The love goes way back.
Chance the Rapper caught some flack when he dropped his debut album, The Big Day, in July and inundated fans with lyrics about his limitless love for his wife. The Big Day was a concept album centered on his wedding in March and listeners felt that the sappiness this theme overtook the project. From an artist who made his breakthrough with druggy delinquent raps, this pivot was too drastic for some to handle.
People’s distaste for these saccharine songs circulated Twitter and Chance took notice. He shared a series tweets that interpreted this feedback as an expression people’s desire for him to kill himself. While this response initially seemed rather bleak and dramatic, he later clarified that he was not bogged down by these detractors. He was emphasizing that he would continue spreading the joy he derives from his family regardless how much others may wish that he compartmentalize it.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show just kicked f its 17th season this week. The first episode featured an appearance from Kylie Jenner, in which she discussed how her daughter takes after Travis Scott. Today, Ellen interviewed Chance. They spoke about his his week-old daughter, Marli Grace Bennett, and also about his wife, Kirsten Corley Bennett. He shared the story him first meeting Kirsten when they were nine years old. Their mothers were friends through business and celebrated Christmas together that year. A young Chancelor saw a young Kirsten performing a dance at the Christmas party and thought to himself, “Let’s get married.” Fast forward seventeen years and here they are – happily married and with a whole album to prove it.
Chance also brought out Smino to perform a smooth rendition “Eternal”.