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Sadly another celebrity couple have called it quits. Chance The Rapper and his wife Kirsten Corley have announced their divorce.
The Chicago, Illinois MC and his long-time love are formally parting ways. On Wednesday, April 3 they released a joint statement announcing their split on Instagram Story. “After a period of separation, the two of us have arrived at the decision to part ways,” the post read. “We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together. We kindly ask for privacy and respect as we navigate this transition. Thank you – Chance & Kirsten”.
While the news took many of Chance The Rapper’s fans by surprise there have been signs the two were experiencing issues. Back in 2022 he got caught liking explicit content on Twitter which led to questions about faithfulness. In turn Kirsten released a video claiming the media was reaching. Fast forward a year later Chano was filmed grinding on women at Carnival which further fueled the speculation that the couple were no longer together.
Chance The Rapper and Kirsten Corley married in 2019; they share two daughters together.
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The iconic Ramova Theatre is set to reopen in Chicago with the help of Quincy Jones, Jennifer Hudson and Chance The Rapper. The three natives of the city are now part of an ownership group that has reclaimed the theater which first opened in 1929.
The Ramova was a popular movie theater in the Bridgeport neighborhood of South Side Chicago until it shut down in 1985, according to Blavity.
“I believe the cultural divides in our communities will always be bridged and uplifted by music and the arts,” the 90-year-old Jones said in a statement. “With Ramova, I see a future where the rich cultural heritage of Chicago shines even brighter alongside the country’s most talented artists, which will inspire future generations to come and bring glory to America’s Second City.”
In her statement, Hudson referenced her late mother, Darnell Donnerson who was killed in the city in 2008. “My mother always taught us to take care of home first, so to support the rehabilitation of this extraordinary theater with such a rich history in Chicago means more to me than one could imagine,” Hudson said. “I am honored and thrilled to help build this new home for artists and highlight this special community in new ways that will reach far beyond the neighborhoods we call home.”
The Ramova Theater features an iconic sign and spanish-inspired architecture, it became the jewel of the neighborhood — a place for people to gather and communities to come together, according to the official website.
It will now be reimagined as a 1500+ person live concert hall, independent craft brewery, beer garden and grill.
“We’re doing a complete rehabilitation to this pillar in the community, bringing back its historic grill, creating a world-class entertainment space, adding a brewery where we hope people will meet their new best friends. We’re working closely alongside locals who have kept this space standing to allow us this opportunity to do something special for Bridgeport and Chicago,” developer Tyler Nevius wrote.
The Ramova Theater, which is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, will also amplify educational programs and workshops, as well as community initiatives from local non-profits.
“Chicago will always be part of who I am,” Chance The Rapper said in his statement. “I joined the team at Ramova to give back to the city that’s given me so much and to provide a stage to showcase the incredible talent Chicago has to offer. This is our moment to revitalize Chicago neighborhoods through one of the most beautiful ways possible — the arts.”
The space is set to open in Fall 2023.
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It’s officially been 10 years since Chance the Rapper burst on the scene with his record-breaking, Billboard-charting mixtape Acid Rap. Over the next few months, Chance will honor the project through a series of can’t-miss live events, pop-ups, merch drops, and special music releases.
Chance will also headline an Acid Rap Ten Year Anniversary Show on August 19, produced by Live Nation Chicago’s United Center. Rapper and record producer Saba will be the show opener.
Tickets and VIP packages will be available starting with an Artist presale beginning today, Wednesday, April 26. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, April 28 at 10am local time at livenation.com.
Tickets for the show are selling fast.
In the first event to mark the occasion, Chance is returning his single, “Juice” to its original glory and format, available worldwide for the first time ever across streaming services this Sunday, April 30.
The Chicago native is also releasing new merch to celebrate the occasion available on his website starting this weekend.
When it dropped on April 30, 2013, Acid Rap was heralded as “Best New Music” by Pitchfork and Rolling Stone called it one of the “Best Mixtapes of 2013.” Across fourteen dynamic tracks, Chance’s lyrical prowess shines bright as he spits heavyweight bars over psychedelic, soulful, juke-filled beats, encapsulating the sound and feel of Chicago. Top Chicago-based and national artists including Vic Mensa, Childish Gambino, Twista, Action Bronson, BJ The Chicago Kid, Ab-Soul, and Noname lend their talents to the project. In 2019, Acid Rap hit DSPs and catapulted to #5 on the Billboard Hot 200, cementing Chance the Rapper’s role as a voice of a generation.
The anniversary is just part of an exciting year for Chance as he prepares to release his next body of work, Star Line Gallery. The project sees Chance intertwine the worlds of art, music, and cinematography through a series of interdisciplinary works in collaboration with fine artists from The Continent and The Diaspora. The resulting pieces redefine the notion of ‘album art’ and are compelling conversations and meditations on Black life.
Star Line Gallery works “Child of God” (collaboration with Gabonese artist and painter Naïla Opiangah), “A Bar About A Bar” (collaboration with Chicago-based painter Nikko Washington and filmmaker Troy Gueno), “The Highs & The Lows” feat. Joey Bada$$ (collaboration with Gabonese photographer Yannis Davy Guibinga), and “YAH Know” (collaboration with Chicago-based visual artist Mía Lee) have been showcased at art institutions around the world including Expo Chicago, Art Basel, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), The Art Institute of Chicago, and Los Angeles’ Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
Fans are also loving him on Season 23 of NBC’s The Voice, where he is the first rapper to serve as a coach.
