Producer gives back to students
US music producer Michael “Beatbopper” Hudgins is making good on his promise to give back proceeds from the sale of his various artistes album, Miungu Ya Muziki, to three needy students in Spanish Town, St Catherine.
The students were selected by Spanish Town-based charity organisation Just For Peace International.
The first recipient is a student of a preparatory school in the old capital. She received a $15,000 donation on Tuesday.
Her mom was elated at the gesture.
“I don’t even know this man [Michael Hudgins], but I am praying that God will continue to bless him. I was just thinking where the money would come from because it’s time to get her uniforms for school. God bless you all,” she said after receiving the donation.
The other prospective recipients — one attending high school and an adult institution — will be receiving their donations next week. They will each be receiving $20,000 to help with their back-to-school expenses.
To be considered, the students’ parents must be associated to a charity organisation promoting peace; children must be enrolled in school, and falls in the category of needs. The grades of recipients will be monitored by the peace organisation.
This year’s funding was earmarked for students who lost their dads to violence in Spanish Town.
“Last year, I made a promise to give generously to fatherless children because, God knows, it is very hard when a breadwinner’s life has been cut short by criminals. I have selected Spanish Town because this is a community which has had a number of flare-up leading to violence, with innocent men and even females murdered,” he said.
“This is only the beginning of greater things as, come next year, the number of students will be increased. This will allow more students to be better equipped for school. I am quite aware that a number of companies have back-to-school treats during this time of the year, but certainly there is room for much more to be done,” Hudgins continued.
Hudgins — who hails from Virginia, US — association with Jamaica began some five years ago.
“I am a part of the success story of albums which includes a number of Jamaican artistes, such as Third World, Don and Kabaka Pyramid. It is amazing that Spanish Town has such a wealth of talent in terms of music… As executive producer of Miungu Ya Muziki, this international album has done extremely well on several charts, including number one on the Cuba-Caribbean Amazon charts and number two on US iTunes,” he said.
Several international acts have hailed from Spanish Town. They include actress, singer, model Grace Jones, dancehall acts Lady G, Papa San, and Stitchie.