Chance The Rapper celebrates the 10th anniversary of his 2016 album Coloring Book with a summer tour across North America, accompanied by up-and-coming rapper La Reezy. The seventh stop on the tour brings him to New York City, where he performs at Central Park SummerStage in the heart of Manhattan.
Around 7:00 p.m., La Reezy opens the show with “Hot,” a single from his new record, Skiddle Bandana. During his set, the young rapper shares stories about family life, being a 21-year-old in the rap industry, and some words of wisdom with the crowd, including how “God makes no mistakes.” Reezy’s set is fun and lighthearted yet meaningful and full of positivity—the perfect way to open a show for Chance The Rapper. Highlights include “Family Blizzy,” “Gold Chains,” and “Normal Struggles.”
Chance takes the stage around 8:45 p.m., opening with the first track from Coloring Book, “All We Got.” The song is accompanied by fans screaming with joy as the resonant sounds of the children’s choir featured on the recording fill the venue. Chance comes out jumping, smiling, and radiating positive energy, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
The visuals are simple, with ambient lighting in blues, pinks, and oranges that match the color palette of the Coloring Book album cover. Due to the smaller-scale screens broadcasting a live feed of the show in real time, visuals are not utilized as heavily as they have been on other stops of the tour. Instead, all the energy and focus remain on the stage, and Chance leans into that intimacy. He performs his all, connecting directly with fans, some of whom are seated on bleachers quite literally beside the stage.
One track that particularly stands out is “Tree,” with its lyrics displayed on the screen. The song clearly resonates with many people in the crowd because of the depth behind its lyrics. On the surface, the song is about weed, but underneath, it explores the struggle of being a Black man navigating a “white man’s game.” Chance emphasizes this aspect of the song, and displaying the lyrics allows the audience to engage more directly with its deeper meaning. At the same time, plenty of people embrace the song’s weed references by lighting their joints.
Other highlights include “All Night,” “I’m the One,” his collaboration with DJ Khaled, and “Cocoa Butter Kisses.”
The set is not composed entirely of Coloring Book tracks. Chance also performs songs from Acid Rap and Star Line, along with covers and other material, giving the performance a broader view of his career.
Between songs, Chance speaks directly to the audience, telling them, “New York, this crowd was way lit-er than I thought it would be.” The comment is immediately met with screams from the crowd, proving his point.
To close out the night, Chance performs “Same Drugs,” a piano-led track that showcases the versatility of his music, particularly on Coloring Book. As one of the album’s most streamed and praised songs, it is a fitting way to end the night on a more reflective note.
Chance thanks New York and shares his gratitude with the audience before sending fans on their way, telling everyone to get home safely. It is a warm and sincere ending to a night defined by the same positivity and sense of connection that have made Coloring Book resonate for a decade.
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