Chance the Rapper has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first independent artist to receive a Diamond certification for "I'm the One," his 2017 collaboration with DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Quavo, and Lil Wayne. The track has exceeded 10 million sales and stream equivalents in the United States.

The achievement adds to Chance's groundbreaking career as an independent artist, following his distinction as the first independent musician to win multiple Grammy Awards in a single year. While "I'm the One" was released through Epic Records & Sony Music Entertainment as part of DJ Khaled's album Grateful, Chance maintained his independent status throughout.

The Diamond certification was presented during a New Year's Eve ceremony at the NHL Winter Classic in Chicago, where Chance performed several hits including "No Problem," "Cocoa Butter Kisses," and the Diamond-certified track itself.

Looking ahead, Chance is working on a new mixtape called Star Line, inspired by Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line steamship corporation. The project stems from his transformative experience in Ghana in January 2022, where he connected with the country's history of political independence and Pan-Africanism.

The upcoming mixtape features collaborations with various recording and visual artists, with Chance emphasizing intentional songwriting and creative partnerships in bringing the project to life.

Note: This achievement has been disputed, with claims that Macklemore & Ryan Lewis previously earned Diamond certification for "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us" as independent artists.

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