The Rise of Chance the Rapper

Kathleen Catamisan, Staff WriterMarch 7, 2017Leave a Comment

Rap has been around since the 1970’s. Since then, the rap game has changed. Topics covered in rap vary from social justice issues all the way to materialistic items. Today, the rap game involves a lot of drugs, girls, money, and other areas that affect our society today. Chance the Rapper, a rapper hailing from Chicago, is changing the game entirely.

In today’s times, what matters most is the record label you’re signed to and if the music you make rhymes or is catchy enough to play on the radio; music like this can be heard when you turn the radio on in your car. This is not meant to bash on the music of other artists, but to point out how the industry has changed throughout the years. While music like this is enjoyable, it is enjoyable only for the time that it is popular. On rare occasions you find a song that speaks to you, and sticks with you for the rest of your life. Chance the Rapper is one such artist that is changing how the entire industry works.

To start off, Chance is an independent music artist. This means that he is not signed to any record label. He, of course, has people that help him in the process, but most of the moves are made by him. This alone is something major. There are many artists out there that are independent but have met little success. There are even people signed onto a label and have a hard time achieving success. This is where Chance changes the game. He shows us that it’s not always about the money and the industry. For Chance, it’s all about making music that people enjoy. Many major artists (like Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Kanye West) also tip their hats off to Chance for continuing to stay the same, even though he’s a big star now.

Besides the changes he’s starting to make in the industry, there’s a lot about Chance that’s different from everyone else. Let’s start off by getting to know him more. Chance’s real name is Chancelor Johnathan Bennett. He hails from a small neighborhood in Chicago. Chance has a deep love for the city he comes from. Hailing from Chicago, notoriously known for its high crime rate, is something that most people aren’t proud to proclaim. Chance, on the other hand, talks about his love for Chicago, and how he wants to make it a better place to live. Chance donated 1 million dollars to Chicago’s public schools. He plans to do this with his music and wants to show people that it’s possible to dream big, even if you’re from a small neighborhood. Another element that makes Chance’s raps so different from many other artists is what he puts into it. Some of his songs have Christian elements to it while others tackle social justice issues in a subtle way. Chance also isn’t one to back away from proclaiming his religion. This is seen in some of his recent songs “Blessings” and “How Great.” You don’t need to be Christian to enjoy his music. You can hear in his music how he has fun and is trying to make something that people, no matter how different, can enjoy. Lastly, to prove that Chance is in it for the music and not the money, he’s done something that most artists aren’t willing to do: never sold any of his music. You won’t find his mixtapes or albums in any store. Instead, you can stream it for free on Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming services. Chance makes his money from sponsors, commercials, and tours/festivals.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOyCMOgBQFq/?taken-by=chancetherapper&hl=en

Pictured above is Chance the Rapper, with fellow musician Childish Gambino.

At only 23 years old, Chance seems to be getting bigger and bigger. He’s already collaborated with artists like Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Lil Wayne. He continues to shock the music industry and break barriers. Recently, he won three Grammys for his latest mixtape “Coloring Book.” Chance the Rapper is only getting started, as he continues to grow, so will his music and his influence in the music industry. If you’re interested, you can listen to his latest mixtape “Coloring Book” on Spotify, and his two other mixtapes, “Acid Rap” and “10 Day” on mixtape streaming sites. A warning: there is profanity present in various songs and those will be labelled with the term “Explicit.” Chance offers a range of songs, and there are many songs that people of all ages can enjoy.

https://twitter.com/chancetherapper/status/831634894056890368
To find out about any tour dates, and more on Chance make sure to visit his site http://chanceraps.com/, and follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/chancetherapper! To read more about what Chance does to help give back, make sure to give http://www.socialworkschi.org/about a visit also!