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Chance The Rapper became a viral hot topic after video footage of him dancing suggestively on women at Jamaican Carnival went wide. On Twitter, the Chicago rapper’s marriage was called into question with some folks acting completely clueless about the nature of these events
Jamaica Carnival wrapped on Tuesday (April 18) with revelers and dancers hitting the road and representing in style. Chance The Rapper was among several celebrities on the island taking in the festivities and one video, in particular, showed Little Chano having a blast behind a beautiful woman. As it stands, this manner of suggestive dancing is normal and even expected during these types of gatherings.
In our search, Chance The Rapper performed the same whine and grind move on other women aside from the video that had everyone talking and questioning the devotion he has to his wife. Some folks on Twitter are clearly clutching their pearls after seeing the footage while some are explaining that these things happen and it shouldn’t be taken for more than what it is.
Thankfully, several people understand what transpired is simply just a dance. Sure, it’s sexually suggestive and over the top, but have you seen what men and women wear at Carnival? Exactly. It’s just good fun at the end of the day.
We’ve got reactions to Chance The Rapper living it up in Jamaica from all sides listed out below.
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Even the simplest act of random kindness can go a long way and mean more to its recipient than the good samaritan could ever know—especially if the act is done by a famous person whom the recipient greatly admires. And, apparently, that’s still the case when the recipient is also a famous person.
Recently, Chance The Rapper shared a feel-good experience on Twitter he had with legendary actor Martin Short, or as Chance called him, THE Martin Short!!”
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“So I just got on this plane with my daughter, and found out our seats weren’t next to each other. I really ain’t wanna inconvenience anyone by asking them to swap seats, but before I could say anything this kind older gentleman offered his seat to Kensli so we could sit together,” Chance tweeted Sunday along with a photo of Short playing Jack Frost in the 2006 Holiday film The Santa Clause 3: Escape Clause. “We both said thank you and as he stands up, I realize it’s THE Martin Short!! So cool and Kensli freaked out cause she’s obsessed with The Santa Clause 3. What an awesome person! SHOUTOUT TO JACK FROST”
Parents being separated from their children on flights is something that happens often these days, and switching seats in these instances can be tricky. A lot of people choose and pay for specific seats, usually for convenience reasons, and are not willing to switch with anyone, even if it means a parent and child, or siblings, or a kind couple can sit together. So, it might seem like nothing Short did was any kind of big deal, but, again, sometimes even the smallest act can mean a lot.
Chance also mentioned that Short likely didn’t also recognize him during the exchange. (I mean, he’s a 72-year-old white man, but let me find out he’s out here bumping “Acid Rap” in the Limo.)
“Definitely not, which made it way cooler,” he replied to someone who asked if Short knew “it was thee Chance thee Rapper.”
Anyway, the moral of the story is it doesn’t cost much to be kind, but it may be worth more to others than you think.
When Chance the Rapper visited West Africa earlier this year, he initially thought his trip with fellow Chicago hip-hop artist Vic Mensa would be just another vacation getaway.
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Instead, the Grammy winner connected with Mensa’s father’s family in Ghana and other natives from the Motherland on a deeper level. He saw Ghana’s beautiful ocean coastline and waterfalls, engulfed himself in the musical culture and art scene and learned more about the country’s rich history of being the first sub-Saharan African country to free itself from colonialism.
After a couple more trips to Ghana, Chance decided to create a free concert series and visual arts show so others could experience the country’s vibrant culture just like he did. During the summer, Chance and Mensa brought eight students from Chicago to Ghana to learn more about Africa.
“I felt so free in Ghana. .. and I want others to feel the same way,” said Chance, who along with Mensa will host the inaugural Black Star Line festival in Accra, Ghana, in 2023. The weeklong festival will feature events, panel discussions and a free concert on Jan. 6 with performances by Chance, Mensa, Erykah Badu, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys and M.anifest.
The event will be held in Accra’s Black Star Square, a monument to the political freedom that was won by Ghanaians in 1957. The festival’s title was inspired by civil rights leader Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line, which was founded in 1919 and operated by Black people who helped link global shipping and tourism opportunities between America, the Caribbean and Africa.
Garvey inspired Chance’s music video “ YAH Know, ” featuring King Promise, and his upcoming album “Star Line Gallery,” which is expected for release next year. He’s already released a few other new music videos — such as “ Child of God,” “ A Bar About a Bar ” and “ The Highs & Lows ” with Joey Bada$$ — in which he calls “album art” to highlight popular artists in Africa.
Chance said Naila Opiangah ’s art piece for “Child of God” will be on display at the festival. He said his new “songs are candid realities of Black life.”
“Artists have amazing graphics and album covers and single artworks that are made by great artists every day that’s released,” he said. “But the only time you get to see it is on this little inch-by-one inch depiction of it. These pieces are painted by world class artists. The ability to go see those pieces and interact with them in real life kind of adds people’s understanding of the music.”
Through his festival, Chance says he wants to bridge the gap between Black people abroad and Africa.
“I think that specifically the story of the founder’s independence is something that all black people should know,” he said “There are no free sub-Saharan African countries until 1957. I think they should know about the revolutionary leaders on the continent and abroad. I think that if we had this connectedness and this interaction, people will actually have a chance to see this.”
Initially, it was tough gaining commitments from big-name music artists to travel and perform in West Africa. With few sponsors, much of the expenses to fund the free concert were out-of-pocket.
But Chance’s team found a way to make the trip more affordable for travelers through a partnership with United Airlines, which is offering discount fares to Ghana for a year.
It’s taken a lot of work to organize the event in such a short time, but Chance believes this festival could live on successfully for the next 50 years. In the future, he wants to host the festival in other countries, such as Jamaica and Haiti.
But for now, Chance’s focus has been on attracting more people to Ghana, a place he can envision his family living after his daughters head to college.
“I wish I could live there right now,” said the rapper, who has lived in Chicago his whole life. “I want people to see the convergence and similarities in all of these Black lives.”
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