Heroes of Hip Hop
10 hip hop stars who have risen to the occasion to perform heroic acts in times of need.
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Heroes of Hip Hop - On May 13 Screen Gems' latest sci-fi thriller, Priest, will hit theaters and moviegoers will witness the eternal war between man and vampire. Much like the film’s hero, a Warrior Priest bent on saving his niece from a pack of evil vampires, there have been a number of hip hop stars who have answered the call of duty in a time of need. Whether it be T.I. preventing a man from committing suicide or Wyclef Jean saving lives after the tragic earthquake in his native Haiti, heroism is not uncommon in the hip hop world. Here’s a look at some of the heroic acts rappers have delivered over the years.
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Loyal to the Game - When he’s not in the studio cranking out hit records that span his nearly 20-year career, you can catch Snoop Dogg roaming the sidelines during a SYFL (Snoop Youth Football League) game. The hip hop great started the league in 2004 to help combat inner city violence in neighborhoods throughout his native California. Now the league that caters to gridiron players aged 7 to 14 has expanded to teams in Chicago. (Photo: Joshua Prezant/Retna Ltd.)
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Southern Hospitality - Waka Flocka Flame is always down for a good cause. The rugged southern rap star, who has risen to stardom thanks to smash singles “Hard in Da Paint” and “No Hands” is a proud supporter of PETA and the Make a Wish Foundation. Waka recently spent time with a terminally ill 16-year-old girl on behalf of Make a Wish Foundation. Usually when a good cause presents itself, you can expect Waka’s response to be, "oh let’s do it."(Photo: Make a Wish Foundation)
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Family Affair - Since the passing of his sister Jacqueline Donahue, to leukemia in 2005, hip hop star Nelly has become a major advocate in raising the awareness for bone marrow transplants. The St. Louis-bred MC has spearheaded numerous bone marrow donation drives and contributed millions of dollars to the cause through the foundation he started with his sister, Jes Us 4 Jackie Foundation. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Getty Images for Bud Light)
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Homecoming - When a deadly earthquake rocked Haiti in January 2010, the nation’s native son Wyclef Jean was among the brave emergency responders leading a rescue mission for survivors. Since the quake the Grammy Award-winning rapper/singer/producer has played a major role in helping the country to rebuild, even making a short-lived bid to become Haiti’s president last year. ’Clef has certainly proven that home is where the heart is. (Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images)
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Talk to 'Em - In the midst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, hip hop super group Salt-N-Pepa released their 1991 chart-topping single “Let’s Talk About Sex.” The impactful jam was later remixed into the cautionary cut “Let’s Talk About AIDS,” which became the theme song for a safe sex awareness campaign in the 1990s. Salt, Pep and Spinderella delivered the soundtrack of a movement that saved thousands of lives. (Photo by David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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Know the Ledge - T.I. has always been pretty convincing with his words. Through hit singles like “What You Know," “Live Your Life,” and “Swagga Like Us,” the Atlanta rapper was able to convince the non-believers that he was indeed the “King of the South.” In October 2010 T.I. used his gift of persuasion to prevent a man from jumping off a 22-story downtown Atlanta building. The suicidal man decided to come off the ledge after listening to the king’s speech. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for AXE)
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Watch the Throne - Much like he’s done throughout his music career, Jay-Z has set the bar high for his peers when it comes to giving back to fans. The hip hop icon has made charitable donations to a number of organizations from the Boys and Girls Club of America to Music for Relief. Hov most notably gave $1 million to the Red Cross after Hurricane Katrina. Money truly ain’t a thing for this superstar. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
Photo By Bryan Bedder/Getty Images
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Reppin' My City - The devastation of Hurricane Katrina hit home for many entertainers. Rappers who rep the city of New Orleans were especially impacted by the destruction and loss of life. When it came time to recover from the tragedy, hip hop superstar Lil’ Wayne was front and center in contributing $200,000 and many other resources to rebuild the Crescent City. On his multi-platinum album Carter III, Weezy offered the heartfelt “Tie Hands” as an ode to NOLA. (Photo: Todd Owyoung/Retna Ltd.)
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Moment 4 Life - A folk hero in hip hop, the Wu-Tang rapper saved the life of 4-year-old girl in 1998. After the girl was trapped under a car outside of a Brooklyn, NY, studio, Ol’ Dirty and his friends helped to lift the car off the child. True to his words when he crashed the Grammy Awards that same year, ODB proved that “Wu-Tang is for the children.”(Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)