G Herbo, Lil Durk and more join WGCI and the City of Chicago for a virtual Memorial Day Weekend show
It seems that Mayor Lori Lightfoot heard the public clap back about her messaging to young people in Chicago during the coronavirus pandemic loud and clear. So loud, in fact, that she has brought together some of Chicago’s top celebrities including rappers G Herbo and Lil Durk, along with local comedians, to encourage residents to stay home and practice social distancing this Memorial Day weekend.
Instead of cookouts at the park and traveling for the unofficial start of summer, the city has partnered with iHeartMedia Chicago’s 107.5 WGCI for a virtual experience to encourage residents to stay home and stop the spread of COVID-19.
The event will feature a Verzus-style battle with rappers Lil Durk and G Herbo on Saturday, May 23 at 8:00 p.m. on Instagram Live.
And on Sunday, May 24, 107.5 WGCI’s radio personality and host of Fox’s Later with Leon, Leon Rogers, will host a Comedy Hour Tour on Zoom at 7:00 p.m. featuring Damon Williams, Just Nesh, Lavar Walker and Correy B. Roger’s instagram is @leonrogers.
“I feel like your home should be the best place for you to chill.That should be your fortress of solitude,” said Rogers.
However, for many young Black Chicagoans, staying home is sometimes a challenge when dealing with domestic issues, lack of food and lack of entertainment – as pointed out in The TRiiBE’s story about the massive house party that took place on the West Side a few weeks ago.
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“For some mundane reason, Black folks just love to be outside. Especially when it gets hot,” said Rogers. “We love the sun, [and] we know our melanin is protected from it. But the fact of the matter is to be outside and to possibly get coronavirus or give it to our family, we have to have some type of responsibility.”
Currently, out of 1,830 total coronavirus fatalities in Chicago, 823 of those have been Black. City officials have doubled down on their response to Black residents, particularly millennials, after discovering a disconnect between young Black people and city officials regarding information about COVID-19.
That’s why this weekend, Lightfoot and other city partners are creating entertainment that speaks loudly to young Black Chicagoans – allowing little to no excuse for them to go outside this weekend, Rogers said.
“I get so tired of Black people saying ‘well the white people up North are outside,”’ said Rogers. “I don’t care about that, because when the numbers spike, white people are not going to get blamed for it. We are.”
107.5 WGCI Stay at Home Weekend Lineup:
Saturday, May 23, 8 pm
107.5 WGCI IG Battle: GHerbo v. Lil Durk
Watch on Instagram Live @nolimiteherbo, @durkioworld
Sunday, May 24, 7-8 pm
107.5 WGCI Comedy Hour Tour: Featuring Just Nesh (@justnesh), Dawn B (@dawnbfunny), Lavar Walker (@lavarwalker), Correy B (@correyb), and Damon Williams (@damonwilliamscomedy)
Hosted by 107.5 WGCI’s Leon Rogers
Watch via Zoom Live Stream: Webinar ID: 933 5922 0097, Password: 836344