Rhymefest chicago city council

But he's far from alone in his vision of bringing change and opportunity to Chicago politics. A record number of people -- nearly -- are seeking council positions and major changeover is expected. Experts predict up to 20 new aldermen on the seat council and a likely power shift.

That means mayoral candidates like former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel would face an unpredictable and likely more independent City Council.

Rhymefest paints himself as an alternative to business as usual for the 20th Ward, which includes some of the poorest and highest-crime areas of Chicago. First-term Alderman Willie Cochran, who faces a groundswell of opposition, was elected to succeed former Alderman Arenda Troutman. She was sentenced to prison in after pleading guilty to taking payoffs and campaign contributions from developers in return for zoning changes.

The year-old rapper -- named Che after the s Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara -- has pledged to give up a portion of his aldermanic salary for loans to bring business to the area and says he'll only serve two four-year terms. His campaign headquarters are inside a dingy car wash surrounded by vacant lots, and some of his fundraisers have been held at nightclubs where he performs. Though born in Missouri, his family has lived in Chicago since the s.

He attended city schools and Columbia College downtown. His wife is a teacher for Chicago Public Schools. He gets respect in mainstream rap circles, but has also taken time to attend nonpolitical events with local grass-roots hip hop artists.

And though he rarely discusses it publicly, his faith has been a central part of his life; the rapper became Muslim after years of study. But he's also got a criminal past, something that's caused him some trouble on the campaign trail. Rhymefest was convicted in for domestic violence involving his first wife and in for firing a gun following during a dispute with a real estate agent in Indiana. Those incidents came up at a recent candidate forum including former police officer Cochran, lawyer and businessman George Davis and a pastor, the Rev.

Che believes that in order to counteract violence, systemic barriers and apathy, we should encourage entertainers, athletes and entrepreneurs to remain and invest in the communities they come from. Che is committed to using his success to further humanitarian efforts. Sign In. Edit Rhymefest. Showing all 3 items. Jump to: Overview 2 Mini Bio 1.

View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. But even before entering the often bruising world of Chicago politics, Smith had worked for social change by substitute teaching and assisting in programs that help the previously incarcerated gain employment.

The two men agreed that hip-hop artists ought to devote more energy to positive portrayals of life. Since deciding to run in August, Smith has used his celebrity to quickly gain a following among residents of the 20 th Ward, which also encompasses part of Washington Park, the impoverished neighborhood west of Hyde Park where Smith lives.