Last month, the city of Milwaukee came together for a night of Hip-Hop and charity in the name of one of our very own. 414 youth, Shariff was granted a wish from the infamous Make-A-Wish Foundation. Shariff is a part of the Blaqlizt Music Entertainment brand and has assisted with a couple of the site’s past events as well as the events of a few different local artists. He is a “wish kid” due to the fact that he is living with Takayasu disease. Information on the disease can be found here. He didn’t choose to meet a celebrity or to go on some elaborate vacation. Instead, he wanted to highlight the talent of the city’s younger generation and give back to a few of the organizations who support them.
So with the assistance of Make-A-Wish, he put together a showcase fundraiser of Old & New School music. The affair took place at a ballroom in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the downtown region of the city. The ballroom was elegantly decorated and there was a nice diverse spread of food & drinks made available to guests. Additionally, there were information tables where guests could learn more about the four charities (Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Urban League, Girls In Action, and Make-A-Wish Wisconsin) who were to be the benefactors of the money raised for the night. A live DJ added to the free-spirited ambiance of the evening. Live band GQ Experience helped to keep the night alive as an occasional alternative to the DJ. The set up was excellently put together. And Shariff didn’t just sit idly by as the guest of honor. He also served as the host for the show. He kept the audience laughing and imparted lots of youthful wisdom when he wasn’t amongst the crowd mingling. He had quite the line-up to present too. Veteran rapper King Kamonzi kicked off the live performances. He did his whole set acapella and utilized the art of free-styling. His unique set was well received and established a high bar for the night. But his fellow performers were ready to meet the challenge. Kia Rap Princess graced the stage with her vivid swag and her newly acquired ATL style energy. She had the young ones dabbing and the older folks nodding their heads. Kawan Lever along with his sister Kayla Lever crushed the stage as well. They were on fire individually but made for a nice duo too. All of the acts truly did their thing and demonstrated that Milwaukee’s youth definitely have something to offer. In between performances, Shariff was recognized in various ways for: his strength while battling his illness, his philanthropy, and his personal talents/skills. Though the night was all about everyone coming together for a good cause and enjoying the music while honoring Shariff, there was also a donation goal in place. Shariff wanted to raise $6,000 to divide equally among the aforementioned charities. By the end of the event, the crowd learned that the goal had been met and then some. Shariff was ecstatic. Auction items were awarded along with a raffle prize as the night came to a close. On the way out of the door, guests were gifted goodie bags by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to top it all off.
The gala was a huge success and everyone left in great spirits with smiling faces. The night was meant to give Shariff his wish come true but it was he who gave a little special something to all those in attendance. Since the event, Shariff has received a proclamation from local Mayor Tom Barrett for his fundraising and donating efforts. The Illixer extends a major congrats to the young king. Footage from Shariff’s Wish will be available soon on The Illixer TV. So be sure to keep an eye out. Much love to Shariff and the Make-A-Wish Foundation for having us at the festivities. -MinM
