It looks like you can add Lil Wayne to the growing list of rappers giving away gifts for the holiday season. The New Orleans rapper will return to his hometown later today for a toy and coat drive at Phase III Bodyshop after posting the flyer on his Instagram. In the caption, he writes that he wants to “ensure that the children of Hollygrove and surrounding areas have a Merry Christmas no matter their circumstances at home this year,” acknowledging that “2020 has been a rough year for most.”
However, he tells fans he’s “praying tomorrow will at least put a smile on the faces of some of the local youth in New Orleans.” The Drive is cosponsored by Phase III and Young Money, giving away toys, coats, and blankets for the upcoming winter months, when many unhoused Americans will need to keep warm without the benefit of indoor shelter. With a feared rent crisis already well underway thanks to the pandemic and the apathy of the federal government, there will be even more people without a place to stay this year.
Several of Weezy’s contemporaries have also stepped up to fill the gap. In Houston, Travis Scott hosted a similar campaign, while Chance The Rapper and Twista held one in Chicago. In Atlanta, Gunna and Mulatto also gave back, with the latter using the footage for her “Spend It” video.