IOWA CITY — A rap artist with roots in Iowa City is back in town to give back to the community.
Ean Mills — whose stage name is Emdubai — and several other artists are set to visit Iowa City students in summer educational programs and host a fundraiser for schools this week.
Mills, who now lives in Atlanta, and a group of Atlanta-based artists will play in a celebrity basketball game Friday at 6 p.m. at Northwest Junior High School, 1507 Eighth St. in Coralville.
Basketball teams also will include local artist DJ K Yung, staff from The Dream Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Dream Chasers Basketball Club.
Proceeds from the event will benefit programs that promote diversity and leadership initiatives in Iowa City Community School District secondary schools, including Northwest Junior High’s ROLO group.
The group for seventh- and eighth-graders promotes the values of respect, ownership, leadership and opportunity.
“We focus on kids who have a barrier to educational or other curricular activities,” said Renee Zukin, a teacher and ROLO’s sponsor. “So we help create those opportunities for them, and work on personal growth.”
Mills has visited students in ROLO before, she said, to teach them about music business.
“He comes back often and really wants to, as his success grows, he wants to continue to give back to his community,” Zukin said. “ ... These are homegrown Iowa celebrities, people who are doing good work.”
Suggested donations for entry to the event start at $1, according to an event news release.
In addition to ROLO, proceeds will go to City High’s RISE group, as well as SSIKED groups at West High, Liberty High and North Central Junior High.
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