Entertainment

Watch Kanye West & Saint Surprise Chicago Fans By Throwing The First Pitch At A Game

by Angela Chen
David Banks/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images

One of Chicago's most popular exports returned home to surprise baseball fans in a crosstown game. On Sunday, Kanye West and Saint threw the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs game's ceremonial first pitch, and fans ate up the sweet display of affection between the rapper and his two-year-old son.

West, wearing a White Sox jersey, strolled onto the pitcher's mound with his son perched on his shoulders as his 2007 hit "Homecoming" played across the stadium. Saint stole the show though, throwing the ball while the two were supposed to pose for photos.

The video of West's appearance came from the NBC Sports Chicago Twitter account, whose social media handler couldn't hold back the excitement. Under the video, the caption read: "OKAY @kanyewest JUST CAME OUT TO “HOMECOMING” AND THREW THE FIRST PITCH AT #CROSSTOWN!"

West and his love affair with his hometown has been documented since his appearance in the rap scene. The song he walked out to is an homage to the Windy City (part of the the lyrics read, "Every interview I'm representing you, making you proud ... If you don't know by now, I'm talking 'bout Chi-Town"). West has also joined an effort to restore a shuttered comedy theater in Chicago's South Shore, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. And finally the clearest giveaway is his youngest daughter's name: Chicago. She was born in early 2018.

West's pitch didn't quite make it to the home plate, but that didn't seem to affect his mood much. He was all smiles in several sunsequent photos with his son afterward. West also tweeted out a picture of the two the same day, with his arms around his son as the toddler lobbed the ball toward the catcher. Alongside the picture, West simply wrote, "happy Sunday."

Apart from some fans needling West for wearing a shirt bearing the "wrong" Chicago team, people on social media seemed to love the wholesome picture of the father-son pitch. One Twitter user even posted a picture of herself next to a beaming West, who holds Saint with his right arm.

The Chicago White Sox also put together a video of the celebrity throw out, capturing West's throw and quick photo op with one of the players.

West has been ramping up his Chicago love lately; earlier this month, he told a group of high schoolers at “Open Mike,” Chance the Rapper’s open mic event at Harold Washington Library, that he wanted to make Chi-Town his new base. “I’ve got to let you all know that I’m moving back to Chicago,” said West, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I’m never leaving again.”

It's unclear how well that move would sit with his family. Saint is one of three children in the West family; he has an older sister North, who is now 5, and a baby sister, Chicago, who is eight months old, according to People. West is married to Kim Kardashian West, 37. Us Weekly has reported that though the Wests bought a house in Chicago, the famous family will not be moving away from California.

But becoming a family man hasn't slowed down his music. West, who also goes by 'Ye, is still going strong and, according to Complex, is currently collaborating with Chance the Rapper on a new album, Good Ass Job. Fans from the crosstown game this weekend might say the same with his parenting.