Chance the Rapper talks about the Obama Presidential Center and the song “Together”
Chance the Rapper reveals whether he has heard from Obama since “Together”
Chance the Rapper tells USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa what his reference to the Obama Presidential Center in his song “Together” means.
Chance the Rapper dedicates a new song to the development of the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s south side.
In “Together,” the Grammy winner raps directly at former President Barack Obama about nonprofit agreements: “We need CBA, CBA, CBA, Barry / Before they build another golf course and a library.”
The 31-year-old Chicago rapper hopes the song highlights more than just the former president’s evolution.
“The Obama library is a government-planned development that could potentially displace people, raise property taxes or discourage people in the community from getting jobs,” Chance tells USA TODAY. “But there are a lot of developments like that. While the people of South Shore in Chicago are organizing to get a collective bargaining agreement and get those rights and freedoms, there are people all over the country looking at dispossession or housing and justice.”
Several civic organizations, including park conservationists, have raised concerns about the center’s location in Jackson Park. According to nonprofit The Urban Institute, the agreements Chance reports on are “legally binding contracts between coalitions of civic organizations and developers that determine how local development projects will improve the quality of life of local residents.”
Chance, born Chancellor Bennett, knew Obama long before Become a platinum-selling rapper. The artist’s father, Ken Bennett, served as national director for Obama when he was a U.S. Senator from Illinois and then as national director for Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Still, Chance has never heard from the former president or anyone in his camp.
“This fight is definitely still going on and a lot of great things have been organized in the city,” he continues. “(The organizers) have my full support.”
Prior to his comments, the “No Problem” artist spoke on a panel that covered women’s sports, superfans, and Meta AI, the artificial intelligence assistant on Facebook, Instagram, and other meta platforms. In the meantime, Chance is preparing his next project, “Star Line.” Issues like those faced by some on Chicago’s South Side are his main topic as he writes new music.
“Fortunately, we live in the information age, so we can see how people live on a daily basis and the oppression they endure on a daily basis,” he says. “I’m in service to people who have historically been at the bottom, and I enjoy creating anthemic works of art for them to enjoy.”
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