Chance The Rapper's Meeting With Gov. Rauner Is Back On, For Friday
By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 2, 2017 7:06PM
The previously canceled meeting between Chance the Rapper and Gov. Bruce Rauner has been rescheduled. The two will meet on Friday morning to discuss funding for Chicago Public Schools.
Rauner and the Chicago-native rapper were originally slated to meet on Wednesday—but those plans were shelved after tornadoes battered south and central portions of the state. The governor spent portions of Wednesday and Thursday surveying the damage downstate and meeting with victims of the extreme weather. Two people were killed in Illinois due to the storms.
After some doubts as to whether and when a rescheduled meeting would occur, Chance Tweeted on Thursday afternoon that the meeting was back on, set for Friday. "I'm more than appreciative of him taking time to discuss funding CPS," he wrote.
Update: The Governor and I are now scheduled to meet Friday morning, I'm more than appreciative of him taking time to discuss funding CPS https://t.co/gjCXe6Vs8Q
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 2, 2017
As recently as Thursday morning, Chance's camp hadn't received information on a reschedule, he wrote.
As of right now, my meeting with @GovRauner is still "cancelled" with no new info on a reschedule. https://t.co/nSCmJVeOBW
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 2, 2017
But a representative from Rauner's office on Thursday morning told Chicagoist by email that they had reached out to Chance's team to confirm a new date.
Eleni Demertzis, of the governor's office, said ahead of Chance's confirmation:
"The Governor is traveling the state to survey the damage of the deadly tornados that hit this week. He is meeting with families who lost their homes and thanking first responders for their service. He looks forward to hearing from Chance and we have reached out to his team to reschedule our meeting."
Chance (rather brilliantly) requested a meeting after Rauner sent a seemingly anodyne message on Twitter to congratulate the hip-hop supernova on his triple win at the Grammys.
So perhaps some miscommunication aside, things seemed to have worked out: the governor fulfilled his official and moral obligation by meeting with the victims of the storm; and the very necessary meeting to which he previously agreed with one of hip-hop's most preeminent social consciences will still happen. The only question that remains is just how much state funding Chance can convince him to pony up for CPS. If anybody can do it...