Chance the Rapper and his wife Kirsten Corley announced their divorce on Wednesday (April 3). The two revealed they separated before deciding to end their five-year marriage.
“After a period of separation, the two of us have arrived at the decision to part ways,” they said in a joint statement. “We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together. We kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate this transition. Thank you.”
Chance married Corley in 2019, the same year he released his debut album The Big Day. The album became the source of countless memes due to its focus on the couple’s marriage. The project spawned the “I love my wife” joke, which followed Chance for years.
Last year, Chance faced scrutiny for his antics at Carnival. Viral footage showed him participating in a racy dance with another woman, sparking debates about whether or not it was appropriate behavior for a married man. Corley reacted to the conversation by quoting the late Maya Angelou in an Instagram post.
“Most people don’t grow up,” Angelou said. “It’s too damn difficult. What happens is most people get older. That’s the truth of it. They honor their credit cards, they find parking spaces, they marry, they have the nerve to have children, but they don’t grow up. Not really. They get older. But to grow up costs the earth, the earth. It means you take responsibility for the time you take up, for the space you occupy. It’s serious business. And you find out what it costs us to love and to lose, to dare and to fail. And maybe more, to succeed.”
A rep for Chance claimed the couple was “all good” following the controversy. But their relationship went sour in subsequent months as the two called it quits.
