2019 Las Vegas, NV iHeartRadio Music Festival
Sunday, September 22, 2019 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena
Tuesday, September 24, 2019 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
Thursday, September 26, 2019 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
Saturday, September 28, 2019 Chicago, IL United Center
Wednesday, October 2, 2019 Newark, NJ Prudential Center
Thursday, October 3, 2019 Boston, MA TD Garden
Friday, October 4, 2019 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
Sunday, October 6, 2019 Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Friday, October 11, 2019 Washington, DC Capital One Arena
Saturday, October 12, 2019 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
Monday, October 14, 2019 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 Atlanta, GA State Farm Arena
Thursday, October 17, 2019 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
Friday, October 18, 2019 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
Sunday, October 20, 2019 St. Louis, MO Enterprise Center
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 Houston, TX Toyota Center
Thursday, October 24, 2019 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
Saturday, October 26, 2019 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
Sunday, October 27, 2019 Omaha, NE CHI Health Center
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Milwaukee, WI Fiserv Forum
Friday, November 1, 2019 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
Saturday, November 2, 2019 Cleveland, OH Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Monday, November 4, 2019 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 Ottawa, ON Canadian Tire Centre
Thursday, November 7, 2019 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
Friday, November 8, 2019 Buffalo, NY KeyBank Center
Sunday, November 10, 2019 Miami, FL Miami Beach Pop