2 Beloved Chicago Figures Made TIME's 2017 List Of Most Influential People

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 20, 2017 6:28PM

Less than a month after they were both named among the "world's greatest leaders," two of the most adored public figures in Chicago have been singled out by TIME for the magazine's annual roundup of the 100 most influential people.

If you guessed Rahm Emanuel and the United Airlines CEO, you're wrong! The list-placers were of course baseball's indomitable curse-killer and analytics dreamboat Theo Epstein and Chance the Rapper, Chicago's favorite Grammy-winning, CPS-saving, Harold's-cake-eating son.

Fellow Chicago hip-hop luminary Common wrote in part about Chance:

"Chance upends expectations about what artists, ­especially hip-hop artists, can do. He streams his albums instead of selling them. He makes music from an unapologetically inspiring and Christian perspective—music that transcends age, race and gender. He gives back to his Chicago community. And he does it all as an independent artist, without the support of a label.

I’m glad Chance followed his dreams. I hope he always does."

Evanston native and appreciative Cubs lifer John Cusack delivered hosannas for Theo:

"Theo may be a creature of destiny, but he recognizes that he's also just another flawed human being, no better than anyone else. It's an artful thing to thread that needle and wear it as a matter of common sense. He's more Old World than old school. Words and deeds need to match. Trust is earned. He apologizes to no one for caring."

You can check out the full list here. Bear in mind that, unlike Chicago's winners, not all influencers use their powers for good.