Here's Alec Baldwin Rapping Some Carl Sandburg Poetry

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 2, 2015 3:15PM

Actor and activist Alec Baldwin was in Chicago over the weekend to lend his hand to help raise funds for Young Chicago Authors and its Louder Than a Bomb youth poetry festival.

Behind the scenes, Baldwin was loose and attempted to rap a couple lines of Carl Sandburg’s classic 1914 poem “Chicago” with local hip hop star Chance the Rapper handling beat box duties. The results? Let’s just say Baldwin won’t be embarking on a hip hop career anytime soon, but it looks like everyone had a good time.

This is me beatboxing while Alec Baldwin raps, he is for the people. Him, Alfred Woodard and Ali from Tribe came thru the city to help raise money for YCA, the organization that built and developed myself and @Malcolmlondon into the leaders we have become. Give it up for them. Beautiful leaders we can all learn from #Chicago #LongLiveTheYoung #YCA

A video posted by Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) on Mar 1, 2015 at 6:13pm PST

Baldwin raps Sandburg's famous lines about "painted ladies under the gas lamps luring the farm boys" and "(seeing) the gunman kill and go free to kill again." Chance the Rapper honed his skills in part through participating in Louder Than a Bomb.

Baldwin seemed to have a good time in Chicago and noted we're doing a couple things better than New York City.

That's because our mayor is fighting for his political life, Mr. Baldwin.

[Pitchfork]