If Childish Gambino is really wrapping up his career as a boundary-blurring artist to resume acting full-time, then Lollapalooza may have seen one of his very last shows. Though that would be extremely unfortunate as far as fans of his delightfully unpredictable music are concerned, the man born Donald Glover left them with an endlessly entertaining and topically provocative experience they’ll never forget.

That grand slam was just a fraction of what Friday’s Lollapalooza had to offer, which included reported sightings of Chance The Rapper joining alt-rockers Death Cab For Cutie, plus Childish Gambino giving a personal stamp of approval to rising rap/trap star 21 Savage.

His headlining set (opposite space rockers Tame Impala) began with a visually arresting entrance that found Gambino descending from a hydraulic lift, and upon landing, leaving the stage for a run within the barricades. It was a communal scene that reprised itself in several instances throughout 75 thoroughly engaging minutes, but was thankfully chronicled on the jumbotrons for those in the most distant stretches of Grant Park to catch.

Gambino also performed tons of tunes from the primary stage, weaving in and out of hip-hip, funk, R&B, psychedelic rock and indie pop with a fantastically fierce band. There were seasonal slices of “Summertime Magic” and “Feels Like Summer,” the social justice-seeking anthem “This Is America” and many church-like moments prior to the rousing finale of “Redbone,” all of which begged for its author to reconsider staying in the game at least a little while longer.

Offering direct support to Childish Gambino, fellow innovator Janelle Monae brought her Prince and Janet Jackson-inspired flavors of electro-funk, R&B and trippy soul to the mega-fest. The singer/songwriter/producer/actress was limitless as a vocalist and dancer, while politically-charged, equality-seeking songs from her breakthrough album “Dirty Computer” signaled her arrival in the upper tiers of message-centered entertainers.

Speaking of leaping up to the next level, rapper NF lived up to his motto “real music till the day we die” in front of an enormous crowd that surely propelled his newly released album, “The Search,” to a projected chart-topping position. Whether he was pushing a shopping cart or climbing a cage to symbolize the vast range of his and the audience’s inner struggles, this disciple of Eminem for the next generation spewed rhymes with lightning-fast speed that were always stocked with substance.

Those who turned out to see fellow rapper Rich The Kid may have been disappointed that he didn’t actually appear, but they were quickly swayed by his last-minute substitute Polo G. The Chicago native rose to the occasion with a charismatic round of melodic hip-hop from his debut, “Die A Legend,” as he made another major living step towards that very status.

That grand slam was just a fraction of what Friday’s Lollapalooza had to offer, which included reported sightings of Chance The Rapper joining alt-rockers Death Cab For Cutie, plus Childish Gambino giving a personal stamp of approval to rising rap/trap star 21 Savage. It was all a shoe-in for a sellout, though tickets do remain for Saturday’s double header starring Twenty One Pilots and J. Balvin, plus Sunday’s flip between Ariana Grande and Flume as Lollapalooza continues to expand its vast horizons.

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Lollapalooza continues at Grant Park through Aug. 4. For additional details, visit Lollapalooza.com.

For additional information on Childish Gambino, visit ChildishGambino.com.