Hip-hop sensation Cardi B made a surprise visit to her former middle school in the Bronx, New York, on Sept. 13. That school, I.S. 232 in the Bronx’s Morris Heights neighborhood, also received another surprise when the rapper dropped off a $100,000 donation.
The visit was part of a series of visits organized by New York’s Community Capacity Development organization.
Cardi B, 29, surprised the 300 students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades at the school. During a Q&A with the students, she offered advice and explained how proud she was of the Bronx.
Cardi shared with the kids she wanted her donation to finance a variety of “after-school activities, such as tutoring, or maybe something fun, maybe a music program!” ET Online reported. She also recalled making “a lot of bad decisions” and getting arrested for fighting another student.
While she attended school in the Bronx, she also grew up in another area of NYC: Washington Heights.
Just days before the visit, the “Shake It” artist talked about concern over housing in an Instagram live. During the post, she shared memories about growing up in the Bronx and struggles of her family and others to survive amid the cost-of-living crisis. “I was helping my cousin get an apartment and now I’m helping someone else get one,” said Cardi, who now has a net worth of an estimated $40 million. “I was looking at some areas and the way prices soared up — living is unbearable.”
She added, “There’s no…inventory when it comes to homes.” She expressed that even if you can afford a higher price, “it doesn’t matter if the interest rate is f–king high.”
Cardi B and her husband and children have a home in New Jersey, located in the suburbs about 45 minutes from Midtown Manhattan and 25 minutes to Washington Heights, where she grew up. The couple closed on the house on Sept. 17, 2021, for $5.85 million, property records show, and is spending more than $1 million on improvements, a source told The Post. They also have a home in Sandy Springs, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. They purchased the massive abode for $5.5 million as a Christmas present for themselves in 2019.
Black and Hispanic Americans have been hardest hit by inflation as food costs increased 11.4 percent from a year ago, the most since 1979, Fortune reported. Electricity prices went up 15.8 percent from 2021, the most since 1981.
“How are people surviving? I want to know, like my family and my friends are so grateful to have me…But what about people that don’t have me?” Cardi B asked.
“Cardi B’s commitment of $100,000 for the arts will help the school’s kids soar to their highest heights,” New York City Schools chancellor David Banks said after her visit.
“This is what we mean when we say ‘representation’. @iamcardib spoke about growing up in a low income neighborhood and viewing her education as a way out. We appreciate her raw authenticity and look forward to sharing more with you all about her visit!,” read a tweet by Community Capacity Development.
