Give Me a Break, Chance

Chancelor. Chance. And let’s not forget about Lil Chano from 79thhhhhhhhhhhhh.

One word, in respect of course my fellow black man…relax. Ye is yo mans and all, fellow Chicagoan but this is ain’t it. At all. Kanye West has been a superhero to a lot of us through the evolution of sound interwoven with relatable lyrics:

“We never had nothin handed took nothin for granted/ took nothing from no man/ man I’m my own man.” – We Don’t Care, College Dropout

“If my manager insults me again I will be assaulting him After I fuck the manager up Then imma shorten the register up” – Spaceship, College Dropout

“I can’t deny it, I’m a straight rider But when we ger together be electric slidin Grandma, getem shook up Awww naw don’t open the photo book up” – Family Business, College Dropout

To more widely known one-liners frequently utilized in Tweets for hashtag glory #TheKanyeInMe

“MJ gone…Our Nigga dead” – All of The Lights, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

“Don’t leave while you hot, that’s how Ma$e screwed up” - All of The Lights, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

“You don’t see how fly my style is” – Champion, Graduation

Kanye West has given us the score to our teenage and collegiate years. So again Chance, I get it! Kanye, admittedly, was also my cape-less superhero at one point. But let’s examine how tone deaf your remarks were much like Jermaine Cole… in reference to Noname - you sir, did not read the room.

Chancelor, unlike most, you grew up within a family structure abreast of the political framework of America. Mr. Ken Bennett, your father, a man of the people (much like yourself) dedicated his career to the democratic party fighting on the local level before being tapped to serve on a national level by MY President, 44 but most notably known as Barack H. Obama. You were granted a level of access to fully comprehend HOW change is achievable through policy - not solely by temperamental acts of black unrest.

Chance you have positioned yourself as a social activist who has truly been a change agent for the youth of Chicago. From SocialsWorks, Open Mike nights via public libraries, #SaveChicago to Kids of The Kingdom summer camp – my friend your amplified voice ushers in hope and empowerment to an underrepresented community. In the words of ya mans, Ye, “listen to the kids bro,” he was talkin’ about you mannnnn (Martin voice). But maybe, just maybe – this alone is not enough to remind you how significant the deployment of your words were.

Lil Chano from 79thhhhhhhhhhhhh, the same voice echoing throughout the Chicago streets has penetrated radio waves globally on your terms. You ain’t come out rappin and tappin…spittin and skittin’ and shit…naw uh-uh (Pusha T voice from I’m Not You). You presented your transgressions as muses with an immeasurable message that even Granny can tell Sister Abraham and dem about on Sunday. You changed the way the recording academy considers an unsigned artist releasing free music. You called out Rahm Emmanuel, the very man who tapped your father to assist him in bettering his relations with black community leaders:

And Rahm, you done I’m expectin’ resignation, an open investigation On all of these paid vacations for murders (Fuck you) - I Might Need Security

Now to wrap this up before my train stop. How can you not see the danger in propagating the idea of Kanye West running for president? We’ve seen with our own eyes the harm an unqualified, no experience having candidate can cause to American citizens through Clown-in-Chief 45. If we could just take a granular look at his term by simply isolating 2020 – this AIN’T IT CHANCE. America is not in a viable state to take further steps backwards. Kanye, has proven to be erratic, genius, giving but most off all unpredictable.

Do you feel comfortable giving Yeezus the codes to our nuclear weapons system?! By even considering him as a real candidate hinders us from restoring respect to the office of the President.

Above all Chance, the aim is to unify as a nation, to rid ourselves of the pompous ra(c/p)ist currently in office. Splitting votes works in his favor Chance.

*Ismael R. Brown is the author of “My Own Worst Enemy: A Black Man’s American Story,” a memoir about overcoming societal stereotypes, assuming ownership of the countless mistakes made across a variety of relationships and discovering self-love. He is a music savant and hip hop historian whose top 5 is not up for debate.  Follow Ismael on Twitter @ismael_brown3 or Instagram@ismael_brown. *