RICHMOND, Va. — Grammy-winning Richmond rapper Mad Skillz spent the weekend before the new school year buying school shoes for children at Virginia shopping malls.
Mad Skillz, whose real name is Donnie Lewis, announced the gesture in a video posted Aug. 22, saying he planned to visit Chesterfield Town Center, Short Pump and Dick's Sporting Goods that Saturday and Sunday.
"I know it's the weekend before school starts, so I will be out and about in the malls," Lewis said. "You might see me at Chesterfield Town Center. You might see me at Short Pump. You might see me at Dick's Sporting Goods. If you see me out in the mall and you have your child with you, I will buy your child their school shoes before they go to school Monday."
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Lewis said the offer came with one condition.
"You gotta have your child with you," Lewis said. "This goes for Saturday and [Sunday]. All right, RVA, holla."
Lewis said this is something he tries to do every year before the school year starts in Richmond.
He said he was able to help 13 families on Saturday.
Lewis won his first Grammy this year for his latest album, "Words for Days, Volume 1."
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The spoken-word album showcases Virginia's music community, including 14 Richmond-area musicians, producers and engineers.
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