Chance the Rapper at NBA All Star Game: ‘Glory be to God’

The 2020 NBA All-Star Game was held in Chicago on Sunday night, and Chance the Rapper dominated the half time show – not only musically, but also spiritually. During his set, he was joined by Lil Wayne, Quavo, DJ Khaled,  backup singers, and even a marching band and color guard dancers. Kanye West was in the audience, and Chance honored him by performing a cover of his “Ultralight Beam.”

There were many moments in the show, which I’m embedding below so you can see it in its entirety.  But the part that jumped out at me related to God.

In “This is a God dream,” Chance rapped, “This little light of mine, Glory be to God!” 

After he finished that song, he stopped and said, “We pray for a day that will come when we get to see the place where there is no sun rise and no sun set, and the Prince of Peace will say, ‘Job well done.’”

Then, he began a song called “I was a Rock,” in which he tells about how he used to be a “rock star” but now he’s just a “rock” – meaning, he spends time with family.  In the middle of the song – which was a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant – the voice of Muhammad Ali came through the speakers.

“God is watching me. God don’t praise me because I beat Joe Frazier. God don’t give nothing about Joe Frazier… As far as wealth, it’s all His.  He wants to know how do we treat each other. How do we help each other.”

And while the singer sang, a voice came over that said, “Get ready to meet God,” and “God is watching over me.”

It might not seem like a big deal.  But this was one of the most coveted performance slots of the year, and Chance used his time to glorify God.  I love seeing how faith intersects in pop culture, and this is just the latest hope-giving example.

Image Credit: Pemberton Music Festival on Flickr