If you’ve ever scrolled through Chance the Rapper‘s Twitter, it’s clear he loves two things — his wife and his hometown of Chicago. Chance was both the host and musical guest on this week’s SNL, and he reinforced his love for the two during his opening monologue.
Chance walked out on stage sporting a Chicago Teachers Union shirt to “fully support” the public school teachers currently on strike in the Second City. “I just wish that when I was in school, my teachers had gone on strike,” he joked. “Like, for real though.” In order to honor his hometown, Chance wrote a rap devoted to Chicago playing off the “second” part of the nickname.
“Now I love Chicago, the city that fathered me / called the ‘Second City,’ but that doesn’t bother me / I gotta tell ‘ya, I think it’s the reverse / ‘cause sometimes the second-best is better than the first,” he opened. Chance then went through a series of second rate items he likes more than their popular counterparts. The rapper said he likes Bing over Google, Luigi over Mario, and the book Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief over Harry Potter.
Kyle Mooney joined Chance on stage to offer up some of his favorites as well. “I was just listening to your song and I can totally relate,” said Mooney. “See, I’m from San Diego. Sort of the ‘Second City’ of Southern California.” Mooney said he prefers Qdoba to Chipotle and the shipping company DHL. Before the song cuts out, Mooney asks Chance if he can feature on the rapper’s next album. “No,” Chance said succinctly as Mooney left the stage.
Watch Chance the Rapper give his opening monologue on SNL above.
