Lil Nas X’s ‘baby registry’ raises almost $500,000 for HIV/AIDS organizations
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Lil Nas X’s “baby registry” is the gift that keeps giving.
The hip-hop superstar’s marketing stunt – which he launched when he pretended to be pregnant and “gave birth” to his debut studio album, “Montero,” last year – raised nearly half a million dollars for charity.
By encouraging his fans to donate to 16 charities that aid underserved and vulnerable communities, the Grammy Award winner’s fund-raising strategy generated close to $500,000. The money will be distributed across the Gilead COMPASS Initiative, a campaign from Gilead Sciences aimed at stopping the AIDS/HIV epidemic in the American South.
“I’m so thankful to everybody who donated to my baby registry and joined me in helping to transform all of these communities in the South,” the 22-year-old Atlanta-area native, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, said in a statement released Tuesday. “Together we are giving much-needed resources to those who need it most – especially those impacted by HIV – and also helping inspire the leaders who are constantly fighting for HIV education and awareness.””
Gilead Sciences’ Shanell L. McGoy said Lil Nas X’s gift will have a direct impact on communities affected by HIV, which new data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows still disproportionately affect Black people.
Other charities the “Old Town Road” rapper encouraged people to donate to include the Cade Foundation, which assists families struggling with infertility, and The Bail Project, which aims to end mass incarceration and help pay bail for those in need.
