2 Chainz, other rappers show spirit of holiday giving
He may not have the most wholesome lyrics, but this holiday season, rapper 2 Chainz has his heart in the right place.
The Atlanta rapper, along with his two daughters, surprised a disabled veteran by offering to pay her rent and buy her furniture. Dierdre Plater, a single mother in Palmetto, Ga., was paid a visit from Mr. Chainz Saturday. He came with a U-Haul, which contained a bed and sofas.
As part of his Tru Foundation charity, this gift to the Platers is funded by part of the proceeds from the rapper鈥檚 Christmas sweater collection this year.
鈥淭his season 鈥� 鈥� but I鈥檝e been selling these really cool Christmas sweaters with Santa Claus doing the Dab,鈥� 2 Chainz, also known as Tauheed Epps, said in a CBS46 video. 鈥淎 lot of the proceeds go to families in need so that y鈥檃ll can get out of the mud.鈥�
The Dab is a dance move popularized by hip-hop artists from Atlanta.
"It's hard to keep gas in the car, food in the house, and do everything by myself being a single parent," Ms. Plater said. "I am on a fixed income." She recently underwent surgery and says she was touched beyond words by 2 Chainz鈥檚 generosity.
The Grammy-nominated rapper also comes from a single mother household in Georgia, he said. This isn鈥檛 the first time he鈥檚 given back to communities in his home state. Tru Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2012 by 2 Chainz and his fianc茅e聽Nakesha Ward, hosts annual benefits concerts, toy drives, and back-to-school events in Atlanta鈥檚 underprivileged districts.
2 Chainz聽also harbors political ambitions. Earlier this year, the 38-year-old told the Atlanta Journal Constitution he鈥檚 considering a mayoral run in his hometown of College Park, where he graduated as the salutatorian of North Clayton High School before attending Alabama State University on a basketball scholarship.
Two Chainz isn鈥檛 the only rapper this holiday season to give back. Snoop Dogg paired up with the city of Inglewood, Calif. this year to right before Thanksgiving to local families in need. This was his second year in a row 鈥� a likely tradition for the coming years, he said.
Last year, rapper Snoop Dogg reached out to Inglewood mayor James Butts asking what he could do for the city, where his production crew is located. Mr. Butts suggested the turkey drive.
Other notable rappers with philanthropic ambitions include J. Cole, Eminem, and Dr. Dre. Mr. Cole created the Dreamville Foundation in 2011 to support the education of urban youth in Fayetteville, N.C., the rapper鈥檚 hometown. Eminem spearheads the Marshall Mathers Foundation for disadvantaged children in Michigan and the Eight Mile Boulevard Association, a transportation infrastructure nonprofit.
Dr. Dre is known for his $70-million donation to the University of Southern California for the creation of an undergraduate program called USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation.
2 Chainz鈥檚 .
鈥淎ll you gotta do is pray,鈥� he told Ms. Plater. 鈥淵ou never know where it鈥檚 going to come from. But this is straight 聽from my heart.鈥�
