Chicago hip-hop star Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, known by his stage name Chance the Rapper, recently appeared on The Tonight Show with host Jimmy Fallon to talk about his latest project, the Black Star Line Festival. During the conversation, Fallon asked Chance about the festival's recent success in Ghana.
Chance responded by describing the event as "magical," with a lineup featuring notable artists such as Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle, T-Pain, and Jeremih. The festival, which was held earlier this year, drew a massive crowd of 52,000 people, making it the largest concert in the history of Ghana.
With the success of the Ghana event, Chance and Vic Mensa are now planning the next round for the festival in January 2024. This time, they are considering hosting the festival in Kingston, Jamaica, as they continue to create community in other spaces.
"We love the city of Accra and Ghana and West Africa as a whole," Chance explained to Fallon. "But we're actually thinking about hosting the next one in Kingston, Jamaica. We're still working it out in our heads."
The Black Star Line Festival, which is inspired by Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line shipping company, is a celebration of black entrepreneurship and community empowerment. The festival features performances by black artists, panels on topics such as financial literacy and community development, and a marketplace for black-owned businesses.
With the festival's success in Ghana and the potential for a future event in Jamaica, Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa are continuing to create opportunities for black entrepreneurship and community development around the world.