California youth hip-hop artists HoodTrophy Bino (“Bino”) and Star2 recently completed a Back to School Tour with 16 schools spanning San Diego, Los Angeles, Palmdale, Riverside and Tempe, Arizona.
Following the duo’s West Coast summer tour to promote their joint single, “GO!,” in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Tempe, Arizona – both artists, who shared the stage with superstar Soulja Boy and pop star Luh Kel, wished to give back to kids at public schools.
Partnering in Los Angeles with the charity group, TheSchoolTour.com, a traveling year round program created by Randy Hankins to promote education through interactive music and entertainment at lunch rallies and assemblies, Bino and Star2 visited Stephen White Middle School, Compton High School, Hawthorne High School, Hosler Middle School and Westchester High School. Students were treated to breakdancing, singing, and rap performances. Bino and Star2 donated school supplies, t-shirts, skateboards, shoes, snacks, and backpacks – even dollar bills thrown to the student crowds. Puffers, Exotic Pops, and skateboard shop Pharmacy all contributed to the students.
Star2 and Bino were joined at the LAUSD schools by Boomer and his Boomsquadfam hip hop dance team – hip hop dancers appear in their music video and performed with them at LA’s Catch One during their concert tour with Soulja Boy and Luh Kel.
Bino revealed that he receives hundreds of texts and online messages from students thanking him for visiting their schools. Many say it brightened a particularly bad day or was even the best day they can remember at school. Others asked if he can come back with particular supplies they need – one student asked for more pencils. Bino delivered by the end of the week!
At his home high school in Palmdale, Highland High School, Bino bought out the ice-cream delivery truck and gave all of the students ice cream after school while he performed.
He and Star2 and planning a holiday toy drive and will be back again next fall. “It’s important to give back” said Star2 who began life in a refugee camp on the border of Myanmar and Thailand. Bino agrees, “it’s all for the kids.”
Anyone wishing to donate can contact TheSchoolTour.com online.