Chance The Rapper is one of the few Chicago rappers that calls for peace in his hometown and over the weekend he was recognized for that. Chicago mayor Rahm Manuel presented the 21-year-old with the Outstanding Youth of the Year Award not only for his musical accomplishments but for his efforts to address gun violence through his #SaveChicago initiative and devotion to lowering the homicide rate in Chicago.
Chano showed his gratitude on his Instagram, saying it is the most important award he will ever win.
“It was this group of 100 Chicago teens that nominated and chose me as the recipient of the Outstanding Youth Award. The plaque is awarded to those who earned it based on youth leadership and an ear for the common issues that plague young Chicagoans. I consider it an honor to teach and a duty to learn, so I plan to wear this proudly and continue to lead the city in conjuction with the Evangel World Outreach Center and other organizations devoted to the next generation. I was ecstatic to see how pleased everyone was with my win, but let me clear to those who speculated. I was chosen by the children, the mayor was only in attendance. #LongLiveTheYoung.”
Chance is currently gearing up for the release of his free album with his band, The Social Experiment, due out in December.