Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper

Hailed as “a generational voice” by “GQ” and “an outstanding role model” by President Barack Obama, multi-Grammy award winner Chance the Rapper has built a multi-faceted career, redefining what it means to be an independent artist. Chance has never signed a record deal, opting instead to make his music available for free. Born and raised in Chicago, Chance made history in 2017 when he became the first artist to win a Grammy for a streaming-only mixtape – collecting statues for Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album for his now-iconic “Coloring Book.”

Chance’s upcoming album “Star Line Gallery” intertwines the worlds of art, music and cinematography through interdisciplinary collaborations with fine artists from The Continent and The Diaspora. Redefining the notion of “album art” and creating compelling conversations and meditations on Black life, these groundbreaking works (“Child of God,” “A Bar About A Bar,” “The Highs & The Lows” and “YAH Know”) have premiered at art institutions around the world, including Art Basel, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art.

Alongside his music, Chance’s expanding career also includes film and television. In 2021, he became the first artist to independently distribute a film through AMC Theatres via his “Magnificent Coloring World” concert film, written, produced, edited and distributed by Chance himself. His portrayal of the character Herbert on the HBO Max series “South Side” earned him a 2023 NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Performance. Chance made his highly anticipated debut as a coach on Season 23 of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2023 and returned as a coach in 2024 for Season 25.

Coming from a long line of activists and community organizers, Chance was raised with a strong sense of purpose and dedication to giving back. Through his nonprofit organization SocialWorks, he aims to inspire and empower youth through arts, education and civic engagement. Since 2016, SocialWorks has contributed $10 million to the Chicagoland community, impacting approximately 10,000 students annually. Chance recently organized a self-funded free festival in Accra, Ghana, that drew 52,000 attendees. The Black Star Line Festival was founded with a mission to foster cultural exchange between Black people of The Continent and the global Diaspora.