CHICAGO — Chance for mayor?
The Chicago rapper announced on Twitter Monday afternoon that he is holding a press conference at 10 a.m. at City Hall regarding the “Chicago mayoral election.” Chance, a philanthropist who has raised money for CPS schools, shared the tweet with the caption: “City Hall pull up.”
It’s not immediately known whether Chance, a Chatham native, will announce plans to run for mayor or if he will endorse a candidate in the race. It’s also not clear what day the press conference will happen, but expect a gaggle of reporters (and fans) to show up Tuesday. He could also be calling on his young fans to register to vote ahead of the 2019 municipal election.
The Sun-Times reports the rapper plans to endorse a candidate, quoting unnamed sources that point to Amara Enyia, head of the Austin Chamber of Commerce.
And on Twitter Monday, his fans urged him to join the crowded list of candidates.
Earlier in the day, Chance tweeted: “Im thinkin maybe I should.”
Chance’s dad, Ken Bennett, a former aide to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, endorsed Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in the mayoral race last month.
The list of contenders who have announced runs for mayor is long and includes: Enyia; Preckwinkle; former top cop Garry McCarthy; former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley; former Daley chief of staff Gery Chico; former CPS CEO Paul Vallas; former Chicago Police Board President Lori Lightfoot; businessman Willie Wilson; Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown; former CPS principal Troy LaRaviere; ; State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford; activist Ja’Mal Green; CodeNow CEO Neal Sales-Griffin; Jerry Joyce Jr., the son of a former 19th Ward alderman; former 11th Ward aldermanic candidate John Kozlar; Garden Party founder Mathew Roney; and former Harold Washington aide Dock Walls.
After two terms, Emanuel announced he would not seek re-election in September.
Chance the Rapper, whose full name is Chancelor Bennett, famously called out Emanuel in a song he released in July called “I Might Need Security.”
The mayor and Chance have bad blood that goes back years: In 2016, Chance said Chicago needs a new mayor. Rahm walked out of a speech Chance gave at City Council in 2017. And during a 2017 Lollapalooza performance, Chance told a crowd, “Come at me, Rahm.”
This is developing story. Check back for updates.
