Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne & Smino Spark a Soulful Resistance with “Tree”

Music Video Directed by Chance the Rapper 

LISTEN + WATCH HERE

(Photo credit: Shaun Andru)

July 4, 2025 — Chance the Rapper unveils a powerful new statement with “Tree,” a soul-soaked single and self-directed music video featuring Lil Wayne and Smino. Sampling India.Arie’s “Video,” the track flips into something hypnotic and uncompromising—part smoke break, part sermon, part ode, part protest chant.

Lyrically, “Tree” reckons with the criminalization and commercialization of cannabis, reframing “the tree” as both a sacred rite and a symbol of generational harm. The song’s emotional core lies in a refrain inspired by Chance’s own mother who appears throughout the lyrics as a voice of tenderness, resistance, and radical truth:

“My mama used to always keep a lil bit of ‘dro

The incense in the window while she foldin’ our clothes

I know life will have its issues, there would never be

a problem with the weed

She told me "Son, don't worry, don't you have no shame

There gonna be frustration in this white man’s game

And they’re gonna have us tied up once it’s legalized 

Because it is a TREE.”

STREAM “TREE” HERE

WATCH MUSIC VIDEO HERE

Chance delivers his verses with clarity and conviction, calling out systemic injustice and celebrating the resilience of Black families, especially the strength and shelter provided by Black women. Lil Wayne and Smino bring levity and fire, dropping imagery-rich bars that swing between surreal humor and social critique.

The video, shot in and around a Black woman-owned dispensary near L.A., expands the message into a visual metaphor for the beauty, power, and protection of Black women. Directed by Chance himself, the visual blends radiant silhouette choreography, bold text overlays, and moments of quiet rebellion. It opens with Chance, Wayne, and Smino hanging out in the dispensary, surrounded by joyful, successful and beautiful Black women. When two white male police officers arrive to make an arrest, the women swiftly transform the space into a serene flower shop, shielding themselves from harm and protecting a space they worked so hard to create. Chance’s bold cinematography nods to the power of women in Black entrepreneurship and of the Black dollar in Black communities.

“Tree” is a tribute to legacy, labor, and liberation. It offers a glimpse into Star Line, Chance’s upcoming genre-blending, multidimensional project inspired by Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Lineand Chance’s own spiritual and artistic travels across the Black diaspora, where even the smallest rituals carry the biggest truths.

To celebrate the release of “Tree,” Chance will host a series of events at Black-owned community spaces across Chicago on July 4th. From 1–5PM CT, he’ll take over Village Bucktown—an independently owned, community-rooted dispensary—for an exclusive “Tree” launch party and meet & greet. This free event will feature the first look at new Star Line merchandise, raffles, and guest DJ sets. That evening, Chance will keep the celebration going with a special “Tree” skate party at The Rink, the historic roller skating hub that’s been a cornerstone of Chicago’s Black community for over 50 years.

For More Information on Chance the Rapper, please contact: teamchance@shorefire.com.