(AllHipHop News) NBA star Kenny “The Jet” Smith is part of a new initiative titled Full Court reFRESH, which recently hosted an all-star panel, where plans were announced to refurbish basketball courts on the West Side of Chicago.
Rapper 2 Chainz was part of a discussion that included NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. During the discussion, the Full Court reFRESH project announced a $40,000 donation to the Chicago Urban League.
“What we’re doing is providing an important resource for the younger generation. A lot of the kids don’t have anything to do with their time right now,” 2 Chainz said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times.
The money will go to renovations in Columbus Park and to make improvements to another park near the University of Illinois.
The thinking is that improved basketball courts will help with recreational exercises and lead to a reduction in the violence that continues to plague the city.
Just over the Memorial Day weekend alone, six people were shot and killed and 69 more were injured by gunfire.
“A lot of them look up to athletes or entertainers, so when you do these things, build a studio or refurbish a basketball court, it helps change the trajectory in our neighborhoods, along with seeing somebody like myself, speak to what’s happening in the streets,” 2 Chainz reasoned.
