“Kwame Nkrumah in a lot of ways influenced the Civil Rights Movement in America” – Chance the Rapper on Ghana’s legacy

American rapper Chance the Rapper has called on Black Americans to visit Ghana at least once in their lifetime, describing the country as both a cultural and spiritual experience.

Speaking in a conversation with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, Chance revealed that his first trip to Ghana happened at a time when he was overwhelmed with personal challenges and needed to clear his mind.

Inspired by photos of his friend Vic Mensa enjoying life in Accra, he decided to join him — expecting only fun, but instead finding a transformative experience.

Chance described Ghana’s nightlife as unmatched, recalling how clubs stayed alive well into the morning. He highlighted “Detty December”, Ghana’s festive season that attracts thousands from the diaspora, where “the whole city of Accra feels like a festival.”

Beyond the party scene, Chance emphasized Ghana’s rich history as what truly sets it apart. He noted that visitors can learn not only about the slave trade but also revolutionary figures like Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, who influenced global Black liberation movements.

“The reason why I loved it so much was because aside from all the fun, Ghana has a lot of history, a lot of our history that we don’t know about. Not just slave trade history, but revolutionary history,” he said.

Chance is one of the co-founders of the Black Star Festival, held annually in Accra, to celebrate Black culture and reconnect the diaspora with Africa.