The Rise Of Chance The Rapper

Chancellor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American hip hop recording artist from the West Chatham neighbourhood of Chicago, Illinois. In 2013, he began to gain recognition following the release of his second mixtape, Acid Rap. Apart from his solo career, he is also a member of the Chicago collective Save Money, along with frequent collaborator Vic Mensa, and has worked as the lead vocalist for the band The Social Experiment. They released the widely lauded album Surf on in May 2015.

In his freshman year at Jones College Prep High School, Chance formed the hip-hop duo Instrumentality with a friend. Many of Chance’s earliest performances took place at the YOUmedia Lyricist Loft at Harold Washington Library in Chicago. He mentioned in an interview that fellow Chicago native Kanye West’s 2004 debut album The College Dropout was the first hip-hop album that he ever purchased and listened to, previously being into soul and jazz.

Chance has stated in interviews with XXL & Complex that Kanye West, James Brown, MC Hammer, Prince, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Lil Wayne, Esham, Eminem, Souls of Mischief and Freestyle Fellowship have all influenced him. When asked about the gospel influences in his music, he also has stated that Kirk Franklin is one of his favourite artists, and his favourite composer.

In November 2014, Chance was named Chicago’s Outstanding Youth of the Year and received the award from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He has actively fought to combat gun violence in his hometown and in 2014, along with his father, promoted the “#SaveChicago” campaign. Chance met with President Obama at the White House on April 16, 2016, to discuss My Brother’s Keeper Challenge, an initiative of the United States Federal Government to promote intervention by civic leaders in the lives of young men of color to address their unique challenges and to promote racial justice, with other musicians, including Alicia Keys, Busta Rhymes, Janelle Monáe, J. Cole and so on.