Chicago

Chance the Rapper Makes History at Grammys – First to Win With Stream-Only Album

Chance has said he remains unsigned to keep hold of his creative freedom

Chance the Rapper had “No Problem” picking up his first Grammys on Sunday night, with three wins out of seven nominations.

But not only did the 23-year-old Chicago native pick up three Grammys, he was the very first to do so with a stream-only album. Chance has built up a name for himself without a record label, releasing the majority of his music for free. He won “best new artist,” “best rap album” and “best rap performance.”

“I know that people think that independence means you do it by yourself, but independence means freedom,” Chance said while accepting the award for “best new artist.”

The artist said he remains unsigned to keep hold of his creative freedom. His critically acclaimed album “Coloring Book” beat out veteran rappers including Drake, Schoolboy Q and Kanye West. It was released with virtually no promotion.

“I make money from touring and selling merchandise, and I honestly believe if you put effort into something and you execute properly, you don’t necessarily have to go through the traditional ways,” the rapper told Vanity Fair.

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