Add history maker to Chance the Rapper’s long list of titles!
The artist, father and activist is now a two-time Grammy winner, becoming the first streaming only artist in music history to do so.
Winning Best New Artist, the 23-year-old Chicago native joins an elite class of Black artists to do so, including Natalie Cole, Sade, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, John Legend and Esperanza Spalding.
Taking the stage to accept the coveted prize on music’s biggest night, Chance dedicated his Grammy win to God and his daughter.
“Glory be to God, I claim this victory in the name of the Lord,” he said. “I want to thank God for my mother and my father who have supported me since I was young. For Kirsten, for Kensli and for Chicago.”
Just a few short years into Chance’s career, the Chicago MC has already made history. Coloring Book, his excellent, exuberant 2016 LP, became the first streaming-only release to ever crack the Billboard 200 and score a Grammy nod. This is the first year such an album was made eligible for Grammys; the Recording Academy announced new rules in June that would open up streaming-only works and recordings from services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal for awards consideration. Now, he becomes the first independent artist to ever win the award.
Chance already made history tonight, earning an award for Best Rap Performance for “No Problem” from Coloring Book.
When @chancetherapper shouts you out after winning his first Grammy. Amazing day!! #Grammys pic.twitter.com/UaBzvIuMsu
— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) February 12, 2017
The artist is also up for five more Grammy Awards, which include nods for his performance on “Ultralight Beam” and “Famous” from Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, Best Rap/Sung Performance for “Ultralight Beam,” and Best Rap Album for Coloring Book.
Congrats Chance!
