It is no secret that Chance the Rapper is passionate about contributing to his hometown of Chicago, so it came as no surprise that he used his platform on this week’s Saturday Night Live to bring awareness to the struggles faced by Chicago teachers.
The second-time SNL host came out during his opening monologue wearing a red Chicago’s Teachers Union sweatshirt. He also began by reminding the audience of his $1 million contributions to Chicago Public Schools in 2017.
“I’m happy to say it completely fixed everything,” he said ironically, which USA Today noted was his way of acknowledging that his contribution hasn’t solved all the school system’s problems.
He also gave a shout-out to the Chicago teachers that were on strike and said to the camera that he “fully” supports them.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the strike has been ongoing for seven school days. Teachers are looking to address class size and daily access to nurses, social workers, and librarians.
In addition to the SNL episode’s social awareness plug, Chance is being praised for his solid performance in the sketches and as a host.
Chance did a rap honoring Chicago, also known as the Second City, paying homage to things and places considered to be second best. USA Today noted that the rapper went on to recite his favorites — Bing over Google; Burger King’s French fries over McDonald’s; Pepsi over Coke; Adam Carolla over Jimmy Kimmel and so on — as cast members Heidi Gardner and Melissa Villaseñor flipped picture cards detailing each example.
He also showed his comedy chops in several sketches where he played an array of characters ranging from a judge to a dance student.
Story credit to Megan Sims/The Grio.