Macklemore and Ryan Lewis will stage this summer’s new hip-hop and R&B Festival on September 16 at Guaranteed Rate Field, according to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA). Get IN It is produced by ISFA and Get IN Chicago, an organization that provides counseling and funding to community-based groups and anti-violence initiatives for the highest at-risk kids in the city, DNAinfo reports.
Formerly known as Comiskey Park (1991–2003), and then U.S. Cellular Field (2003–2016), the Chicago White Sox ball park will showcase the concert in place of last year’s Magnificent Coloring Day which featured Chance the Rapper and John Legend.
Other talents in September’s Get IN It lineup include Fifth Harmony, Lupe Fiasco, DNCE, Jeremih, Felix da Housecat, and more surprise guests that are yet to be announced.
If you are what you say you are... come see @LupeFiasco SEPT 16TH! #GetINItFest 💫 pic.twitter.com/RFEenFxExt
— Get In It Music Fest (@GetINItFest) August 6, 2017
Where will the funds go?
A portion of the proceeds will go to Get IN Chicago, which works to reduce youth violence and also address the underlying, systemic problems that lead to it, according to Get IN Chicago. They host events like last month’s Strengthening Youth through a Network of Care (SYNC) initiative, a collaboration between local juvenile justice agencies, mentoring and therapy programs and case management teams, that brought together participants from all seven Get IN Chicago focus communities (Austin, Englewood, Humboldt Park, North Lawndale, Roseland, South Shore, and West Englewood) to collaborate on violence prevention strategies.
Artist has a history of giving
This won’t be the first time Macklemore has given back to at-risk populations and youth causes. In 2014, Macklemore backed Ryan Lewis and the Lewis family’s 30/30 Project, created in honor of Ryan’s mother, a 30-year survivor of HIV, according to 3030project.org. The project raised money for non-profit health centers in the world’s highest-risk places for HIV like Nsambe, in the Neno District of Malawi, where one in 10 people are HIV+.
Macklemore also contributed his story to the Half of Us initiative, a resource for young people dealing with mental illness and addiction. He also performed at We Day, hosted by the We Day Movement, a children’s charity that provides education, clean water, food and health care to impoverished communities around the world.
At We Day Seattle in 2013, Macklemore said onstage to his fans before his performance, “I look up, respect, admire and am inspired by all of your commitment to service work right here in this room.”
“One of the key components to our success and my success as a human being is to be able to give back to other people,” he said. “That is number one, I think, in terms of being a well-rounded, good person in life.”
Tickets for Get IN It run from $35-$150 and are available at Ticketmaster starting Friday, August 11, 2017.
