Chance the Rapper

 Chance the Rapper is one the most well-known breakthrough stars in the last couple of years. He's earned recognition and popularity through a unique method of not signing with major labels who would like to sign him. A shrewd, independent, and intelligent performer He's managed to please both the backpacker fans and a much larger audience by collaborating with stars like Lil Wayne and Kanye West. He's also politically active as well as a recent act of charity that saw him give $1 million to Chicago public schools. He even had fellow Chicagoan Michelle Obama tweeting her praise for his work: "Thanks for giving back to the Chicago community, which gave us plenty. Your example is a shining instance of the power and value of education in the arts. Chance the Rapper was born Chancelor Johnathan Bennett in Chicago's South Side on April 16, 1993. His father Ken Williams-Bennett worked as a mayor of the city and later as a senator for Barack Obama. Young Chance began rapping under the name Chano and was part of the group Instrumentality with a J-Emcee as a friend. Chance's brother Taylor Bennett launched a rap career. He also created Instrumentality with his friend, J-Emcee. Gambino - who is also known as actor Donald Glover - invited Chance to open for him on his next tour. Chance was already recording his second mixtape Acid Rap, the release that would really push his music to his next level.