T.I. has started something called the #HipHopStaysHome Challenge with the media company All Def.
The idea of the challenge is to encourage Black and Brown people to stay at home as COVID-19 continues to spread.
New York City emergency physician Dr. Arabia Mollette is also part of the stay-at-home campaign, and so is the site AllHipHop.
Recent data is showing that the disease is affecting Blacks and Hispanics at much higher rates than other racial groups. Some of the reasons include not having health care, having pre-existing health conditions, and working at jobs that can’t be done from home.
“We must take a stand for the culture and remind people to stay home and stay safe,” said T.I. in a statement. “This too shall pass.”
For the challenge, which began on April 14, people will need to submit videos to any of All Def’s platforms and show some of the things they like doing while self-quarantining.
The activities can be done solo or with family. Participants will have to include the #HipHopStaysHome hashtag with their submissions as well.
A number of celebrities are supposed to take part in the challenge, including Chuck D, MC Lyte, Baron Davis and Just Blaze.
Besides T.I., others from the hip-hop community have done things to assist virus relief efforts. Like Slim Thug, who donated 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to police and bus drivers in his hometown of Houston.
Cardi B teamed up with Fashion Nova and pledged to give $1 million to help those affected by the ongoing crisis. Future did his part by donating face masks to hospital workers and patients in the Atlanta area.
Those in the hip-hop community that have tested positive for the virus include Slim Thug, who revealed the news last month. But Slim has since said he’s feeling better and his symptoms have pretty much gone away.
Scarface tested positive as well, and reportedly so did YNW Melly, who’s locked up in a South Florida jail awaiting trial on double murder charges.
