Entertainment

Chance The Rapper Blasts Trump: Chicago Is Not A ‘Third World Country’

Published on: February 23, 2017 at 11:59 AM ET
Stacey Cole
Written By Stacey Cole
News Writer

Chance the Rapper thinks the U.S. President Donald Trump is “going to war” with Chicago, according to Rolling Stone magazine. The rapper, who made history at this month’s Grammy Awards, responded to President Trump’s plans to “send in the Feds” to fix gun violence in Chicago.

Chance the Rapper, who was born in Chicago, thinks the U.S. President might be planning to go to war with Chicago. The rapper’s comments come a month after Trump announced he would be sending the Feds to the city to fix its incessant gang violence, which has caused a skyrocketing murder rate there.

In his latest interview with The Undefeated in ESPN the Magazine’s Entertainment Issue, Chance the Rapper said President Trump sending the Feds to Chicago is worrying news.

“I can only expect he means that he’s gonna, from a federal level, help out with the teachers’ strike and the union issues. I don’t like to think he said what he meant or he meant what he said.”

Chance the Rapper, whose father Ken Bennett is deputy chief of staff to the Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, is well aware of the gun violence issue in his hometown Chicago, but he says he’s “tired” of people talking about Chicago “like it’s a third world country.”

Chance the Rapper argues that Chicago is, in reality, a city of “booming business” with a very prominent downtown and “all types of new development.” The rapper’s comments come amid reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is sending representatives to the city to help local authorities address the deadly gun violence.

Last month, Trump wrote on Twitter that in 2016 alone a whopping 762 people became victims of gun violence in the city. The U.S. President also slammed the Mayor for his inability to deal with the issue.

Chance the Rapper, whose father works closely with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has been enjoying the rise of popularity lately. At this month’s Grammy Awards 2017, the rapper took home three awards, including one for Best New Artist.

Chance the Rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, had his breakthrough year in 2016 with the release of his album Coloring Book , which won the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys 2017.

Chance the Rapper’s single “No Problem” featuring rappers Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, meanwhile, got the 23-year-old rapper the Best Rap Performance Grammy, officially crowning him the rap sensation of 2016. In fact, Billboard ranked “No Problem” at No. 13 of its 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016 list.

In addition to taking the Grammys stage to thank the Academy’s voting members and his fans for the awards three times that night, Chance the Rapper also performed with gospel stars Kirk Franklin and Tamela Mann.

Chance the Rapper surely wants to continue sitting on the Rap Sensation throne, which is why he recently announced an expansive North American spring tour, which is set to kick off on April 24 in San Diego.

Although Chance the Rapper didn’t beat Kendrick Lamar’s last year’s five Grammy awards, and it was hard to impress the audience more than the pregnant Beyoncé did at the Grammys, the rapper still managed to make history this year, according to Quartz .

Chance the Rapper became the first ever artist to win a Grammy without selling physical copies of his music. The rapper, who remains unsigned to any record label, has been sharing his music online for free.

Chance the Rapper is still doing pretty well financially thanks his touring schedule and lucrative merchandise sales.

[Featured Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]

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