SXSW Sydney Honours 50 Years of Hip Hop with Chance The Rapper

Multiple GRAMMY Award winner Chance The Rapper is set to speak at SXSW Sydney® 2023 next month.

Joining a global community of artists raising their remarkable voices to celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop, Chance is coming down-under to reflect on the genre’s indelible impact on both his beloved Chicago South Side and a world of fans. Aptly described by President Barack Obama as “an outstanding role model”, the rapper, singer-songwriter, producer and humanitarian continues to pay his incredible success forward, empowering creative leaders for the next 50 years through his SocialWorks foundation and roving international Black Star Line Festival.

“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,” says the Chicago-born rapper. “Hip-hop has provided a rhythm to our stories and a canvas for our creativity. I’m really looking forward to joining SXSW Sydney as a speaker to expound upon Hip Hop’s transcendent legacy.”

Colin Daniels, Managing Director, SXSW Sydney adds: “Chance The Rapper is renowned for both his chart-topping and community advocacy. There’s few out there like him, who take what they’ve made and use it to build the dreams of others. His genre-blurring sounds reverberate across generations, making him a powerful voice to reflect on the past 50 Years of Hip Hop. His unique perspective bridges the gap between the genre’s rich history and its dynamic future.”

In a star-studded line-up, Chance will be taking the conference stage with a huge array of innovators across a diverse industry mix. Previously announced speakers include Coachella Festival CEO Paul Tollett, visionary Slack Co-Founder Cal Henderson and futurist and AI expert Amy Webb.

The conference program is shaping up to be a huge one, with  700 world-class speakers and industry leaders already set to challenge and inspire with a range of thought-provoking topics. Expect to hear from de-extinction entrepreneur Ben Lamm, Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin, advertising icon David Droga, Google Australia MD Mel Silva, Netflix ANZ Director of Content Que Minh Luu, broadcaster Osher Günsberg, World Surfing Champion Layne Beachley, tech entrepreneur Paul Bassat, Reddit CMO Roxy Young, artistic director Wesley Enoch K-pop Chief A&R Officer at SM Entertainment, Chris Lee, Expedia CTO Rathi Murthy to name a few.

You can catch them on one of the 300+ panels and sessions to keep you at the forefront, covering topics including 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, how recruitment will become more like online dating, venture capital in 2050, when music videos meet AI, the future of love and more.

In addition to this, you’ll have 300 artist performances, including ones from 100 artists already announced. Check out a line-up of the best new faces from around the world featuring TikTok track 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.

That’s one unforgettable event you don’t want to miss. Be part of the first-ever SXSW Sydney and secure your access today. The SXSW Sydney conference, where you can witness thought-provoking speakers such as Chance The Rapper, is accessible to badge holders only. Click here to discover the right level of access for you.