On the Eve of His 'Big Day,' Chance the Rapper Poured His Heart Into Chicago

By Mark Braboy

In the warm, wee hours of Thursday night, before the supposed release of Chance The Rapper’s new “Owbum”, The Big Day, Chicago’s lush and eye catching Garfield Park Conservatory was filled to the brim with companions, family member, and his most dedicated supporters as he treated the city to an intimate and sentimental efficiency in celebration with Spotify, Chance’s Big Day.

“I’m so glad that you all are here because I want you all to know that I did this for you. As long as our relationship stays mutual, this can go on forever,” Chance mentioned to the attentive audience as he sat in a tiny chair before them. “I can’t wait for you guys to hear this music. It’s really, truly me in each sense of the word. It’s exactly how I feel, it’s how I feel about my companions, it’s how I feel about my partner, it’s how I feel about my daughters, it’s how I feel about my God. It’s really, really me.”

Among the evening’s backdrop of eye catching, green fauna and drinks inspired by Chance’s mixtape discography, was a mix of day one Chano fans, companions, and longtime industry supporters like Fake Shore Drive owner and founder Andrew Barber and Lyrical Lemonade owner-director Cole Bennett. Visitors continued to appreciate the cute ferns, parlay, and mingle up until the show’s begin time of 10:30 p.M.

While each person was greeted with a solid set from DJ Vic Lloyd, the wait for Chance's set was longer than anticipated as attendees were left standing for over a hour. Yet, by the time Donnie Trumpet, Nico Segal, and the rest of The Social Experiment arrived, the ravenous crowd poured all their love and enthusiasm towards the stage, awaiting the city’s proverbial knight in shining armor. And sure enough, Chance burst out, kicking things off with his 2019 single “Groceries”, followed by a spirited efficiency of “Summer Friends.”

The South Side native gave fans a 40-minute, 10-song efficiency that one would have assumed to be loaded with a handful of brand-new material from The Big Day. Alternatively, he gave a medley of fan favorites and classic singles from 10 Day, Acid Rap, and Coloring Book. That’s not to mention that it was a bad thing, however; the intimacy of the Garfield Park Conservatory allowed Chance to perform each of those songs passionately and with an added sense of spirituality. And though there weren't any major surprises for the evening, he did debut one Big Day cut: “Do You Remember.” Between songs, Chance continuously expressed his appreciation to the crowd for of their support; Chance's Big Day was definitely a memorable evening in Chicago.

“Regardless of what occurs soon after tomorrow, I’m glad that you’re finally, finally with me,” he tells the crowd. Apparently, that “regardless” may have been hinting at the album's delayed release. Without consideration, here are four standout moments from Chance the Rapper and Spotify’s Big Day.

Chance The Rapper pours his heart out

While in the evening, Chance got personalized with his fans throughout a couple of interludes. He took old and new fans on a very personalized journey as he shared stories of traveling on his first national tour with the late, fantastic Mac Miller, traveling on small Midwest tours in a vehicle belonging to his manager's mom, and why he rose to be a Grammy award-winning artist all while remaining an independent artist.

Deeper than rap though, he constantly expressed his deepest gratitude to his spouse, Kirsten Bennett and their daughters for not only their support, yet also helping him become a higher class of man, father, and partner. As you might expect, there was hardly a dry eye in the residence throughout some of those moments, because the audience poured their love right back towards the man who they watched grow from the starting of his career.

He turned a minor mistake into a memorable moment

Despite the emotional tone of the show, Chano from 79th had the fans pretty hype while in his energetic performances of “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” All We Got,” and the explosive “No Problems.” He also determined to give the crowd a treat as soon as he performed a song from his 10 Day mixtape, "Brain Cells." Yet, despite all his attempts to play it smooth, Chance somehow did not remember the lyrics to the throwback record, which understandably, he was not used to performing. So, like the showman he is, he gave the eager fans a chance to fill in the blanks, making an enormous and fun sing-a-long instead.

Chance debuts The Big Day's “Do You Remember”

Chance’s reveal of “Do You Remember” felt rather suitable for the evening’s personalized and spiritual tone; musically, it’s a more poignant play on his normal gospel & R&B fusions, with sobering keys and an ethereal soundscape. Lyrically, it’s a compelling, somber retrospective look into Chance’s personalized journey that’s almost reminiscent of songs like “Same Drugs” and “Summer Days.” The adoring crowd were captivated by Chance’s heartfelt efficiency, which then set the tone for the rest of Chance’s show.

He took us to church as he concluded with “Blessings”

As Chance arrived on stage for the encore, he came through for the reprise of “Blessings,” which had to have been one of his strongest performances of the song to date. With the help of The Social Experiment, the room’s spiritual vibes became even stronger and he encouraged each person to count and appreciate their blessings, making for a high point of the evening and as heartwarming a close to the show as one could hope.

Chance The Rapper’s new album, The Big Day is currently obtainable on all streaming services and digital marketplaces.