Fortune Names Chance The Rapper to "50 World's Greatest Leaders" Alongside The Pope, Joe Biden, Melinda Gates, Elon Musk & More

Fortune Magazine has named "Musician and Activist" Chance The Rapper #46 to a list of 50 people titled 'World's Greatest Leaders." The rapper is alongside a very distinguished list of women and men who are described as; "In business, government, philanthropy and the arts, and all over the globe, these men and women are transforming the world and inspiring others to do the same."

On this 4th annual list, Chance is one of two musicians - the other being Columbian philanthropist and pop-star Shakira. Theo Epstein, GM and President of the World Champion Chicago Cubs, is #1 on the list and is the only other "Chicagoan" on the list - originally a native of Boston. Jack Ma (CEO of Alibaba) at #2, Pope Francis at #3, Melinda Gates at #4 and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo rounding out the top five. Additional leaders include Lebron James (11), Former Vice President Joe Biden (23), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (10), Film Director and Screenwriter Ava DuVernay and London Mayer Saidq Khan (48) among others.

The full list can be found at Fortune.com. Chance's profile brief can be read below:

"If you harbor any old-fashioned stereotypes about what a leader looks like, put them aside, because Chance the Rapper is about to bust every one of them. In a music industry dependent on album sales and exclusive artist deals, 23-year-old Chance—born Chancellor Bennett—stays independent, releasing streaming-only mixtapes. This year, the rapper and author of infectiously uplifting, Christian-infused rhymes set a new template for the music industry when his mixtape Coloring Book became the first streaming-only recording to win a Grammy (in fact, it won three).

Chance is also a political force as an anti-violence campaigner in his hometown of Chicago, and he may only be getting started. His latest salvo: A $1 million donation to Chicago Public Schools, after he called Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to task for what Chance called Rauner’s neglect of educational funding. The cash will go towards arts and after-school programming —and even set off a chain reaction, with Seattle Seahawk Michael Bennett inspired to donate his endorsement money to worthy causes."