From South Chicago to Accra: Chance the Rapper’s Pilgrimage to Ghana

Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, better known as Chance the Rapper, LOVES Ghana. If you follow the rapper on Instagram, this comes as no surprise. As a loyal follower, fan and Chicago-native, I know Chance (affectionately called Chano back home) cares about his community; he founded SocialWorks in 2016, a non-profit that raises money for Chicago Public Schools, to combat issues affecting Chicago’s youth, and programming to spotlight local artists. Unlike most celebrities who relocate from their hometowns to bigger, entertainment-oriented cities, like New York or Los Angeles, Chano has stayed home. His love for Chicago is palpable. So, what is his connection to Ghana? 

Chance visited Accra, the capital of Ghana, for the first time back in January. He was hosted by long-time friend and collaborator Vic Mensa. Victor Kwesi Mensah, professionally known as Vic Mensa, also hails from south Chicago and is half-Ghanaian from his father’s side. Chance also identifies as Ghanaian. While on the trip, he posted several videos to his Instagram story detailing a visit to a church. Walking into the church, he said, “Church my family built years ago. I am home,” as well as a video of him attending the church service. He met with Bishop Nkansah, who knew Chance’s great grandmother. Furthermore, Chance tweeted that his Ghanaian name is ‘Nana Kofi Boa-Ampensom’, an intentional reclaiming of his cultural identity. 

Now, the rapper is connecting to his roots in a different way. Mark your calendars for January 6th, 2023: Chance and Vic will co-host the Black Star Line Festival in Accra’s historic Black Star Square, a site commissioned to cement and celebrate the nation’s independence. The festival name also holds significance, as an homage to both Ghana itself and Jamaican civil rights leader Marcus Garvey. 

Following Ghanaian emancipation, the black star, inspired by Garvey, was adopted as a symbol on the national flag to represent freedom. Founded in 1919, Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) owned the Black Star Line – a shipping line that connected America, the Caribbean and Africa to globally foster trade among Black communities. A proud and influential Pan-Africanist, Garvey helped Black people of the diaspora return to the continent and connect to their roots. 

The Black Star Line Festival hopes to serve a similar purpose. In a video posted to Instagram, Chance and Vic announced the festival to a crowd of people in Accra. Chance stated, “We see the biggest artists in the world coming down for a shared experience. We see 38,000 people. A sea of Black folks standing out there in Black Star Square on January 6th.” Vic followed, “So everything we’re doing is with the goal of uniting and building a bridge between Black people of the diaspora and the globe with the continent, and Ghana is the gateway to all of that.” For those who have descended from enslaved African people, much of their ancestry has been erased. The festival is so much more than the music. It is an opportunity for connection: an outlet to connect people with their continental roots, to connect with each other, and to connect Accra to a global stage. Chance found a missing piece of his family’s story in Ghana. For both performers and attendees alike, perhaps the Black Star Line Festival can do the same.

For all Festival updates follow @blackstarlinefest on Instagram.