14 DAY TRIAL // Say what you want about Kanye, but the rapper does know how to give back to the community. He might be controversial and mediated, but Kanye also proves that he's got a heart of gold. The rapper is reported to have started an initiative with another rapper, Common, in which they plan to provide teens in Chicago, Illinois with jobs.
According to Hollywood, the rappers are using their star power to help those less fortunate by setting up youth-focused non-profit organizations to help the African American community in their native Chicago.
Kanye's charity Donda House Inc. is partnering up with Common's organization called Common Ground Foundation to create an employment drive with the Chicago Urban League. The final goal is to alleviate some of the financial hardships in the region by providing youths with jobs and thus, a steady income.
Common spoke out to the press and revealed that there was a study conducted, and the result showed that a lot of young people in Chicago are unemployed and that was why his foundation was taking up the task to create new jobs, hoping that this would lead teens on a career path rather than to a life of crime on the streets.
He is quoted as saying that “Obviously, one of the biggest reasons our kids are going through what they're going through is because of poverty. I was doing an event in the neighborhood and there were some kids... and I said, ‘Man, what do y'all really need? What's gonna stop this (poverty)?’ And they were like, ‘We need money. Man, if we could work.’ They want a chance.”
But that's not all. Both Kanye and Common are also curating a local music festival that is going to serve as a fundraiser for this initiative and keep some money flowing into the effort of creating new jobs. The first event is scheduled to take place this September.
It's nice to see musicians using their voice to raise awareness to current social issues, especially rappers, who are generally associated less with social issues and more with political ones. Also, it gives people the impression that famous musicians give back to the communities.
It looks like Kanye is taking an active role this time around, and he's stopping from pointing a blaming finger and actually doing something to make a change in the world. Less rants, more proactive measures, that should be the bottom line.