By Tristin Marshall
Chance the Rapper gave his audience a one of a kind experience on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Fluid Events Center, marking the beginning of his Social Experiment. He put on a show that took his audience on a trip–minus the drugs of course.
In the last couple years, Chance put out two mixtapes: 10 Day, which placed the 20-year-old on the music map and the highly anticipated and highly praised, Acid Rap. Both mixtapes exemplify the meaning of a kid who grew up in Chicago, with its upbeat tempos consisting of “footworking” music and hard rap beats. The rapper addresses the ongoing crime issues in Chicago and focuses on the good times of being young and living life.
At the concert, he exclaimed, “I’m already on tour, and I’ve only put out two mixtapes,” a huge accomplishment for such a young artist.
The beginning of the concert tested the patience of his college-aged audience, as DJ Spinn tried to contain the audience by mixing hip hop artists like Lil Wayne and A$AP Ferg with Chicago’s very own “footworking” music. But it was not enough to stop the crowd from chanting, “We want Chance!” and “Chance the Rapper.”
The concrete floor was shaking as the deep bass palpitated, and the crowd jumped around with anxiety to see the man of the hour. The green, blue, purple and yellow lights gave the audience a “trippy” feeling that got them in the mood for Chance.
Finally, the DJ Spinn mixed the beginning of “Good Ass Intro”, the first song of the Acid Rap mixtape. Chance arrives in a loudly-printed hoodie, matching the bright lights and the lively feeling of his now arrived live three-piece band, which included two former members of the Chicago-based band Kids These Days: trumpet player, Nico Segal and keyboard player, Peter Cotton Tail.
The crowd goes crazy as the man who needs no introduction still introduces himself to the audience. Chance humbly thanks the crowd for selling out the first show on his tour and continues with the songs “NaNa” and “Pusha Man.”
After showcasing his band, Chance reps his hometown by wearing a Chicago Blackhawks shirt and dedicates his next song “Lost” to all the ladies. His passion was threaded throughout the song, and the audience felt his love for his music.
The crowd sang along to “Paranoia.” The hazy green and blue lights and fog gave the stage an eerie feeling, causing the audience to fall deeper into Chance’s trance. He said, “It sounds so beautiful; don’t you agree?”
The lights turned to a soft pink and a calm blue, as he sings “Fix You” by Coldplay. After serenading his audience, he exits the stage.
One fan responds to this in frustration, “He’s not Mick Jagger. Stay on stage!” Chance finally comes back out and makes the crowd jump for “Smoke Again.”
Chance continues the energy with “Juice” and “Favorite Song,” and the crowd moves with him.
The crowd screams along with Chance for the next song: “F*ck you talking ‘bout!” He takes off his shirt to perform this song; he throws water on the crowd, and then proceeds to crowd surf. The heightened energy was adored by his fans.
Chance performs “Interlude (That’s Love)” and “Chain Smoker.” He tells the audience that he was once in the same situation they were in–being in college and all, but he is “doing this rap thing now.”
He dances along the band’s live rendition of the last song on his mixtape and the last song of the show “Everything’s Good (Good Ass Outro)” and claims that he “just wants to footwork,” a dance that Chicago natives thoroughly enjoy.
He finally thanks the crowd a million more times for “The Social Experiment,” and he leaves the stage. His fans refused to let him just leave like that and they call him back out for an encore. He comes back out and performs his most famous song “Cocoa Butter Kisses” with his best friend and the next artist in line to be famous, Vic Mensa.
“I’ll see y’all at the party, off a molly,” Chance said, his parting words to his audience.
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