Chance the Rapper is coming to Sydney
Speaking at SXSW Sydney, the Grammy award-winning rapper gives the festival a major boost as he returns to Australia for the first time in six years.
By Ben Jhoty
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW) Sydney has scored a major coup with the announcement that Grammy Award-winner Chance the Rapper will join the festival’s line-up.
While the rapper, who last performed in Australia back in 2017 and has been described by former US president Barack Obama as an outstanding role model, won’t be performing, he will deliver a talk celebrating hip-hop’s legacy over the last 50 years.
“As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop in 2023, I’m reminded of the transformative power this culture has had, not just on the world stage, but on the streets of Chicago’s South Side. I’m really looking forward to joining SXSW Sydney as a speaker to expound upon hip-hop’s transcendent legacy,” Chance said.
The 30-year-old’s career took off in 2013 with the release of his second mixtape, Acid Rap. This was followed by Coloring Book in 2016, which earned the Chicago native three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album. His debut studio album, The Big Day, was released in 2019. Chance is also a regular collaborator with some of the biggest names in music, either writing or appearing with the likes Kanye West, Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, and Skrillex.
The rapper is also a strong supporter of SXSW, having appeared at the festival, which takes place every March in Austin, Texas, multiple times. This is first time the festival, celebrating music, talks and film, will take place in Sydney, running from October 15 to 22.
Joining Chance on the speaking bill are Paul Tollett, chief executive of Goldenvoice and a co-founder of Coachella, fashion designer and Queer Eye reboot cast member Tan France, Cal Henderson, the co-founder of messaging platform Slack, director of content at Netflix Que Minh Luu; chief evangelist of Canva (and former Apple chief evangelist) Guy Kawasaki and keynote speaker Amy Webb (futurist and author).
Chance has yet to announce if he will perform any sideline shows while he’s out here.
What is SXSW Sydney?
SXSW Sydney 2023 is a four day festival running from October 18-21 that celebrates innovation and artistic expression. There will be over a thousand events and networking sessions across the pillars of Tech & Innovation, Music, Screen, Games and Culture.
Who is speaking at SXSW?
Over 700 industry-leading speakers will appear including de-extinction entrepreneur Ben Lamm, Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin, advertising icon David Droga, Google Australia MD Mel Silva, broadcaster Osher Günsberg, former world surfing champion Layne Beachley, tech entrepreneur Paul Bassat, Reddit CMO Roxy Young, artistic director Wesley Enoch, Expedia CTO Rathi Murthy and many more.
What panels will be running at SXFW?
There will be over 300 panels and sessions during the SXSW Sydney covering topics such as: brain-computer interfaces, the future of lab-grown meat, First Nations knowledge in design, ethical living with robots, AI fluency, Big Tech transparency, re-imagining news media and how recruitment will become more like online dating, among others.
What musical acts are performing at SXSW Sydney?
The line-up features a host of local and international talent that includes TikTok stars Flyana Boss, Indonesian triple threat Isyana Sarasvati, Japanese punks Otoboke Beaver, rising Blak hip-hop powerhouse Miss Kannina and NZ’s genre-bending Will Swinton.
How can you get tickets for SXSW Sydney?
To purchase tickets or get more information go to sxswsydney.com.
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