Chance the Rapper

Born: 1993

Chance the Rapper is one of the biggest breakout stars of the past few years, achieving fame and success in an unorthodox way — by avoiding the major labels that want to sign him. Fiercely independent and articulate, he’s found a way to please both the backpacker fans and a much wider audience through savvy collaborations with the likes of Lil Wayne and Kanye West. He’s also politically active, and a recent act of philanthropy, which saw him donate $1 million to Chicago public schools, even had fellow Chicagoan Michelle Obama tweeting her praise for him: “Thanks for giving back to the Chicago community, which gave us so much. You are an example of the power of arts education.” Source