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The Five Most Charitable Hip Hop Stars

It is no secret that rappers and hip-hop stars make a great deal of money. While some entertainers spend all of their money on mansions, expensive cars, and fancy clothes, others spend a good amount of their fortune giving back.

There are many celebrities that give to charity, however, there are some who give much more to charity than others.  Today we're going to take a look at some of the most charitable hip hop stars on the planet.  They are models as to the kinds of generosity we should all possess.

5. Akon

Hip-hop artist has been generous with his money, especially to those who live in Africa. On June 4, 2015, he didn't just make a charitable contribution, he started an initiative that would prove to be the most ambitious charitable endeavor in entertainment history.

He launched a plan to bring electricity to the 600 million people in Africa who didn't have it. His initiative wasn't designed to use traditional electricity with power lines. His plan was to start the Solar Academy, which would allow engineers in Africa to harness the energy from the sun to provide electricity to the 600 million people who are without it.

Akon believes that this project makes sense, since, in Africa, there is an average of 320 sunny days out of the year. This is more than enough energy to deliver power to all of these people.

The Solar Academy's main goal was to teach the residents of Africa how to install and then maintain electricity systems and microgrids that were powered by solar power. Since Akon started the initiative and put up a great deal of money to get it off the ground, it was reported that the initiative was given a credit line of up to $1 billion from China Jiangsu International, which is a huge construction company.

According to the reports, the company would start in the most remote areas of Africa and work their way out. This is a huge, expensive project for Akon to take on. He says that he wanted to do it to improve the quality of life of the African people.

Snoop-Dogg

4. Snoop Dog

Snoop Dog is not considered to be the best role model for young children. The lyrics of his songs are often profane and his songs are not something that you want your kids listening to.

His reported drug use also makes him less than desirable when it comes to being a role model. He has even been arrested a time for two for drug possession. Just because he live the life of a hip-hop star, it doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the world around him. Snoop has worked with plenty of charities over the years. He is very active with Habitat for Humanity, which is a charity who helps build homes for the less fortunate.

He also works with the Orca Network, the Save a Life Foundation, The Healing Circle, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. These are very important organizations. He has even started an athletic program for kids which is called Snoop Youth Football League.

Not only did he create the league, he even coaches the kids who participate. Over the years, it is estimated that Snoop has donated over $110 million to charity. This is much more than most celebrities have ever done. He may have the street cred of being a bad guy, however, he has deep pockets and has no problem with helping the less fortunate.

Eminem

3. Marshall Mathers “Eminem”

Eminem is famous for being one of the only white rappers who became incredibly successful and remains so. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan, which is known to be a very poor city. Things in Detroit have been getting worse year by year. Eminem got his start in Detroit. He starred in the film, 8 Mile, which is loosely based on his life story before he became famous.

Detroit got him to where he is today, therefore, he has started a variety of charities to improve the lives of Detroit's residents. Through the Marshall Mathers Foundation, he is always donating money to help disadvantaged children in Detroit. He also started Eight Mile Boulevard Association and Nine Million. These are also charities that benefit the residents of Detroit. It is estimated that in total, he has donated over $180 million.

2. Jay-Z

Jay-Z is one of the most powerful men in the hip-hop world. He is also one of the richest. He is thankful for what he has and he has no problem giving back. He has donated a great deal of money to the Boys and Girls Club, Artists for Peace and Justice, and Music for Relief. After Hurricane Katrina, he donated $1 million to the Red Cross. Jay-Z doesn't only donate money to these causes, he also donates his time.

In 2006, he held a concert in New York for the charity PlayPumps International. He was able to raise $250,000 for the cause. He has also made it his mission to raise awareness regarding the water shortage that has plagued many countries around the world.

He paid for and produced a film which was made in Africa called Diary of Jay-Z: Water For Life. This film has raised a great deal of awareness and it is still trending today. It is estimated that he has donated over $450 million.

1. Kendrick Lamar

When Kendrick was just 8 years old, he watched 2Pac record the music video for his song, California Love. He credits 2Pac as being his inspiration to start a career in music. While 2Pac was his inspiration, he sings about different things. Many of his songs focus on violence, inequality, and racism. This is part of the reason that he has won 7 Grammy Awards throughout his entire career.

He grew up in Compton, and the mayor gave him the key to the city. He said that the reason was because Kendrick was able to raise awareness about the challenges and troubles that people have in this area. Like rapper Eminem, Lamar uses his money to help those in his hometown.

He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Compton Unified School District's programs such as sports, music, and after-school programs. The idea was to keep the kids in Compton in the classroom and not on the streets. Due to all of the work that he has done, he received the 35th Generational Icon Store.

It is very important to Kendrick to be a strong role model, not only for children in Compton but for children from all around the world. He has also donated a great deal of money to the Red Cross and he has headlines concerts to benefit homeless women and children, and people in need in India.

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Garrett Parker

Written by Garrett Parker

Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.

Read more posts by Garrett Parker

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