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Tyga, a Grammy-nominated rapper, has shared the stage with artists like Chris Brown, but Oct. 27, he shared the spotlight with South Philadelphia High School students who were rewarded for their high scholastic performance.
As part of the La Belle Vie Foundation’s Be U Love U program, Principle Otis Hackney III and his staff chose the top students in each grade based on the criteria of attendance, grades and behavior, and treated those 35 students with Tyga Team VIP packages, which included meeting Tyga in a private press conference after the assembly. Fifteen of those also were given college-application-fee waivers.
As Tyga travels the country on his F.A.M.E. Tour, his Reach Out And Represent youth empowerment campaign is coming along with him as his visits a school in each of the 28 cities he will perform in. The goal for the assembly was to reward and encourage, but with a hip and entertaining edge that spoke to the students of Southern, 2101 S. Broad St.
“We got to do it in the classroom,” Hackney said to open the assembly. “We want the best for you and expect the best of you.” In true rockstar fashion, Tyga appeared to be a little late getting to the stage, but a DJ spun tracks to excite the crowd. Even Hackney busted out a few dance moves. He felt the purpose of events like this is to let students know school is a place to learn and have fun.
The morning’s show included plenty of music, dancing, and motivational messages from state Reps. Kenyatta Johnson and Tony Payton; Palmieri Jeans CEO Victor Sanders and White House official, April Vance. Once the rap star came on stage there was a swarm of cameras on snapping photographs as students in the audience cheered. Tyga spoke briefly and then took a seat at the side of the stage, while other speakers motivated the students.
“If I can continue to deliver on events like this and [the students] can continue to deliver on the climate, we are really going to change the mindset that people have of South Philadelphia High School.” Hackney said. Vance was approached to be a part of the tour because of her background and accomplishments.
“[The organizers of Be U Love U] wanted someone to inspire them with their own personal story. They thought it would be very phenomenal to have the kids hear my story,” Vance, who grew up in foster care and worked her way up to become a communications liaison to the Executive Office of the President, said.
Vance is no stranger to South Philly. Prior to the event she knocked on doors getting about 1,200 South Philly residents to vote. She advised students to not think about their past, but always to go forward.
“The South Philly students, they need the same push as well as any other city,” she said after the assembly. One of Tyga VIPs, junior Mafesa Stafford, is already looking at Temple and Penn State universities as her top college picks. The key to her success, she said, is “staying focused and working hard.” Assistant Principal Cheryl Yancy-Hicks felt the event was already making an impact on the students.
“Students are coming up now asking why they weren’t the chosen ones, so we just remind them to stay on their A-game because the next time, they could be chosen,” she said.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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