Chance The Rapper To Meet With Gov. Rauner, Announces Huge Tour

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 14, 2017 4:01PM

Getty Images / Photo: Kevin Winter

It was probably meant as nothing more than an innocuous tip of the hat to on a day where everybody in Chicago seemed to be angling for some residual Chance shine, but when Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday Tweeted a congratulations to Chance the Rapper following the Chatham native's barnstorming triple win at the Grammys, Chance—true to form—wasn't going to let an opportunity for deeper engagement slip by.

"Thank you Governor, I would love to have meeting with you this week if possible," Chance replied after Rauner's Tweet.

A couple hours later, the governor finally accepted. "Let's set up a meeting soon. Looking forward to our conversation," Rauner said.

What we'd give to a be a fly on that wall. If you know of Chance's biweekly Open Mike series with Chicago youth or saw him lead a Parade to the Polls or have listened to a minute of his music, you know his social conscious precedes him; and he won't likely let Rauner off the hook on Chicago gun violence or statewide social-service cuts. We're imagining an Elvis-meets-Nixon scenario if Elvis had a lot more on his mind at the time.

Chance picked up three Grammys on Sunday: Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance ("No Problem") and Best Rap Album (Coloring Book). He also delivered a powerful, overflowing-with-joy performance of “How Great” and “All We Got."

In other Chance-conquers-the-planet news, the rapper on Tuesday morning announced dates for a massive spring tour. There is no Chicago date scheduled—which we're sure will do nothing to fuel rumors of a potential Magnificent Coloring Day reprise or a festival headlining slot.