Over the weekend, Lil Wayne and Young Money President Mack Maine — in partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods — gave back to their hometown of New Orleans with “A Weezy Christmas” for 150 kids. Karen Civil also attended the event.
Held at Dave & Buster’s, the children enjoyed free game play, food, photos with Santa and sports equipment ranging from basketballs and footballs to sporting gear.
“This Christmas Mack & I wanted to give these kids everything necessary so that they could enjoy all the benefits of being a top tier athlete,” said Weezy in a statement. “Whether it’s learning about sportsmanship, teamwork, or just using the field as a way to escape everyday stresses; we wanted to make sure these kids get to experience impactful moments.”
The “Lollipop” rapper, who has just earned Diamond-status for the 2008 single on Dec. 14th, also sent attendees a video in his absence from the event, wishing them a happy holiday.
“First of all I want to personally wish each of you a Merry Christmas!” he started. “I know you love sports like I love sports so I hit up my people at Wilson Sporting Goods to give you the gift of game. I specifically picked everything out for you myself. I hope you love everything and I hope you have an amazing holiday. This was an honor to do — I know you gon’ love it so… Happy holidays and kick a**!”
Wayne, née Dwayne Carter, who grew up playing sports at Harrell Park in NOLA, previously donated $200,000 to the park to restore it to its prime following damage done to it by 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.
He’s also teamed up with local organizations, including the Youth Empowerment Project, Son of a Saint, and Overtime Academy, to recruit kids to “A Weezy Christmas” who are individuals determined to be the best athletes that they can be.
The aforementioned organizations are “mentorship programs that are committed to supporting and empowering today’s youth with the tools to overcome obstacles, dream big and become leaders in their communities,” according to a press release obtained by VIBE.
Check out images from the event above.
