Chicago artist Chance the Rapper dropped his latest single ‘Child of God’ last week (24th March). The track features vocals by Ghanaian-American singer-songwriter Moses Sumney. Watch the official music video here.
The video includes Gabonese artist Naïla Opiangah painting on a canvas behind Chance. The two first met when Chance went on a trip to Ghana at the beginning of this year. He said the trip’s purpose was to reconnect with his Blackness, discover family roots and meet people to collaborate with. The ‘Child of God’ collaboration was born out of a mutual respect and Chance chose Opiangah to bring his vision to life.
See Opiangah’s behind the scenes Instagram post here.
She says the idea for her illustration of naked Black women together originated from listening to the song and sketching what came to mind. When speaking to Complex, Chance shared his reflections on his Ghana trip; ‘I feel like it’s a country that’s founded in creating connectivity of Blackness around the world. It changed my whole outlook on my relationship to my Blackness, and it gave me one of my most valued pieces of art in this relationship I’ve developed with Naïla.’
See Chance’s photos from his Ghana trip he posted on Instagram here.
The painting produced, which stands at eleven feet tall and six feet wide, is now on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Take a look at the video Chance posted on Twitter showcasing the display.
The music video released for ‘Child of God’ features Chance rapping in the same room as he did for his 2021 single ‘The Heart & The Tongue.’ Check out the track’s visuals which has since gained three million views.