Hip-hop star turned activist Chance the Rapper announced plans to release a musical movie set in Chicago, beginning production soon.
Photo by INSIDER
Chance The Rapper is a Chicago-native that grew up to become one the music industry’s biggest stars. After coming on to the scene with his mixtapes 10 Day in 2012 and Acid Rap only a year later, Chance took his music and community involvement to the next level. One of his biggest impacts has been on Chicago Public Schools, where last year, he wrote a $1 million dollar check for the school system as a call-to-action. His newest mixtape, titled Coloring Book, was released in 2016, where Chance rapped about his passions on growing up in Chicago, his religious values, and how blessed he’s become. Now, after solely focusing on music, Lil Chano is expanding his horizons and looking into movie producing.
Chance’s first movie came out earlier this year in September, titled Slice. The comedy thriller takes place after a pizza delivery man murder, and the rest of the city was left to find answers. The story goes on to encounter ghosts, drug dealers, and a lonely werewolf, played by Chance himself. The movie hit theaters on September 10, and it was the rapper’s first film ever.
Just this month, it was announced that Chance, in association with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures (MGM), is working on a new musical film titled Hope. This project is set to get started as soon as possible. In addition, Nico Segal, one of Chance’s longtime friends and partners, is also set to produce music and provide original work. The storyline hits close to home with the artist, as the film follows a group of Chicago teenagers that decide to turn “art into [community] action.” While it’s unknown if Chance plans to be in the film himself, the plot reflects experiences from his own childhood growing up in Chicago. Just like the group of teenagers, Chance plans to put art into action by bringing aspects of the city to light.
The musical will be an amazing film for young people growing up in the same setting. We can expect to see a heartfelt musical that focuses on being a change in your community, even if all odds are against you. This message is one that should resound with teenagers all over the nation, not just in Chicago. Chance’s side projects, including this upcoming film, are an example of how much work he puts into activism. The only question now is, what will he do next?
Photo by CBN
