Chance the Rapper, Live from Hill

Say “Mmm Mmm!”

Say “God DAMN!”

I’m your pusha man, I’m your- I’m your pusha man. Twenty-year old Chancellor Bennett, formally known as Chance the Rapper, started his second song of the night off with a call and response introduction leading into the track “Pusha Man.” Each time he called out his instructions he would jump with both feet, hopping around the stage like an over-caffeinated energizer bunny turned rapper. His energy level was easily the most consistent and most redeeming aspect of the performance. Whether I was standing in the last row or pressed up against the jostling crowd just a few bodies from the stage, I felt as though I was right next to Chance, absorbing his radiation. He made one thing abundantly clear that night: he loves performing.

And the crowd loved him for it. Despite dominating every music blog on the face of the internet, his many magazine covers and upcoming multitude of summer music festivals, Chance is still a rising artist. Granted, he’s rising faster than most anyone in the music industry right now, but his stardom is only about a year old. As such, a sold out Hill Auditorium is actually one of the bigger shows he has ever headlined. This statistic, combined with Michigan’s proximity to his hometown and muse Chicago, and Michigan’s success at sports, made for one excited artist and 3,500 crazed fans.

Unfortunately for these fans, and anyone who like me, had been waiting for the opportunity to see Chance in person, the concert was notably short. After a stellar and poised performance from Noname Gypsy to open up the stage, Chance came out at around 9:15 and was completely done by 10:30. Certain aspects of this were understandable. After a year of intense performing and touring, he has to be tired of some of his more popular songs. So while the entire crowd desperately wanted to hear “Juice,” I can immediately forgive him for not wanting to play it. Also, it’s understandable that his songs are going to be short; most of Acid Rap’s tracks feature guest artists, so most of the time Chance could only sing his verse and one or two rounds of a chorus. Again, there is no real way around this. However, what he could have easily done was to dig deeper into his repertoire. He didn’t play a single song from his first project Ten Day all night, probably because he (correctly) assumed that most of the white 18-22 year olds were there to support the catchier tracks from his latest mixtape, not to indulge in the entirety of his work. To me, this meant shorter songs, longer instrumental solos and frequently interruptions for applause. To cover these shortcomings, Chance kept his energy level high, dancing and jumping and spraying water and revealing layers and layers of personalized jerseys for the crowd’s entertainment. Despite these antics, I still walked away from Hill that night feeling slightly unfulfilled. There are fewer features on Ten Day, and playing a couple of his earlier songs would have given Chance the opportunity to really get into a song, and not just provide a teaser.

Still, it is hard not to enjoy a Chance the Rapper concert. His live band and jazz influence makes him the next Prince and not the next Meek Mills. He clearly loves making music, and using it to influence people around him. Although I think the true power of his song “Paranoia” was lost on the mostly intoxicated white audience (true to any large gathering of Michigan students), it was clear to everyone that Chance has substantive lyrics.

Highlights of the night included his joint performance of the song “Lost” with Noname Gypsy, his personalized Michigan basketball jersey and Chance’s infectious, glowing energy that transformed Hill Auditorium into his own personal playground. During his more tranquil, introspective songs as well as his more high-energy dance tracks, one message strongly came through the speakers. “Everything’s Good.”