Chance the Rapper

Johnathan Bennett, professionally known as Chance the Rapper, was born on April 16, 1993, and is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor from Chicago's West Chatham neighborhood.

Chance is the lead singer for the band The Social Experiment. His unique, bohemian style of music release has led the trend of independent artists achieving national fame without traditional label backing. His first two renowned solo projects, 10 Day (2012) and Acid Rap (2013), have been labeled “classic” by Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine. Before striking out on his own, Chance was part of the hip-hop duo Instrumentality with his friend Justin. Besides his individual career, he is part of the Chicago collective SAVEMONEY, which includes frequent collaborator Vic Mensa.

In 2015, Chance released a collaborative project called Surf with Donnie Trumpet and The Social Experiment as a free album via iTunes, and also became the first unsigned artist to perform on Saturday Night Live. His eagerly awaited third solo project Coloring Book was released in 2016 on Apple Music to widespread fan and critic acclaim, receiving a Metacritic score of 90, indicating “universal acclaim.” Coloring Book was also the first streaming-exclusive album to appear on the Billboard 200, debuting at number 8.

On February 12, 2017, Chance won three Grammy Awards (Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Performance) out of his seven nominations. Chance made history by being the first artist to win a Grammy with a project released solely on streaming platforms and by being the first black hip-hop artist to win Best New Artist since Lauryn Hill in 1999.