Chance the Rapper is not running for mayor of Chicago, but here’s whom he wants you to vote for

Chance the Rapper isn’t going to be Chance the Mayor anytime soon. The Chicago native set off a round of speculation Monday with a tweet that stoked long-circulating rumors that the civic-minded Grammy winner would run for office.

He tweeted “Im thinkin maybe I should,” a line from his 2015 hit “Somewhere in Paradise.” The preceding lyric in the song? “They screamin’ ‘Chano for mayor.’ ” Naturally, some of his 8 million followers took the message as a hint that he was about to get in the race to replace Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is not seeking re-election. Then Chance tweeted that he’d be making an announcement “regarding the mayoral election” during a news conference Tuesday morning at city hall.

But the big reveal turned out to be an endorsement: The Windy City rapper is backing Amara Enyia, a Chicago neighborhood chamber of commerce director, in the crowded race. “I’d like to say very narcissistically, if I back you, you have a chance – absolutely,” he told reporters.

“I’m proud to announce that I will not be running for mayor,” he said. “I probably won’t ever be running for mayor of this city. But I believe that me and Amara share a vision on what Chicago could be. We believe in supporting the people at the bottom economically – people who have just been written off.”

The move puts Chance (real name: Chancelor Bennett) on the opposing political side from his father, Ken Bennett, a former aide to both Emanuel and former president Barack Obama. Bennett has endorsed Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle for mayor.