President Obama Praises Chance the Rapper at Chicago Concert
President Barack Obama salutes Chance the Rapper once again. This time, the former president honored Lil Chano for his ongoing efforts in his hometown of Chicago.
On Saturday (Aug. 12), Chance held the free Bud Billiken Bash concert in the city following this year’s 88th Annual Bud Billiken Parade, where he was grand marshall. President Obama’s message played at the show, where he was able to reach the youth with encouragement.
“Chance, I am grateful for everything you’ve done on behalf of our young people back home,” said the historic 44th president. “I’m hopeful that everyone who is at the concert today, everybody who is getting involved, everybody who’s been part of the parade, all of you are of the mindset that you can do anything that you want to do, as long as you put your mind to it.”
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The Coloring Book MC had some more tricks up his sleeve. Aside from a special message from Obama, he also delivered surprise performances by Future, Jeremih, and MadeinTYO. “I wanna extend a huge thanks on behalf of Chicago to @1future @BarackObama @deoncole @Jeremih @madeintyo & more for making #BBBash historic,” Chance tweeted.
Earlier in the day, the Chi-town MC donated 30,000 backpacks through his SocialWorks organization, according to The Chicago Tribune. Students at the Bud Billiken Parade received the book bags, which were filled with pens, pencils, Post-it Notes, a notebook and a folder. Following the parade, Chance held the aforementioned free concert at Auditorium Theatre.
After getting fans ready for school at the parade, Lil Chano woke up to encourage students. “If you started school today Shoutout you man,” he wrote. “Also how are you reading this… pay attention.”
Somehow my memory suppressed the fact that I saw the ridiculously unbelievably gorgeous @essencesays in REAL LIFE at a concert months ago
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) August 14, 2017
This isn’t the first time President Obama and Chance have shared love for one another. Last year, the former POTUS added Chano to his annual summer playlist, and invited him to attend his administration’s final state dinner. In March, former First Lady Michelle Obama praised The Rapper’s philanthropic efforts and then helped present him with a Humanitarian Award at the BET Awards in June.
Chance, whose father once worked for Obama, has also celebrated the former President and his family. “He’s a good man,” The Rapper has said of the nation’s first black president. “Even if he wasn’t president, if his ass worked at, like, Red Lobster, he’d be just a good man working at Red Lobster.”