Chance the Rapper to speak at anti-Trump inauguration rally

Chance The Rapper is to speak at a rally protesting the inauguration of Donald Trump as president next month (Jan17).

Civil rights organization the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) are organising a People's Inauguration rally on 21 January (17) in Washington D.C., the day after Donald Trump will be sworn in as America's new leader in its capital.

A press release outlining the aims of the rally lists Chance, real name Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, a committed political activist as well as a musician, as a guest speaker at the event at the city's Howard University. It is not known whether the 23-year-old will perform as well as speak.

The release states young NAACP activists are staging the event to plan how to "respond to new civil rights threats expected under a new administration and congress in 2017."

"We are faced with a moral and ethical crisis during this critical time in our nation's history after the election of Donald J. Trump," Stephen Green, director of the NAACP Youth & College Division says. "This moment calls for young leaders to gather together and develop a strategy to protect the human and civil rights of all Americans through nonviolent resistance."

Organizers are also planning a People's Inaugural Ball event on 20 January (17), the day Trump will be sworn in and host his own celebratory ball.

The billionaire turned politician's inauguration promises to be a very different affair from current president Barack Obama's two inaugurations, which featured African American music superstars including Aretha Franklin and Beyonce.

Reports have suggested Trump's team have been struggling to sign up A-List acts to perform due to a number of stars objecting to his controversial policy positions and racially charged campaign rhetoric.

So far the only two acts reported as being on the bill are 16-year-old America's Got Talent alumni Jackie Evancho and blind tenor Andrea Bocelli.