Music has been credited as one of the few things that can bring people from different races, religions, cultures, and backgrounds together; Chance The Rapper affirmed this yesterday, along with this, it highlights why Chance The Rapper is not just good for music but for the world. The whole entire goal of the highly anticipated music festival, Magnificent Coloring day, was to provide people with an experience that would be relatively inexpensive in comparison to other music festivals but also provide hope to a city troubled with violence. Aside from music, Chance The Rapper is vocal in the issues that continue to persist in Chicago and have resulted in an unbelievable high amount of violence. He is using his platform as an artist to shed light on systemic violence, and yesterday announced his nonprofit organization, "Social Works", the goal of this organization is to bring youth together in Chicago through art. Chance credits after school programs, and talent shows for facilitating his creativity as well as keeping him out of trouble; he wants to return the favor.

In addition to his nonprofit organization, Social Works, last year, he partnered with another nonprofit organization, “Warmest Winter 2016”, to provide warmth to the homeless. The product doubled as a jacket and a sleeping bag, it doesn’t stop there, the homeless where trained to sew the product; this project not only provided warmth for homeless people but it also provided jobs for homeless people. It acknowledges that the issue isn’t just surviving the winter but making the homeless employable. Chance also was promoting voting registration at his festival, and gave people in attendance the opportunity to vote, he understands the importance of voting but also how hard it can be to register. His positivity and social awareness were depicted at his festival yesterday. The lineup was incredible, from Francis and the lights, Lil uzi vert, Alicia Keys, Tyler The Creator, Coligrove, Skrillex, special guests, Kanye West, Common, and Chance himself. The central message throughout the acts was positivity, but also social awareness. One of the more touching moments in the festival occurred when John Legend was performing, and Common accompanied him to perform their awarding winning song, “Glory”. To provide some context, this past week has continued to highlight the ugly truth that is police brutality, as two black men were killed, as well as a number of protests that resulted in more police brutality. Glory is an anthem as well as a cry that there will be a day where equality is established for all, it was a momentI will never forget, as 40,000 plus were united and held their fists high in support.

Continuing with this theme of hope was Chance The Rapper, the man who embodies hope. His act was contrasted by new and old music, allowing the audience into the path that brought him to this very moment. There was a reoccurring message accompanied by a cartoon like lion in the background, Carlos, which served as a guide, and in some ways his conscious. Same drugs, smoke break, brain cells, and other songs of that nature represented his past, heavily dependent on drugs, and in a way losing himself and forgetting the reason why he raps. Each time he would sing a song Carlos would tell him to refer to the past, but he made it clear that were only certain aspects of the past that he wouldn't him to remember, each song veered him closer to "the message". The second half of his act is accompanied with more playful and uplifting music, he repeats, “I think I get it” after each song, and the lion states, “the walk ain’t easy but just remember the message.” Chance then performs Blessings reprise and states that the blessings won’t come from the concert or from flesh but it will soon come, he repeats this over and over again. Chances’ journey brought him to God; it brought him to something that was above himself. Whether or not you are religious, this message is so important; it provides hope to a group of people with little hope. At the same time, it shows that Chance is flawed, like every other human, remembering the past is troubling but also a landmark, representing where he came from.

If music is one of the few things that can bridge the gap between different races, genders, cultures and backgrounds, then Chance The Rapper is showing the importance of the message that is portrayed as yesterday 40,000 plus were joined together despite all differences to witness an artist share his talent, spread positivity and use his platform to make others socially aware.

Chance The Rapper, you are so very important; keep doing what you are doing.