Chance the Rapper has always been loud and proud about where he comes from. The independent rapper proudly represents Chicago, and he’s not going to let anyone — including the president — disrespect his city.
During an interview for The Undefeated, Chance the Rapper was asked about a recent tweet storm from Donald Trump in which he threatened to “send in the Feds” to Chicago. Chance the Rapper was unsure, unless it was to tweak “our state and city budgets in terms of schooling and housing,” why Trump felt federal intervention would be appropriate. The “Juke Jam” singer noted that Chicago could benefit from some improvements, though intimidation tactics and force certainly aren’t necessary to achieve that.
“I can only expect that he means he’s gonna, from a federal level, help out with, you know, the teachers’ strike and the union issues. I don’t like to think that he, you know said what he meant or meant what he said,” the rapper told The Undefeated.
Additionally, the Grammy Award winner said he was fed up with outsiders creating a conflated image of Chicago as “a Third World country.” The 23-year-old said that in doing so, they’re ignoring the city’s many successful businesses and the growth it’s experienced over the years. Additionally, Chance the Rapper said that Trump’s message sounded threatening.
“It sounds like he was announcin’ he was going to war with Chicago,” he said.
Trump’s original tweet about Chicago was sent on Jan. 24, just four days after the Inauguration. In it, he referenced 228 shootings he claimed had occurred in the city in 2017, calling it “carnage.” Trump said that the murder rate in Chicago was up 24 percent from the previous year, which was an especially volatile one. It was not clear what lead Trump to send the tweet, though, as has been noted in recent weeks, he often tweets about what he sees on Fox News in the evening hours.
Despite Trump’s less than conventional approach to the presidency and sometimes threatening demeanor, Chance the Rapper isn’t worried about what’s to come and he doesn’t think you should be either. Days before Trump was sworn into office, the musician sat down with GQ for a telling interview in which he praised dissatisfied voters for coming together after the election. Chance the Rapper promised fans to do his best to make the transition from President Barack Obama to Trump a little easier by releasing more music. He teased upcoming tracks with the same positive and powerful message seen throughout his 2016 mixtape “Coloring Book.” He told the publication that with good music and the spirit of protest, Americans had nothing to fear.
“I would say to everybody, you know, the world is coming together,” he told GQ. “Like there’s — everyday people are becoming more and more…sensitive to real issues and…aware. People are raising their kids to be more and more knowledgeable and understanding. I would say the main reason not to be afraid is that I’m making music for your kids now. I’m coming so clean-cut with the message of hope and understanding, and the Word, that it’s like: What could you be fearful of?”
Chance the Rapper, photographed during the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on Feb. 12, 2017, responds to Donald Trump’s claims about crime in Chicago. Photo: Getty Images
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