Chance The Rapper recently appeared at the MCA in Chicago to take part in a discussion series called In Sight Out. It’s an in-depth dive into the artist and has featured other artists like Solange Knowles and Mick Jenkins.
Award-winning writer and journalist Adrienne Samuels Gibbs conducted the interview and dove right into the conversation. The discussion included topics such as Chance’s art collection, God, Kanye West, and “Saturday Night Live.”
Chance spoke passionately about his SNL experience because of what it meant to him as a child. He was so involved in the process and takes pride in what he was able to bring to the table with the help of his friends.
When asked if he was going to be on West’s next project, he jokingly mentioned that nobody knows what West is going to do next.
We were able to ask Chance about an extremely poignant and emotional moment in his career. The three-time Grammy award winner was unboxing his awards with his family present. His daughter helped him unpack the awards and in a highly touching moment, she hugged her dad and Chance began to cry.
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We asked Chance why he was so emotional at that moment.
“It was such a big moment for me; I purposely didn’t sign [a record deal] and kept saying no to amounts of money that I knew I wouldn’t see for a long time because I just thought it would be cool for somebody to say, ‘I got the Grammy without a label.’ I got them and I’m holding the Grammy that weighs around seven to ten pounds in one hand and my daughter who is about 30 pounds and I stood there as a scale for a moment and feel the weight of my daughter and how much more important she is. It broke me down. I think it was meant for me to get three Grammys at one time because if I had one, I’d probably be too thirsty for more. I got them in abundance so that I could see that there were many of them but there is only one Kensli,” said Chance.
When asked about the recent school closings in Chicago and the new $95M police academy that is being built by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chance had this to say:
“I feel cheated, I feel angry. I feel vengeful. There are people who are not nameless. You grow up feeling like you are fighting against ‘the man’ or faceless entity of people who are out to get you. But these people have names. Rahm is one … That’s just what it is and there is no way to hide it. This is the third group closing of schools since 2013. We don’t have to dance around it. I see the inequality, I see the unfairness, I see the violation of our city, I see the scathing department of justice review from our police department. The same one that murdered Fred Hampton. I’m seeing that this a fucked up system and this is me entering myself into it to change it all. I’m here. I’m posted. I am not going anywhere. I’m going to live in Chicago until the day I die. I’m going to travel, I’m going to do some tours so I can get that bag and then Imma lobby for y’all.”
