Chance The Rapper collaborated with legendary DJ Premier on his new single, which has an important message.
“Together,” released on Tuesday (May 14), is the latest release from the Chicago rapper’s upcoming project, Star Line.
In the song, Chance promotes the importance of family and community while reflecting on his own upbringing in nostalgic detail.
“We used to watch ‘Annie, are you okay?’ on the couch/My cousin used to hit me until I hit him in the mouth/My aunt cooked for 20 people a week/My uncle was in the basement, Even if they never speak,” he raps, emphasizing the beauty and warmth amid the dysfunction.
However, the second verse reveals the true intention behind the song, with the activist MC calling for housing justice in his hometown of Chicago.
“This is home base, you gotta watch ’em, they’ll time you in the wrong place/If you use your phone more than just a case, they’ll take your crib and slide it to your home plate/We Need a CBA, CBA, CBA, Barry / Before they build another golf course, library / Or send eminent domain to Miss Mary / This is gonna get scary, young Jeffrey, young Larry,” he spat .
To underscore the message, Chance wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “This is a nostalgia-filled song about housing justice. I hope these memories enhance the core message, not bury it.
The song features an unmistakable boom bap beat from DJ Premier, who flipped the same sample he used on Windy City lyricist Common’s 2000 classic “The 6th Sense.”
“Together” also ends with Common’s voice from that song, bringing the whole thing back to square one.
Chance, who serves as a judge on NBC’s “The Voice,” also performed “Together” for the first time on Tuesday night’s episode.
“Together” follows April’s “Buried Alive,” in which Chance The Rapper discussed his recent divorce and legal battle with his former manager.
“Where is his money now? Where is his wife? Where is his hype?
“Star Line” will be the long-awaited follow-up to Chano’s debut studio album “The Big Day,” which was released in 2019 to mixed reviews.
The Grammy winner called Star Line one of his “proudest” projects in an interview last year, which makes his return even more exciting.
Chance The Rapper Announces New Mixtape ‘Star Line’ and Teases Star-Studded Features
“This is one of the projects I’m most proud of in terms of writing and artistic vision,” he said on Audacy Check In. “There’s a lot of work to be done.
“But it’s cool because I feel like the love and intention that goes into making every piece of physical art gives me the opportunity to show people in these museum spaces what I’m doing, the highs and the lows, the kindness that’s like the project Same as preview.
In addition to “Together,” Chance The Rapper has also announced a listening party for Star Line. The event, called “Writings on the Wall,” took place on Saturday night (May 18) in Los Angeles.
He also posted the phone number 312 494 1081 on Instagram, where fans can receive more details about the event.
