We showed you last week how prisoners in Folsom, Calif. are making a difference from behind bars, and today, Lil Wayne is proving the same. Rikers Island, N.Y. (after pleading guilty to weapons charges in 2009) probably isn’t where the rapper thought he’d be celebrating his 28th birthday, but despite his current surroundings, Wayne is coming out on top. His new album I’m Not a Human Being hits the Internet today, and he continues to better his hometown of New Orleans while finishing up his one-year prison sentence.
In 2007, Wayne started the One Family Foundation to help urban youth in Louisiana. After Hurricane Katrina hit, the organization launched the Harrell Park Restoration Project to reclaim the playground lost in the 17th Ward. In 2009, he handed city officials $200,000 to get the ball rolling but still isn’t satisfied with all that’s been done in the city. At a press conference, he said, “I think it’s amazing what’s been done for Haiti, but I also think it’s amazing what hasn’t been done for New Orleans.”
Our bet is that when Wayne is released next month, he’ll be not only a changed man, but also be able to do much more for his beloved city and its residents.
Photo by PR Photos.