Chance The Rapper extends his deeply rooted political activism (and financial power plays) in Chicago to educating voters about how local politics work. Through his recently purchased media The Chicagoist, Chano released a charming and educational skit satirizing how Chicago’s Aldermanic system works in the wake of its forthcoming election.
The visual, also featuring Hannibal Burress, features Chance playing man-on-the-street as an investigative reporter, Champ Bennett. In Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, he goes around asking civilians whether they know what an Alderman does, or what a ward is, while interviewing Aldermanic candidates and Burress himself as a 75-year-old Alderman named Al Durham.
Chance, along with several of the candidates explain some crucial, mitigating factors that often prevent younger and more diverse candidates from being elected. Particularly, that felons or citizens who owe debt or taxes to the City of Chicago are not allowed to run for office. Chance easily took the words from many viewers mouth when he says, “wow, that shit sounds racist.”
On a related, more serious note, the “No Problems” rapper, and SocialWorks founder had an op-ed published by the Chicago Tribune standing up for a Chicago Public School that is facing closure.
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“I am witnessing what seems to be the never-ending cycle of the displacement of our black and brown children.”
In context, Chance and many Chicago activists charge that the continued closure of predominantly black and brown schools across the city further drives the city’s notorious crime rate and is based on discrimination.
Chance continues, “If CPS succeeds in its plan to close NTA, I can’t help but ask what will happen next…. CPS’ inadequate transition plan and its seemingly discriminatory rationale for closing the school in the first place tell me that the answers won’t be positive.”
While Chance continues his activism in more ways than one across his hometown, he has still been dishing out solid tunes as he recently given us two new drops, “The Man Who Has Everything” and the Joey Purp assisted, “My Own Thing”.
Chicago’s Aldermanic elections are February 26, 2019. Check out the zany visual all the way at the top.
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