When he broke out with 2013’s Acid Rap, Chance the Rapper introduced himself as an artist who can sharply illustrate the joys and pains of being from Chicago, who isn’t afraid to take experimental risks, and who can rap with the best of them. The mixtape was also the makings of a star—nevermind that it landed on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart despite being a free digital mixtape.
In 2015, Chance teamed up with the Social Experiment to drop Surf, showing that you can drop a free album on iTunes while having fun with your friends. The next year, he stole the show with a breathtaking verse on The Life of Pablo’s opener “Ultralight Beam” and re-introduced many to gospel rap with his long-awaited third solo mixtape Coloring Book. The latter became the first streaming-only project to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys, made him the rare hip-hop artist to win the ceremony’s Best New Artist category, earned 2 Chainz his Grammy thanks to his feature on “No Problem,” and solidified his claim as Kanye West’s true successor. Chance has suggested that his next project will be his first album (all of his prior solo projects are considered mixtapes), and he’s definitely still an ascending star since he just turned 25 earlier this April.
Chano definitely had plenty of exposure—he’s hit the Saturday Night Live stage four times and starred in a Kit Kat commercial—but what don’t you know about him? Well, we’ve got you covered. Here are 15 Things You Didn't Know About Chance the Rapper, including what’s up with the hats, and just why is he smiling on Coloring Book’s cover.