Getty Chance The Rapper performs onstage during Chance The Rapper to Headline Spotify's RapCaviar Live In Brooklyn in Partnership with Live Nation Urban and Verizon on September 29, 2018.
Chance the Rapper has rumors circulating online that he could be considering getting into politics. Two cryptic tweets on October 15 led many fans to wonder whether the performer plans to run for Mayor of Chicago.
Im thinkin maybe I should
Chance, whose full name is Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, first tweeted Monday afternoon, “Im thinkin maybe I should.” His 2015 song “Somewhere in Paradise” includes the following line: “They screaming Chano for mayor, I’m thinking maybe I should.”
The post triggered more than 300 comments, nearly 6,000 shares and 22,000 “likes.” A majority of the responses were from fans who concluded that a mayoral candidacy was happening.
@chancetherapper Drop an album cause it’s been a good minute🙏🙌
However, a few fans suggested the tweet merely implied that Chance was planning to release another album.
Chance the Rapper heightened the suspense with a second tweet.
City Hall pull up
Just before 5 p.m., he teased that he would be holding a news conference at Chicago City Hall. Chance noted an announcement was coming at 10 a.m. central time, but did not mention a date. The 25-year-old musician’s tweet quickly sent fans spiraling again, wondering what the rapper was alluding to.
@chancetherapper WHAT DAY!!!
Chance the Rapper May Join His Father in Supporting Toni Preckwinkle For Mayor
Another possibility is that Chance the Rapper could throw his support behind another candidate. His father, Ken Bennett, is supporting Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. If she wins, she would be the first black woman to hold the office. As reported by the Chicago Sun Times, Bennett was by her side when she announced her candidacy.
Chance’s father is a well-known figure in Chicago politics. In 2014, Bennett was named as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of Public Engagement under Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The news release at the time stated part of Bennett’s political history: “Bennett previously served as a Presidential Appointee and Regional Representative for the U.S. Secretary of Labor in the Midwest Region. He also served in the White House as Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama and Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel. Prior to that, Bennett was Illinois State Director for then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama and State Director for the 2008 Obama for America Presidential Campaign.”
The Chicago Mayoral Election is February 26, 2019 & Candidates Have Until November 26 to Get on the Ballot
If Chance the Rapper decided to run for Mayor of Chicago, he already has one potential campaign ad. He was recently filmed raising money for Chicago Public Schools by driving for Lyft. The idea was to participate “undercover,” but he hinted about his identity. The rapper told one passenger he never uses GPS, because it’s better to “leave things up to Chance.”
Chance will need to make up his mind quickly if he’s mulling a campaign. Candidates have to collect a minimum of 12,500 signatures to get on the ballot.
That may not sound too hard, but Chicago has an additional hurdle. A voter can only sign one petition. If it’s discovered that that person gave their signature to more than one candidate, then that signature is invalid. The signatures have to withstand any challenges in order for the candidate to be added to the ballot. The filing deadlineis November 26.
According to the Chicago Tribune, possible candidates include several well-known politicians. The list of candidates includes former U.S. commerce secretary Bill Daley, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and former police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.
The Chicago mayoral election is scheduled for February 26, 2019. A candidate needs to earn a majority of the votes in order to be declared the winner. If no one garners that much support, then voters will decide between the top two finishers in a runoff election on April 2.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel Announced in September He Would Not Seek a Third Term as Mayor of Chicago
Mayor Rahm Emanuel, left, and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy hold a press conference to address the arrest of Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke on November 24, 2015. (Getty)
Current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has held the office since 2010. He announced in September 2018 that he would not seek a third term.
He told reporters, “This has been the job of a lifetime, but it is not a job for a lifetime.” Emanuel did not answer questions as to his specific reasons for wanting to step down. But he has faced criticism over his handling of gun violence in the city, as well as relations between community members and police.
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