Almost exactly a year after he brought “Somewhere in Paradise” and “Sunday Candy” to Saturday Night Live (and became the first unsigned, independent artist to serve as the show’s musical guest), Chance the Rapper returned to the stage again this past weekend.
Looking like a modern-day Santa, Young Chano donned a white thermal shirt and red overalls for Coloring Book medley cut “Finish Line/Drown.” After ad-libbing a few “Happy Birthday” wishes to Jesus mid-song, he invited fellow Chicago rapper and frequent collaborator Noname to deliver her verse (and dance in sync). He then played the role of choir director and preacher, leading his background singers in call-and-response before throwing the attention to his drummer for a solo.
“Same Drugs,” largely driven by horns, strings, and a phenomenal back-up singer that even he seems floored by, saw Chance sit at the piano before handing the duties over to Francis and the Lights.
Proving his multi-talent though, Chance joined veteran cast member Kenan Thompson for a skit: a RUN D.M.C-inspired ode to our last Christmas with President Obama in office. With host Casey Affleck making a cameo as “Breakdancing Democrat Jesus,” the real Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels joining in on the joke (which gives nod to the rap group’s 1987 song “Christmas in Hollis”), and castmate Leslie Jones (dressed like Salt-N-Pepa) delivering a sexually-driven verse to Joe Biden, the trio spit too-true lines like this:
“Hey, kids enjoy the presents while you can / ‘Cause next year you might get a bomb from Iran / Look man, we got birth control under the tree / And we’re stuffing every stocking with legal weed / Hey Eric, Hey Mike, get married tonight / Real quick, let in every immigrant in sight / So go nuts before the North Pole disappears / This is the last Christmas before Trump next year.”
“Been drinking eggnog like I don’t care / I’m-a hurt myself before we lose ObamaCare / Say goodbye to Barack, say goodbye December / For a new holiday called Regular Winter / Even Kanye is endorsing him / Got Obama back smoking Newports again / Left the cookies, last will and testament / For the first maybe last black president.”
#ChanceTheRapperForPresident!
And check out where Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book and Noname’s Telefone landed in REVOLT’s Year End Review: #FirstTake | #RestUp | #CrossTheLine | #NoRules | #SimplyTheBest | We Need To Talk About Drake’s ‘Views’