News Round Up • Chance The Rapper Teams Up with Fallon & Kit-Kat, Taylor Bennett Teams up with LegHorn & More
Photo by Michael Salisbury
It seems as though the cycle never ends! We did all we could to try and diversify the news a bit, but you can't ignore the happenings and once again the Bennett clan found themselves front and center as both Taylor and big brother Chance made moves in and out of the city. Check out the stories below to keep yourself up to date and make sure you check back with our News section daily, with new exciting additions coming soon!
Chance The Rapper Performs Live on 'Fallon'
I swear, we're hardly keeping up with the headlines over here when it comes to Chance The Rapper. THe young CHicagoan has popped up just about everywhere as of late and continued to capitalize on a winning year by performing "Blessings" on 'Fallon' last night. Adding some extra pieces to an already impressive puzzle from his standout Coloring Book single, Chano was joined onstage by none other than D.R.A.M., Anthony Hamilton, Ty Dolla $ign and Raury. Yeah, you know, just some friends. Perhaps the only artist today who could pull all these names onstage at once, Chance is continuing to prove he's the quintessential artist of his generation. It never gets old. Check out the performance below.
Chance The Rapper to Appear in Kit-Kat Halloween Commercial
2016 is Chance The Rapper's year. Every great artist has a calendar that people indelebly identify with their name and at this point, three quarters in, Chance has laid claim to this one. Continuing on a year that has seen him do everything from drop his third album to sell out Comiskey Park, Chance once again made headlines by announcing he would team with Kit-Kat for a Halloween-based commercial which drops later this month.
Last week it was also announced that Chance would be appearing in ads for a new H&M line and in the past he has endorsed brands like Dockers and Myspace.
Taylor Bennett Teams Up With Leghorn Chicken for LGBTQ Rights
Chancelor isn't the only Bennett in town making moves. Fresh off a weekend that saw both brothers perform respectively at AAHH Fest & Magnificent Coloring Day, the younger Bennett once again proved he has the sort of socially-aware panache that earned their father a consistent role in politics and his big bro a spot atop hip-hop. Teaming up with local outlet Leghorn Chicken's owner Jared Van Camp, Taylor helped create a special chicken & waffle sandwich for the Taste Talks Chef BBQ on Sunday, October 2nd which took place across the city.
According to a release the sandwich was, "A collaboration between Bennett and Van Camp, the sandwich presents Van Camp’s elevated chef spin on Leghorn’s classic hot chicken thigh housed between two of The Winchester’s celebrated Belgium-style liege waffles layered with maple jalapeño butter and smoked bacon."
The sandwich, originally available exclusively at the Sunday festival, will do a short run at the Leghorn brick & mortar at 959 N. Western Ave.for two weeks for $8, with 10% of the proceeds going to Chicago-based LGBTQIA advocacy group Pride Action Tank which Bennett chose because "of the group’s work helping LGBTQIA individuals through a collaborative process of inquiry, advocacy and action."
It's great to see Taylor continuing to grow and evolve into a young man and moves like this further prove his understanding of a world beyond just rap. Get the sandwich yourself, now at Leghorn!
Vic Mensa Releases Video Urging Citizen to Vote
Vic Mensa has never been one to keep his opinion to himself. Since emerging as part of Kids These Days and a formidable solo act in his own right, Mensa has always been quick to let anyone know what's on his mind. Lately? It's been voting. A spoken critic of Donald Trump, Mensa has continued to push his own personal message since taking to the streets alongside protesters in his hometown following the Laquan McDonald shooting which prompted his single "16 Shots". Now, following a series of initiatives, Vic joined other celebrities like Kesha in a new video, "Why I Vote".
Touching on injustices like the unprompted killing of McDonald and scores of other young black men and women across the country, Mensa speaks to the concerted and effective change that using one's vote can bring. Mensa has been an advocate for the issue long before election season came into focus, earlier this year his project, There's A Lot Going On was offered for free alongside a personal letter from the artist with a simple pledge to vote. It's been amazing watching this new generation push the envelope for the impact an artist can have through social action. Check it out for yourself below.
