Trae tha Truth took to Instagram on Wednesday (May 25) to share that he declined an invitation to the White House in order to help the families of the victims of the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.
“I was invited to the White House today to meet with the President with the families of those who have wrongfully been murdered by police,” he wrote. “But the people of Buffalo NY are really in need as well as the families of the children murdered in Uvalde… so I will have to pass, I will be in the field with the people in need.”
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Billboard has reached out to the White House for more information on Trae’s invitation. In November, the rapper was honored with President Joe Biden’s Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes Americans who give more than 4,000 hours of extraordinary service to their communities and beyond.
He followed up by asking his followers to put him in touch with the families of the children who lost their lives after an armed 18-year-old in body armor allegedly entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and began shooting after reportedly killing his grandmother. He killed 19 students and two teachers. “I would like to assist some of the funerals,” Trae wrote.
Trae also shared his plan to help the community surrounding the 10 people killed in a Buffalo, New York supermarket by a heavily armed 18-year-old white supremacist, who reportedly specifically targeted and murdered Black shoppers.
He announced a food giveaway in Buffalo, beginning at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, which will hand out groceries, hot food and supplies. “It’s A Lot Of People Traumatized Its Alot Of People In Need And Also Scared To Come Out After The Shooting, Its Also Hard For Families In That Area To Get Out to get Food and other needs… Please SPREAD THE WORD TO THOSE WHO NEED IT,” Trae captioned the announcement.
At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, Trae tha Truth was honored with the second-ever Change Maker Award. “I said if I ever had a position, I’d be there for those in need,” he said in his acceptance speech. “I’m one of those who represent the struggle of the less fortunate. And what I will say when it comes to change is it’s important, that’s why this award is so important to me. It’s important to change people’s lives, it’s important to change the thoughts of those who give up at times, and it’s important to change things that wasn’t designed for our best interest…. It’s time for us to change the narrative and control our own story.”