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Duke Baristas Fired for Playing Rap Music Get the Last Laugh After Young Dolph Gives Them $20K

After two baristas were fired for playing his music at their campus coffee shop, rapper Young Dolph has given them a hefty sum.

Britni Brown and Kevin Simmons were fired from Duke University’s Joe Van Gough coffee shop Friday, May 4 after student affairs VP Larry Moneta came in and deemed the song “Get Paid” “inappropriate.”

“Check this out, this [is] what we gon do,” Young Dolph said during his set at Rolling Loud festival early Saturday, May 12. “I know for a fact that that VP at that school, he get money but he don’t get money like Dolph. So … until y’all get y’all a new job … I got $20,000 for y’all right now.”

Days earlier, Dolph tweeted about the firing of the students.

And the response to the rapper’s generosity was overwhelming.

“That’s why 100 shots couldn’t get to him. A real G,” someone tweeted.

“Respect to @YoungDolph 🙌🏽,” one Twitter user said.

“That’s why I rock with Dolph!!!” another tweeted.

“That’s a good way to turn a negative situation into something positive,” someone else said. “New fan right here.”

Meanwhile, Joe Van Gough has cut ties with Duke.

“I believe it’s the right thing to do to preserve Joe Van Gogh’s brand independence without conditions,” owner Robbie Roberts said in a statement published on the coffee shop’s website Friday, May 11. ”

“During the past several days, I have reflected on our core values and what I want to embrace and advocate as a small business owner. Joe Van Gogh has always been about bringing people together, not driving them apart. We are open to all people and we value people over our profits. We always have. For years, we have nurtured these values to the communities we serve, specifically through the strengths and talents of our staff of baristas.”

Roberts also stated that he offered jobs to the Duke campus staff at other stores or production offices and has contacted Brown and Simmons “who were provided severance so that they may either re-join Joe Van Gogh or secure employment elsewhere if they like.”

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