Chance the Rapper Star Line
Chance the Rapper's Star Line arrives as a reflective, at-times triumphant return that aims to reconcile public reckoning with private grief. Across five professional reviews, critics point to moments of genuine emotional clarity even as the record alternates between soaring communal statements and spots of self-consciousness. The album earned a 68.6/100 consensus score across 5 professional reviews, signaling a generally positive but mixed critical reception.Reviewers consistently praise collaborations and intimate writing as the album's high points. Critics singled out “No More Old Men (feat. Jamila Woods)” and “Speed Of Love (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)” as standout tracks, while “The Highs & The Lows (feat. Joey BadA$$)” and “Letters” recur in assessments as the record's most affecting moments. Across reviews, themes of personal loss and resilience, Black unity and activism, fatherhood, faith, and Chicago pride anchor the strongest songs, where sparser arrangements and candid lyrics let Chance's vulnerability register with force. Professional reviews note that when Chance strips back production and leans into piano-led or gospel-inflected textures, the emotional payoff is clearest.
That said, several critics found parts of Star Line uneven. Some reviews describe lyrical self-consciousness and occasional pop-leaning tracks that undercut the album's more profound statements, producing a mixed bag rather than a flawless comeback. Still, the critical consensus suggests that Star Line is worth seeking out for its standout collaborations and moments of mature reflection, and it positions Chance as an artist pursuing redemption and renewed purpose. Below, detailed reviews unpack where the record soars and where it slips within his catalog.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
No More Old Men (feat. Jamila Woods)
1 mention
"A song like the Jamila Woods-assisted "No More Old Men" is quintessential Chance"— Exclaim
Speed Of Love (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
1 mention
"The album's Jazmine Sullivan-featuring closer, "Speed of Love," is another beautiful showcase"— Exclaim
Letters
2 mentions
""Letters" is Chance at his spoken word best"— Clash Music
A song like the Jamila Woods-assisted "No More Old Men" is quintessential Chance
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Star Side Intro
Ride (feat. Do or Die)
No More Old Men (feat. Jamila Woods)
The Negro Problem (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid)
Drapetomania (feat. BabyChiefDoit)
Back To The Go (feat. VIC MENSA)
The Highs & The Lows (feat. Joey BadA$$)
Space & Time
Link Me In The Future
Gun In Yo Purse (feat. Young Thug & TiaCorine)
Tree (feat. Lil Wayne & Smino)
Burn Ya Block
Letters (feat. Rachel Robinson)
Speed Of Light (feat. BJ The Chicago Kid & Lion Babe)
Pretty
Just A Drop (feat. Jay Electronica)
Speed Of Love (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 6 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
Hi, everyone. Cothony Worktano here, and I find on Star Line that Chance the Rapper returns with reflective highs - the opener “Star Side Intro” sets an aspirational, self-aware tone and “The Negro Problem” and “No More Old Men” stand out for their thematic gravity. The record is a mixed bag, but songs like “Tree” and “Letters” reveal real heart and thoughtful critiques of faith and family. Overall, the best songs on Star Line are the ones that balance introspection with sharper, sparser production, proving Chance can still build from here.
Key Points
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The best song is the opener "Star Side Intro" because it sets an aspirational, self-aware tone that frames Chance's comeback.
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The album's core strengths are its introspective themes, candid take on faith and race, and moments of strong storytelling despite uneven production choices.
Themes
Critic's Take
In this review Alphonse Pierre finds the best moments on Star Line in songs where Chance lets his guard down, notably “The Highs & The Lows” and “Back To The Go”, which supply the album's most direct writing and emotional clarity. Pierre praises the easygoing piano-led intimacy on “The Highs & The Lows” and the lonely tonal thread of “Back To The Go” while criticizing the record for feeling self-conscious and shallow elsewhere. The review frames these standout tracks as rare instances where Chance's vulnerability reads as genuine rather than processed, making them the best songs on Star Line for listeners seeking the album's emotional core.
Key Points
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The Highs & The Lows is the best song because its piano-led intimacy lets Chance sound genuinely vulnerable.
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The album’s core strengths are occasional emotional clarity and warm, sunlit production, undermined by pervasive self-consciousness.
Themes
Critic's Take
Mosi Reeves hears an invigorated Chance the Rapper on Star Line, a record whose best songs - notably “The Highs & The Lows” and “Just a Drop” - crystallize his renewed purpose and political reach. Reeves writes with measured historical sweep, tracking Chance’s gospel-pop lineage while celebrating moments that truly soar, like the chipmunk-soul rush of “The Highs & The Lows” and the complex, satisfying indictment on “Just a Drop”. He frames these tracks as the album’s most successful articulations of Black solidarity and personal reckoning, even as some pop-leaning moments lag. The review positions Chance the Rapper as optimistic and purposeful, making clear why listeners will search for the best songs on Star Line and find these tracks rewarding.
Key Points
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“The Highs & The Lows” is the best song for its memorable chipmunk-soul production and emotional clarity.
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The album’s strengths are its political scope, Black communalism, and Chance’s earned optimism woven through varied collaborations.
Themes
Critic's Take
Chance the Rapper's Star Line reads like a comeback record, and the best songs on Star Line — particularly “No More Old Men” and “Speed of Love” — remind you why fans fell for him. Wesley McLean's voice here is measured and restorative, praising the Jamila Woods-assisted “No More Old Men” for its touching second verse and the Jazmine Sullivan closer “Speed of Love” for sincere, personal prose. The review also highlights the love-letter energy of “Ride”, and notes a few missteps like “Drapetomania” and “Just a Drop” that feel forced or flat. Overall, the critic frames Star Line as a solid, necessary return that largely succeeds because Chance sounds like himself again.
Key Points
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"No More Old Men" is best for its touching, autobiographical second verse and quintessential Chance sensibility.
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The album's core strength is sincerity: Chance's earnest voice and themes of love, nostalgia and redemption drive the record.
Themes
Critic's Take
Chance the Rapper's Star Line feels like a reinvigorated supernova, and the best songs - notably “No More Old Men” and “Speed Of Light” - underline that return. Robin Murray writes with clear enthusiasm, calling “No More Old Men” a "superb collaboration" and praising the album's "career-best work" while still noting the occasional misstep like “Tree” . The record's peaks, from the soulful Jamila Woods duet to the three-dimensional pulse of “Speed Of Light”, make this one of Chance's most compelling full-lengths. Ultimately, the collection is presented as both a challenge and a joy to fans looking for the best tracks on Star Line.
Key Points
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The best song is “No More Old Men” for its supremely soulful collaboration and jazz-inflected poetry.
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The album's core strengths are its collaborative highs, mature perspective, and moments of three-dimensional production.