Chance the Rapper: King of Bonnaroo

Dave Paulson | USA TODAY Network

"Mayor of Bonnaroo."

That's the unofficial title Chance the Rapper has earned over the last four years at the Tennessee music festival. He's embraced the event like no other artist in its history, taking in its sights and sounds - and mixing with the public - even when he wasn't on the lineup.

Well, after his headlining performance at Bonnaroo on Saturday night, Chance needs to be officially stripped of that title.

He's now King of Bonnaroo. Or President, Chairman or whatever other title he wants.

He owned this weekend (sorry, Bono), and if the organizers of Bonnaroo know what's best for them, he'll soon own a stake in this festival, too.

Bonnaroo went aggressively after a millennial audience this year, and for so many of those young music lovers, Chance, 24, is one of the biggest stars in their world.

There's no way to know for sure, but from my vantage point, it was a bigger, more vibrant audience that greeted him, compared to U2's crowd a day earlier.

And from his entrance, Chance didn't disappoint. As flames shot up behind his band, he zoomed onto the What Stage on a mini-motorbike - the same one fans spotted him racing backstage that afternoon - and leapt off as it skidded to the other end of the stage floor.

Mixtape gave way to a frenzy of his most beloved tunes, and several by his pal, Kanye West. Like at Bonnaroo, Chance stole the show on West's last album, and Ultralight Beam was an early highlight. After a few songs, Chance and his band - who are also his studio collaborators - caught their breath.

"I'm not always booked here, but I love to come down here," he told the crowd. "It's a beautiful weekend."

He thought back to his first Bonnaroo performance four years ago, on one of the fest's side stages.

"It was a lot less people here," he recalled. "Are there honestly this many Chance the Rapper fans at Bonnaroo?"

The sea of hands, phones, totem poles and flags screamed in affirmation. But Chance still wanted more out of them, and directed them as intently as he did his band.

"I want this (place) to turn upside down. This is Bonnaroo!"

But there were also moments of quiet reflection and worship. Chance is perhaps the most vocal Christian in modern popular music, and refrains like Glory be to God, and "When the praises go up, the blessings come down" washed over the field at Bonnaroo.

"Serious question, guys," he said towards the end of his set. "Make some noise if you want to go to heaven."

Some serious noise was made— perhaps more than you might assume to hear at Bonnaroo.

In the last minutes, during a reprise of his hit Blessings, he had reason to give thanks.

"I'm Chance the Rapper, and I'm so blessed to be in front of you guys this weekend," he said.

He shouted his next, and final words at the top of his lungs.

"We are Bonnaroo! Goodnight!"