Chance The Rapper Addresses Racial Violence in New Song “Tree” Following Delta State Student’s Death
Chance The Rapper is using his music to confront America’s ongoing racial violence. On September 15, the Chicago artist posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the death of Delta State University student De’Martravion “Trey” Reed, who was found hanging from a tree on campus that day. Chance linked Reed’s death to the themes of his new song “Tree” from his album Star Line.
On the What’s The Word Podcast, Chance explained that the song’s core is not in its provocative language but in its social critique. He raps, “‘And they gonna have us tied up once it’s legalized because it is a tree / Are they still lynching Black folks in America in 2025?’” He described “Tree” as a confrontation with the reality that lynching and racially motivated violence against Black Americans continues today. The song tackles issues from the persistence of sundown towns to the legacy of racial terror in the South.
Chance also drew on the theology of scholar James Cone, linking Biblical imagery of being “strung up on a tree” to America’s history of violence. “That’s why I made this song. It’s activism. It’s about keeping the conversation alive,” he said.
Reed’s death added urgency to the song’s message. A preliminary autopsy showed no signs of trauma, and the Mississippi State Medical Examiner ruled it a suicide. Toxicology results are pending. Reed’s family, represented by attorney Ben Crump, disputes the findings and has requested an independent autopsy.
For Chance, “Tree” is more than music. It is a reminder that the violence his lyrics confront remains a lived reality. Star Line, which features Young Thug, Lil Wayne, Vic Mensa, and others, is available now. Chance will take the album on tour next month.
