Rhyming for a reason: Meet the hip hop artists fighting food insecurity

When Joshua Roberts and Jacob Pardy aren't spitting bars in the studio, they're spreading hope in the streets.

The two St. John's rappers, known respectively as Hippy Junior and Jwaves, operate a free food pantry in Buckmaster's Circle in St. John's, and give out care packages to the less fortunate around the city.

Both ventures areinitiatives of Hip Hop Shop NL, a non-profit that supports projects and initiatives within Newfoundland and Labrador's hip hop community.

"Being able to help people just enriches my life in a way," said Josh Roberts, CEO of Hip Hop Shop NL."It helps me become who I am, and creates my character. And it feels like my purpose."

Roberts said he feels for those experiencing food insecurity,having struggled himself with food shortage, homelessness, and mental health issues.

He also wanted to give back to the neighbourhood he calls home.

It helps me become who I am, and creates my character. And it feels like my purpose.- Joshua Roberts

"It's one of the oldest public housing communities in Newfoundland," Roberts said of Buckmaster's Circle, the central St. John's neighbourhoodwhere he lives. "As tight-knit as they are, there are a lot of people in need in many ways."

Jwaves, whoalso calls Buckmaster's Circle home, helped Roberts get the pantry project off the ground.

"It really helps me feel better in a way because I can help give back without expectation," he said. "It helps me build better as an artist and really figure out who I am in the hip hop community."

Feeding the need

"The pantries live outside all year round," Roberts said. "Anyone dealing with food insecurity for whatever reason can take an item or two and anyone with food items they're willing to donate can put them in there."

Intended as a reliable source of sustenance no matter the weather, Hip Hop Shop NL's first food pantry was fashioned from a wicker basket with a tarp covering.

When a group called Little Free Pantry NL caught word of the work they were doing, they decided to donate some of their bright red wooden cabinets.

That's when Roberts realized he wasn't alone in his mission to end hunger in the province.

"I was surprised how many [free food pantries] were out there when I started looking around," Roberts said.

In January, the owners of aFacebook page called Little Free Pantry NL counted about40 free food pantries across the province.

Hip Hop Shop NL plans to build on that.

A lasting impact

In addition to the free food pantry, Hip Hop Shop NL's"street team" distributes care packages containing items like soap, toothbrushes and snacks, to those in need.

Pardy said the care package program which started on his own initiative has gotten some positive feedback already, in the form of handshakes and elbow bumps.

"It happens all the time," he said. "I get people messaging me telling me how great of a thing we're doing here."

There hasn't been much in the way of vandalism, Pardy says, with the exception of one spray paint incident. There have, however, beeninevitable weather-related problems; apantry is being repaired after being damaged in strong winds.

Other than that, the only issue is users taking more than their share.

"There are some people who take everything in the pantry, which is often an issue for someone like myself, who sometimes relies on my own income when the sponsorships are short to keep the pantry stocked," Pardy said.

According to the most recent data from Proof Canada, a research group that calculates food security rates based on information from Statistics Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador's food insecurity rate for 2020 was the highest in the country.

Food Bank Canada's HungerCount 2018 report stated that more than 10,000 people in Newfoundlandand Labrador visited food banks every month over the course of that year.

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