Chance the Rapper to Be Honored with BET Humanitarian Award

After the 2017 BET Awards airs on Sunday, June 25, Chance the Rapper will add his names to the likes of Quincy Jones, Al Sharpton, and Muhammad Ali, all of whom who have been awarded the prestigious BET Humanitarian Award.

The Chicago native will be recognized for his philanthropy and humanitarian efforts at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

It’s an immense honor & I’m inspired to do so much more after receiving this. Thank you @IamDebraLee I won’t let you down https://t.co/cz6RSgsrT0

— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) June 6, 2017

Back in March, Chance donated $1 million of his own money to the Chicago Public School Foundation. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was so impressed by Chance’s gift of love, she tweeted, “Thanks @chancetherapper for giving back to the Chicago community, which gave us so much. You are an example of the power of arts education.”

Thanks @chancetherapper for giving back to the Chicago community, which gave us so much. You are an example of the power of arts education.

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 6, 2017

Chance’s act of generosity also inspired the Chicago Bulls to match his $1 million dollar donation. During his announcement In a press conference at Chicago’s Paul Robeson High School, he announced his New Chance Arts and Literature Fund which will partner with Ingenuity Inc. in an effort to seek out and provide financial resources to CPS schools “in desperate need of an arts program,” Chance said.

In his attempt to help support the budget strapped Chicago Public Schools after a failed meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner, Chance the Rapper has made a strong effort to support CPS by raising the money on his own. The Grammy award winner’s Social Works non-profit has raised $2.2 Million since he has begun with his $1 Million donation. In addition, he has announced his plans to give $10,000 each to 12 additional CPS schools across various parts of the city including the South and West sides, as part of his plan to match $10,000 for every $100,000 donated to CPS outside of Social Works.

In addition to Chance’s award, R&B super group New Edition will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The New Edition Story, which told the rise of the iconic R&B group, aired on BET in February as a 3-part mini-series and was watched by over 29 million viewers.