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News > Culture

Chance the Rapper, Youngest BET Humanitarian Award Recipient

  • In addition to the philanthropic accolade, Chance the Rapper also claimed the best new artist award.

    In addition to the philanthropic accolade, Chance the Rapper also claimed the best new artist award. | Photo: Reuters

Published 26 June 2017
Opinion

The musician recently donated $1 million to his hometown of Chicago.

Chance the Rapper received the Humanitarian Award award at the BET Awards on Sunday.

RELATED: 
Chance the Rapper to Donate $1M to Chicago Public Schools

At 24 years old, the artist became the youngest recipient of the award.

Before he accepted the trophy, a video detailing his work in his native Chicago was played. The video documented his efforts to improve education and funding in public schools aa well as other ventures undertaken by his nonprofit, Social Works.

The musician recently donated $1 million to his hometown.

A special message from former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama then followed.

In the pre-taped video, she revealed that she and former U.S. President Barack Obama have known Chance for a long time.

“We have known Chance and his family since he was a wee little baby rapper and it has been a thrill watching him come into his own in so many ways.

“In addition to making some really amazing music, Chance has been taking that big bright spotlight that follows him around and shining it on our hometown of Chicago.

“Chance is showing our young people that they matter, they have something inside of them that is worthy of being expressed.

“We are so incredibly proud of you, Chance,” Obama said.

Prior to handing the award to Chance, BET President Debra Lee said of the young rapper "I just love everything about him."

Chance expressed his hope to have a global impact by helping people all over the world.

"This is wildly overwhelming," Chance said. "I didn't prepare a speech because I wanted to speak from my heart. I'm 24 and to be receiving something like this at my age feels good as hell."

Chance then declared his love for Black people before making recommendations to the U.S. Government.

“I had plans, originally, to try to tell the world and everybody watching how to make it a better place. To tell everybody in this government that y'all need to let everybody out of jail for selling weed before y'all start making it legal for people to sell it and make capital off it.”

"I'm a good man," Chance said, "but I'm going to become a better man."

In addition to the philanthropic accolade, he also claimed the best new artist award.

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