President Barack Obama saved Detroit’s auto industry with the much praised bailout of 2009. But Big Sean knows that there’s still work to be done to ensure the future of the D.
With the hopes of providing a brighter future for the next generation of Detroit youths, Big Sean kicked off the Sean Anderson Foundation with the primary purpose of helping underprivileged school-aged youngsters and their families.
The foundation will be responsible for providing funds not only to families finding themselves in the struggle, but also to other charitable programs that are committed to combating homelessness, providing healthcare assistance, and offering arts, cultural and recreational programs.
Reports CNN:
One way Anderson is doing it is by cultivating young talent. In a partnership with Adidas, he installed a state-of-the-art recording studio at his alma mater, Cass Technical High School in Detroit.
“What’s funny is I used to get in trouble for selling my CDs in the hallway. And you can just imagine what it feels like to be back, opening up a recording studio,” said Anderson.
Inside the studio students learn how to operate in various roles involved in music production.
“You’ve got this young generation of millennials and, you know, in traditional education they weren’t really being addressed,” said Bryant McGhee, Cass band director. “This studio kind of really bridges that gap and it just brings whole other elements to education.”
Anderson is also preparing young people for the business aspects of the industry with a program called Mogul Prep, conceptualized with his mother, Myra Anderson. The program gives high school students an opportunity to engage with active, influential members of the music industry. Last year 10 Detroit-area high schools participated.
Anyone familiar with Big Sean’s music wouldn’t be quick to refer to him as a conscious rapper, but the Detroit native is proving to be a rapper with a conscious.
If the Hip-Hop game had more rappers working with their communities like Big Sean then you could bet your bottom dollar that future generations will learn how to right the wrongs of today.
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Photo: screen cap
