When Chance the Rapper gave living in Los Angeles a go for six months back in 2014, it ended up being one of the most difficult times of his life.

Two years after moving back to Chicago and starting a family, he told GQ, “I was just f--king tweaking. I was a Xan-zombie, f--king not doing anything productive. [...] It wasn't where I was supposed to be.”

Ten years later, with the benefit of hindsight, the indie hip-hop artist said he’s realized that what made that time so challenging was less about L.A. and more about where he was mentally at the time.

He spoke with LAist host Julia Paskin about why he’s now “completely 180’d” his views of L.A., his upcoming Juneteenth show at the Hollywood Bowl, embarking on a tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the release of his mixtape Coloring Book — the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy — and his 2025 album STAR LINE’s L.A. ties.

From drugs and mansion parties to fatherhood and karaoke

Asked how he feels about L.A. today, Chance said, “I love L.A. now.”

“I completely 180'd on my views of L.A.,” he told LAist. “I was young and obviously having drugs in excess and just like not being like focused or myself, to be honest. I was just lit and I was young. I had just dropped Acid Rap. It was my first time not living with my parents.”

When he moved back to Chicago, he said, “I got to be more grounded.” He became a father and “the person that I am today, who I'm very happy to be.” Now that he’s in his 30s, he said, “It's way more chill, you know? I'm not a 20-year-old kid that's like throwing mansion parties every day and stuff.”

He’s also since spent extended amounts of time here for TV projects (he was a judge on the reality TV singing competition show The Voice for two seasons) and comes back frequently for performances, like the final stop of his STAR LINE tour last year.

His favorite thing to do in L.A. now is spend time with friends and do karaoke.

“I have a karaoke spot that I go to every Monday if I'm in town,” he told LAist — Monday Night Vibes at Station1640. “Everybody's welcome.”

’A retrospective on liberation, faith and love’

Chance’s show at the Hollywood Bowl this Friday, Juneteenth — with an opening set from D-Nice, a gospel performance by DC6 Singers Collective and a few special guests — marks his first return to the storied venue since performing there in 2017 during his first solo headlining tour, on the heels of winning best new artist and best rap album for his streaming-only mixtape Coloring Book.

The Juneteenth show, Chance explained, is “a retrospective on liberation, faith and love, and what those mean for Black folks” — both throughout history and “on June 19, 2026, on the 250th anniversary of this country.”

His latest album’s LA connection

The show is also closely tied in spirit to his latest album STAR LINE, which is connected to Los Angeles through Wattstax, the 1973 documentary that Chance sampled on the album and which he said also “guided and inspired” it.

The documentary takes its name from the massive 1972 concert at the Los Angeles Coliseum, sometimes referred to as the “Black Woodstock,” when the Watts Summer Festival — an annual commemoration of the 1965 Watts uprising — partnered with Stax Records for a community benefit concert featuring artists like the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas and The Staple Singers.

“In the time that we're living in right now,” Chance said, “I think a lot of us can relate to the rage that was felt during those riots, and as musicians” to a desire “to bring the community together.  And even if that is our movement, like collectively empower that group and speak to them.”

Chance the Rapper plays at The Hollywood Bowl on Friday, 7 p.m. Click here for more information.

Make your tax-deductible donation today