Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper in 2022
Born
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett

(1993-04-16) April 16, 1993 (age 31)[1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesChance[2]
EducationJones College Prep High School
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • activist
  • actor
Years active2011–present
OrganizationSocialWorks
Works
Spouse
Kirsten Corley
​
​
(m. 2019; sep. 2024)​
Children2
RelativesTaylor Bennett (brother)
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Formerly of
Websitechanceraps.com

Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, he released his debut mixtape 10 Day (2012) during one of his college suspensions. He gained mainstream recognition in 2013 following the release of his second mixtape, Acid Rap.[4] His third mixtape, Coloring Book (2016), was released to further critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number eight on the Billboard 200. At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, Bennett won Best New Artist and the mixtape became the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy Award—Best Rap Album—while it spawned the single "No Problem" (featuring 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne), which won Best Rap Performance.[5] His debut studio album, The Big Day (2019), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and saw moderate critical reception.[6][7]

In addition to his solo career, Bennett is a member of the Chicago-based collective Savemoney, and is a lead vocalist for the hip hop band the Social Experiment, led by trumpeter Nico Segal.[8] The band released their album Surf in 2015.[9] Bennett has since been prolific in social activism and philanthropic endeavors in his hometown.[10]

  1. ^ "Chance the Rapper". Biography. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  2. ^ Kramer, Kyle (December 10, 2013). "Listen to Two Recently Unearthed Mixtapes of Early Chance the Rapper Material". Complex. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  3. ^ "Chance the Rapper Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Davis, Erin; Ries, Brian (June 28, 2019). "Chance the Rapper blesses us by releasing mixtapes '10Day' and 'Acid Rap' on all streaming platforms". CNN. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (February 13, 2017). "Grammys 2017: Chance the Rapper Wins Best Rap Album". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 6, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Madden, Sidney (July 26, 2019). "'The Big Day' Is Finally Here: Stream Chance The Rapper's Debut Album". NPR. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Tew, Caroline. "It's 'The Big Day': Chance the Rapper drops official debut album". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  8. ^ "DIY Artists Will Earn More than $1 Billion This Year. No Wonder the Major Labels Want Their Business". Rolling Stone. May 6, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
  9. ^ Kameir, Rawiya. "How Chance The Rapper & The Social Experiment Could Change The Grammys Forever". The FADER. Photographs by Jason Nocito. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  10. ^ Fragassi, Selena (March 5, 2018). "Chance the Rapper talks music, Chicago and activism during MCA chat". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2019.