How Chance the Rapper’s Successful Career Started At A Hooters In Chicago

By now most music fans should be familiar with the young Chicago hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper. He’s been seen on various television shows including this July’s ESPY Awards. What many people may not be familiar with is how the young rapper got his start in the highly competitive music industry.

After meeting at a Hooters restaurant in Chicago with his now-manager Pat Cocoran, Chance decided he wanted to go forward with Cocoran managing all his career moves. After releasing his mixtape 10, Chance began creating buzz in Chicago and even started getting calls from music industry big wigs like Sylvia Rhone and L.A. Reid. Still, Chance and Cocoran chose to be patient and wait until the perfect deal came along.

In Chance’s case, patience proved to be a good choice. After selling out a small venue in his hometown with capacity of 500 people, fellow hip-hop artist and actor Childish Gambino caught wind of Chance’s movement and invited him to join his tour. After happily accepting Childish Gambino’s offer, Chance’s popularity began to skyrocket.

When 2016 rolled around, Chance the Rapper had established himself in the top tier of the music industry and had done it all without being connected to a major label. So, when it was time to release his new album Coloring Book this May, the young Chicago native had the deals pouring in. After choosing to go with Apple Music, Chance the Rapper made history with his album Coloring Book when it became the first album to ever debut on the Billboard 200 chart (no. 8) based solely on digital streams. And it all started at Hooters!