Charitable Donation
Eddie Van Halen Left a Seven-Figure Donation to Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation
It goes without saying that the late Eddie Van Halen will continue to influence young musicians for generations to come. And now it’s been revealed that the rock icon left a “transformative” financial contribution to support music education in at-risk public schools via a seven-figure bequest to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. Prior to his passing in October 2020, the Van Halen guitarist was very involved with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, supporting the nonprofit for several years and making appearances at a number of the organization’s events. On Wednesday, April 20th, it was announced that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s will provided for a huge donation to the foundation. “Eddie’s support and friendship over the years meant the world to us and to his fans. His passion for music...
Metallica’s Foundation Donates $500,000 to Help Feed Ukrainian Refugees
Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation has donated $500,000 to help feed Ukrainian refugees. The money is going to the World Central Kitchen, which is providing meals for millions of people who have fled Ukraine as the country continues to come under attack by Russia. World Central Kitchen was founded by Chef José Andrés to provide “meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said of the donation, “The work that Chef José Andrés and the dedicated World Central Kitchen cooks do on the frontlines in a humanitarian crisis is nothing short of incredible. We are inspired, humbled, and beyond proud to support their teams currently in six European countries serving the millions of Ukrainians who have been forced to leave their homes.” Adver...
X Japan’s Yoshiki Announces Annual $100,000 Mental Health Grant to MusiCares
Yoshiki, the leader of heavy metal legends X Japan, has announced that he will provide an annual $100,000 grant to MusiCares for mental health initiatives. The influential multi-instrumentalist has been one of rock’s most charitably musicians, even earning a Medal of Honor by the Government of Japan earlier this month. According to a press release, the annual grant will “help music creators and industry professionals affected by depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health concerns,” all issues that Yoshiki has faced within his band and his own life. “If I didn’t have music and my fans’ support, I could have easily been the one to take my own life like the people who were close to me, including my father and my band member,” said Yoshiki. “I’d like to not only contribute ...
System of a Down’s Comeback Songs Help Raise $600,000 for Artsakh and Armenia
System of a Down surprised the music world with their first new songs in 15 years this past Friday. Less than a week later, the charitable singles have helped raise more than $600,000 for Artsakh and Armenia amid ongoing conflicts with Azerbaijan and Turkey. While the Armenian-American metal act has remained an active touring entity, the band hadn’t released new music since 2005’s Hypnotize until dropping the songs “Protect the Land” and “Genocidal Humanoidz” last week. The members of System of a Down explained that they set their creative differences aside to record the songs to aid their ancestral home of Armenia and its neighboring state Artsakh in the midst of “horrific injustices and human rights violations” being perpetrated by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Now, the band has unveiled a vide...
Sacha Baron Cohen Donated $100,000 to Borat Babysitter Jeanise Jones’ Church
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was full of villains, but babysitter Jeanise Jones emerged as a clear hero. Her sympathetic handling of Borat’s “daughter” (actress Maria Bakalova) earned her the adoration of fans but only $3,600 in payment. Those same fans responded by raising over $170,000 on her behalf, and now Borat himself Sacha Baron Cohen donated an additional $100,000 to Jones’ church. As The Los Angeles Times notes, the donation to the Ebenezer Baptist Church was initially made anonymously in Jones’ name. But the size made it conspicuous, and the Times has confirmed Cohen as the source. The money is earmarked for food, shelter, and other essential community needs, and will be distributed by the church at Jones’ discretion. Cohen has declined to comment. Although not bad by babysitt...
Fiona Apple to Donate Two Years’ Worth of Song Royalties to Charity
Last year, Fiona Apple donated $90,000 worth of royalties from TV and movie placements of her hit song “Criminal” to While They Wait Fund, an organization that provides refugees with legal services and basic necessities. Apple is now launching a similar charitable campaign using two songs off her superb album Fetch the Bolt Cutters. According to a statement, Apple said that for the next two years she will pledge all royalties from TV and movie placements of “Shameika” and “Heavy Balloon” to a pair of nonprofit organizations. Royalties for the former will be given to the Harlem Children’s Zone, which helps support the higher education of kids. Earned royalties for the latter, meanwhile, will benefit Seeding Sovereignty, an Indigenous-led collective working to dismantle imperialist instituti...
Bandcamp to Donate Profits to NAACP Legal Defense Fund Every Juneteenth
Bandcamp has been a beacon of charity in these tough times. Having previously waived their fees for 24 hours to support independent musicians, the music website has announced they will donate 100% of their share in sales on June 19th to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. And it’s not just this one date, but “every Juneteenth hereafter…” Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, a holiday celebrating June 19th, 1865. This was the day the Emancipation Proclamation finally went into effect in the former Confederate States of America, two years after it was signed and a little over a month following the end of the Civil War. What’s more, Bandcamp has additionally pledged to donate $30,000 a year to “organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color.” Calling th...
