Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty
Cardi B just made a serious money move for a great cause. The hip-hop titan recently donated a whopping $100,000 to her old middle school to help expand the institution’s art department, tutoring and after-school programs.
On Sept. 13, the 29-year-old hitmaker paid a surprise visit to I.S. 232 in the Bronx, where she attended sixth through eighth grade. Standing in front of a sea of students and faculty, the Grammy-award-winning gave a heartwarming speech about how the school pushed her to become the person she is today. Cardi admitted that at times, she wasn’t always the best student. The rapper said that some of the “bad decisions” she made in middle school forced her to straighten up when she found her passion for entertainment.
“When it was time to go to high school, I wanted to go to a certain school, because I always wanted to be an entertainer,” the “Bodak Yellow” rapper shared. “And I didn’t get accepted to the school, and I was upset because some girls that I felt like were less talented than me got accepted to those schools, but the difference was, that I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing.”
Cardi encouraged the kids to think about their futures. “It’s never too late for you guys,” she added.
Cardi B talks about the importance of giving back to her alma mater
On Instagram, Cardi B told fans that she had been waiting for almost two years to give back to her former middle school due to the pandemic. The mother of two teamed up with Queens-based non-profit Community Capacity Development to make the charitable donation.
“232 in the Bronx, has a very special place in my heart!! It turned me from an 11-year-old girl into a little teenage adult,” the starlet captioned a video of herself speaking to students at the school. “Kids in the Bronx have to grow up quickly do to our circumstances and our environment. While some young teens like around 11-13 still live in that Disney world, these kids have to grow up fast and QUICK,” she continued. “Like a lot of these kids i went thru so much while I was going to school here. Experiences that changed me forever and made me who I am today. I hope my donation can help create an amazing after-school program that will help kids stay out the streets or a troubled home and most importantly allow them to learn something that they can take with them through LIFE.”
Towards the end of her lengthy caption, Cardi teased that she would be working on more educational initiatives “very soon.”
“I love being able to help young kids however I can and I can’t waiiiittttt to tell y’all what I’ve been working on for the past two years. It’s something super close to my heart,” the femcee added.
On Tuesday, NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks applauded Cardi for her incredible donation while speaking to WPIX-TV.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cardi B back home to I.S. 232 in the Bronx, and we are so grateful for her generous contribution to her alma mater. Cardi B’s commitment of $100K for the arts will help the school’s kids soar to their highest heights,” he said.
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