Chance the Rapper launches arts and literature fund for Chicago schools

Chance The Rapper has contributed another great gift to Chicago Public Schools by starting a fund for literature and the arts.

The Grammy-winner has teamed up with the Chicago Bulls basketball team bosses to provide $1 million for arts programs at educational institutions in his hometown.

"We all know the Illinois education system is one of the most underfunded in the nation," the 23-year-old announced on Friday (31Mar17) at a press conference hosted at Paul Robeson High School in the city's South Side neighborhood. "I'm excited to announce the creation, in collaboration with the Children's First Fund, of the New Chance Arts & Literature Fund."

The news comes weeks after Chance, real name Chancelor Bennett, pledged to donate $1 million to Chicago Public Schools after having a disappointing meeting with Illinois governor Bruce Rauner about the state's education funding.

As part of his initiative to provide schools with the monies needed to boost students' education, the musician will also be cutting $10,000 cheques to select learning institutions in the Chicago area for every $100,000 raised on the CPS Social Works crowdsourcing website he set up.

His efforts have been incredibly successful thus far, as after just over a month of campaigning, Chance and his team have raised nearly $2.2 million towards their goals.

"It is my job just as who I am to bring light and attention to public school funding, broken formulas and especially how it affects my hometown where there's 90 per cent minority students," he said at Friday's press event. "We all individually play roles in the betterment of kids of Chicago and it's an on-going conversation of the detriment of Chicago, but we can all really get involved here."