JAY-Z’s Roc Nation to Spearhead $300 Million Educational Campaign for Underprivileged Philadelphia Youth

The entertainment company’s new campaign will help K-12 students from low-income households secure scholarships to attend Philadelphia’s array of private schools

Inductee Jay-Z speaks onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Inductee JAY-Z speaks onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in October 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. PHOTO:

JAY-Z’s Roc Nation is committed to supporting Philadelphia’s future changemakers.

On Friday, June 7, the entertainment company announced plans to spearhead a new educational campaign in the City of Brotherly Love that will aid K-12 students from low-income households in securing roughly $300 million in scholarships to attend the city’s various private schools, per a press release.

Roc Nation has long-established ties with Philadelphia through its annual Made in America Festival, which launched in 2012 but has been on pause since 2023. Over the past five years, the organization has also closely collaborated with the city’s REFORM Alliance — a non-profit organization dedicated to probation, parole and sentencing reform in the U.S. through lobbying — on legislation that’s helped transform Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system.

“We have enjoyed such a special connection with Philadelphians, so we’ve made it our mission to invest in the long-term success of the city’s changemakers,” Roc Nation Managing Director of Philanthropy Dania Diaz said in a statement. “Impact starts with the students and with awareness. We want to empower the youth and families with the knowledge to pursue their scholastic dreams, make their voices heard and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Shawn Carter, Jay-Z arrives at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on October 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Jay-Z arrives at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on October 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

Students’ eligibility for the new campaign — which falls under Senate Bill 757, also known as the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) — will depend on household income not exceeding 250% of the federal poverty level, which currently sits at $75,000 for a family of four. Varying scholarship amounts will be awarded to those who qualify, like $2,500 for half-day kindergarten students, $5,000 for grades K-8, $10,000 for grades 9-12 grades and $15,000 for students with special needs.

In addition to distributing scholarship funds, Roc Nation is slated to host a series of events across the greater Philadelphia region from June 10-21 to educate the public about PASS, which is legislation “aimed at increasing education opportunities for underprivileged youth attending the state’s lowest-performing public schools.”

Roc Nation’s new launch in Philadelphia is the latest educational effort from the company’s past commitments. In 2020, JAY-Z’s company — which has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Rihanna, DJ Khaled, J. Cole and Megan Thee Stallion — teamed up with Long Island University (LIU) to start the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment.

The school, located in the legendary rapper’s hometown of Brooklyn, New York, aimed to offer college students undergraduate degrees in music, music technology, entrepreneurship and production and sports management.

Honoree Jay-Z accepts the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Honoree JAY-Z accepts the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena in February 2024 in Los Angeles.

“We’re excited that the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will provide unique insight, knowledge and experiences for students and introduce the world to the next generation of unmatched talent,” Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez said in a press statement at the time, calling the company and LIU’s partnership “a true investment in our community and young people in Brooklyn, in New York City, and beyond.”

This year, JAY-Z, 54, received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 66th annual Grammy Awards, which recognized him for using his platform to give back beyond the world of music. The Reasonable Doubt rap icon and father of three was recently featured in the trailer for Pharrell Williams’ upcoming LEGO animated biopic titled Piece by Piece.

Earlier this year, the hip-hop star contributed to the Book of Clarence soundtrack by dropping new rhymes on a song with D’Angelo titled “I Want You Forever.”