Celebrations are underway as Chance The Rapper marks the 10th anniversary of his iconic mixtape, “Acid Rap.” In a recent conversation with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, the Chicago-born artist delved into the early chapters of his music career, revealing one particularly challenging experience that stood out.
When questioned about the most formidable obstacle he faced on his journey to stardom, Chance fondly reminisced about his European tour in 2013, where he had the unique opportunity to perform alongside the acclaimed Macklemore.
Chance began by acknowledging Macklemore’s incredible character and the pivotal role he played in his burgeoning career. Still, he couldn’t help but emphasize the difficulties that came with the territory of their joint European tour.
Describing the tour’s magnitude, Chance disclosed that it consisted of an astounding 38 shows, all hosted in cavernous 20,000-capacity venues. What made this venture even more challenging was the selection of non-English-speaking countries as tour stops, including Poland and Dusseldorf.
For Chance, the language barrier presented an additional layer of complexity to an already ambitious tour. To compound matters further, the shows were already sold out long before Chance’s name was even added to the ticket.
“Macklemore is an amazing, amazing person and helped me out tremendously as well. But his shows, it was in Europe and it was, I think 38 dates, all 20,000 capacity rooms, all like off markets too, like Poland and Dusseldorf.”
“These people didn’t speak English at all. And not only did they not speak English, he sold out all these shows before I was announced on the ticket. So it’s really bad when you go to a show and there’s an opener that you don’t want to see. It’s way worse when it’s a surprise opener that you don’t want to see. That’s speaking a different language and Black, a lot of negatives on top of each other for the Swedish crowds. So I’m dealing with that.”
He concluded: “When I came home, I got to finally feel at the end of that year when I went on my own solo tour, I got to feel having my own crowd, selling my own tickets and really built my whole off that tour.”
This predicament led to an interesting situation for Chance. He recounted how uncomfortable it can be as a concertgoer to encounter an opening act that isn’t to your liking. Now, imagine that act not only being a surprise opener but also speaking a language foreign to the audience. The combination of these factors created a rather daunting challenge, particularly for the Swedish crowds.
However, Chance The Rapper, known for his resilience and determination, faced these challenges head-on. Despite the initial hurdles, he persevered. What emerged was an artist who, upon returning home, had not only conquered these obstacles but had also developed a profound appreciation for performing before his own devoted crowd.
Chance cherished the moment when he embarked on his solo tour at the end of that year. He finally had the opportunity to perform for audiences who came specifically to see him, selling out tickets under his own name. This experience marked a significant turning point in his career, serving as a foundation upon which he would continue to build.
Chance The Rapper’s journey in the music industry has been a remarkable one. “Acid Rap” catapulted him into the spotlight, and his determination, talent, and charisma have kept him there ever since. As he reflects on the past 10 years, he continues to be an inspiration to aspiring artists worldwide, proving that with hard work, dedication, and a bit of resilience, dreams can indeed come true.c