Chance the Rapper and wife Kirsten Corley are getting divorced after five years of marriage.
“After a period of separation, the two of us have arrived at the decision to part ways,” the pair announced on Wednesday, April 3, via a joint Instagram Story statement. “We came to this decision amicably and with gratitude for the same time we spent together.”
The musician (real name Chancelor Johnathan Bennett) and his estranged wife, both 30, continued, “God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters who we will continue to raise together.”
The duo, who share daughters Kensli, 7, and Marli, 4, ended their message by asking fans for “privacy and respect as we navigate this transition.”
Chance and Corley have known each other since they were kids. Chance recalled meeting Corley when he was just 9 years old in 2003 while attending one of his mom’s work parties.
In a series of March 2019 tweets, he recounted “locking eyes with the prettiest girl I ever seen in my almost-a-decade of life on earth” when Corley appeared in the room to perform a Destiny’s Child song with her friends.
“I really shouldn’t even say locked eyes cause really, I was just staring at her; as she and her girls were conquering this choreography and mastering the art of lip-synching in a way even the most professional performers have yet to accomplish,” Chance gushed.
The rapper revealed he “knew” in that moment, “I was gonna marry that girl,” although he admitted he didn’t even introduce himself at the time.
A decade later, they began dating in 2013 and welcomed their first child two years after that. Following a brief split in 2016, the twosome reconnected in 2016.
The Voice coach proposed in July 2018 and Us Weekly exclusively confirmed that the couple tied the knot in March 2019 at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, California.
“It was a beautiful ceremony,” a source told Us at the time, noting that many guests enjoyed the photo booth during the fun-filled reception. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were among the celebrities in attendance.
It was later reported that Chance and Corley obtained their marriage certificate in December 2018 when they had a civil ceremony in their native Chicago. They waited until the following spring to have an official wedding.
Five months after their star-studded celebration, the pair welcomed their second daughter.
Chance has previously publicly praised his wife and daughters while growing his own career.
“From the beginning beginning to the end end. You are my oldest and best friend,” Chance wrote via Instagram in May 2018 in honor of Corley’s birthday. “You are responsible for every one of the most wonderful things in my life. I’m forever grateful that God made me find you, and even more grateful that you made me find God. Forever and ever babe.”
In February, Chance shared the best thing about being a girl dad while appearing on Today With Hoda and Jenna, saying, ”When they get excited to see me, that feels really good.”
He revealed that helping his girls with educational activities is also rewarding. “I love doing little learning exercises with them. We do a lot of science experiments, going to museums, it’s fun,” Chance added.
