Chance The Rapper: Everything You Need To Know About The Newest Coach On 'The Voice'

A few new famous faces are joining The Voice's roster of coaches this season on NBC's hit singing competition show. While John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Camila Cabello bid fans farewell in December, Blake Shelton promised to return for one more go in 2023. The country artist will be joined by Voice veteran Kelly Clarkson (who's coming back after a brief hiatus) and two new talents: former One Direction star Niall Horan and critically acclaimed hip-hop artist Chance The Rapper.

"I'm thrilled to join The Voice as a Coach for the next season," Chance said in a statement following the announcement. "I'm excited to help other Artists get to the next level and make the most of this life-changing experience. Get ready for #TeamChance."

Chance, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, was born and raised in Chicago. At just 29, the Grammy-winning artist has already built an impressive career — one that spans musical achievements, fashion design, philanthropy work and more. He's clearly talented, but does he have a talent for spotting future stars? We'll see.

In the meantime, here's everything you need to know about the newest coach on The Voice.

Chicago Born & Raised

Chance The Rapper was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in a close-knit family; his younger brother, Taylor Bennett, is also a hip-hop artist, while his father worked as an aide for the city's mayor and for the future president Barack Obama, back when he was a senator.

Ken Williams-Bennett was able to introduce his kids to Obama when Chance was in his early teens. During that encounter, Chance recalled telling the future president about his dream of being a rapper and said Obama responded with "word." His dad went on to work in the Department of Labor during Obama's first term.

Chance has been dedicated to his hometown for the majority of his career. Beyond a brief stint in Los Angeles, California, he's resided in Chicago since his earliest days in the music industry and currently lives in a suburb outside the city with his wife, Kirsten Corley, and their two daughters, Kensli and Marli.

Rise To Fame

Chance has been making music for well over a decade, and his creative style has evolved considerably throughout his career. He's best known for his fusion of gospel, hip-hop, soul and jazz elements — all of which manifest in the lyricism of his raps and soulful crooning in the hooks. But, of course, it took some time to develop his own style.

After listening to Kanye West's The College Dropout, Chance recorded his first-ever raps in sixth grade at his cousin's studio. "He rapped, and that was some sh*t that was not allowed in my fam," he told Complex back in 2013. "So I remember I used to go sneak to his crib and record when I was in grade school and high school." 

In 2012, Chance released his first mixtape, 10 Day — named for the 10-day suspension he received for smoking marijuana in school. The project caught the attention of many hip-hop fans and music critics, but it was his follow-up mixtape Acid Rap (2013) that truly catapulted him to stardom. 

The massively successful project cemented him as a formidable force in hip-hop, and he hasn't looked back since. In 2016, Chance released his third mixtape, Coloring Book, to critical acclaim and earned himself three Grammys at the 2017 awards ceremony — all without signing a major label deal. He released his first studio album in 2019, titled Big Day.

Giving Back

Chance has long been an outspoken advocate for social and political issues, particularly those impacting the youth in his hometown of Chicago. After spending so much of his teenage years performing at open mics at his local library, he decided to launch his own Open Mike program in collaboration with the Chicago Public Library in 2014.

The event series hosts open mic nights at local libraries across the city, providing a safe space for young artists to express themselves and receive guidance from professional musicians and industry veterans. Chance has also founded multiple nonprofits dedicated to increasing access to education and mental health services for Chicago youth, including SocialWorks.

Chance is also a huge advocate against gun violence in his city and has admitted to suffering from PTSD as a result of witnessing homicide in his youth. "I saw my friend killed in front of me when I was 19 and I've seen people I didn't know get killed, too," he said in a 2021 interview. "You become kind of numb to it, like somebody else died last week but it stays with you, you know what I mean? And you don't realize until later, like I have lasting effects."

In 2014, he was an active participant in promoting the #SaveChicago campaign that aimed to decrease the number of shootings in the city. Over Memorial Day Weekend, Chicago went a historic 42 hours without a shooting, and the campaign earned Chance the "Outstanding Youth of the Year" award from then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Chance On The Voice

It was announced in 2022 that Chance would join as a coach on The Voice. It'll be his first major foray into the world of reality television, and fans are incredibly excited to see him in action.

You can root for #TeamChance and the rest of The Voice cast when the show premieres March 6.

READ MORE: 'The Voice' Winners: Here's What Every Singer Is Doing Now