Che “Ryhmefest” Smith has put out seven albums and three mixtapes, once beat Eminem in a freestyle battle, and is one of only three rappers in the world to have both a Grammy and an Oscar to his name—and he still lives in Woodlawn, the neighborhood he grew up in. It’s part of him living out a message of community he’s always believed in. A recent tweet from the rapper reads: “Stop teaching people 2 Leave ‘the hood’ make it, 2 escape it! Let’s talk making it to rebuild it. Gentrification is the fault of brain drain.”
Smith stepped up to run for alderman because he saw a need for members of his generation—and his profession—to “grow up” and set an example. “Rappers have to come out now and not just say I’m running a clothing or alcohol line—we have to be responsible for our communities,” Smith says. “We have to say we’re creating foundations, we’re running for political office.”
