YG and Mozzy celebrated the release of their new album Kommunity Service by donating sneakers to former inmates.
On Friday (May 21), TMZ caught up with West Coast rappers as they handed out the latest edition of YG’s Red Flame Block Runners at the Amity Foundation House in LA.
The men staying at the Foundation House have been recently released from prison and are staying there until they can get back on their feet. It’s a situation YG clearly empathizes with.
“Shoes is everything,” he told TMZ. “Shoes is something you need. When you wake up, you going to leave the house, you gotta put on a pair of shoes and you know people love sneakers first of all. But for the homies that’s fresh out of prison from doing life sentences, they probably didn’t know they was gonna come home and they out and they tryna figure out life and do the right thing. So, I know for somebody with some status or celebrity [to] pull up and just gift them with anything, I know they appreciate it. It probably goes a long way. So, that’s all I wanted to do.”
In a video captured at the event, YG gives a brief speech before his team hands out sneakers one-by-one to the men. “Welcome home,” YG said. “I pulled up to pass out some shoes. I grew up out here in the streets and I feel like I just wanna give back to the people. I want to shine some light on the people. I have my own brand … I’m doing my own shoes, so it’s only right I let the community get some. Show some love to the community and the people. Welcome home!”
According to TMZ, YG dropped off hundreds of Blaze Runners at the Amity Foundation House. The shoes retail for $200, which means the rapper gave out more than $20,000 worth of kicks.
Back in March, when the white/red colorway of the shoe was released YG handed out 50 pairs to members of the LA community who stay at the Union Rescue Mission homeless shelter.
At the time, the “Bompton” rapper said he felt charitable because it’s his first shoe. “This [is] where I’m from so I had to do something for the people that’s in the street,” he said. “You always gotta do an act of kindness. Especially right now times is hard. I gave away some shoes, that’s light. But we doing bigger things than that.”
While the white/red colorway sold out in just eight minutes, the red/white versions are currently still available via 4Hunnid’s web store.