Reported by: Danielle Dubetz
Photographed by: Dan Puente
Some South Florida artists will be performing together at a special fund-raising event this weekend.
Money raised will benefit the victims of the Dunbar Village rape.
The company sponsoring the event is called "Essence of Elegance." It's a locally run talent agency and some of the members decided to put their talents to good use.
"Everyday I tell myself I'm gonna change for more change that's the reason why I'm making this change," says Matthew "M.R." Randall. "It's a very positive and encouraging track."
"My problem is here that's crystal clear. Gotta make a better change for change so I can't end like this here," raps James "Jabo" Butler. "We got to start the change amongst ourselves."
"Just get up and keep your head up and make a positive change and that's what this song is about," says Randall.
Butler wrote the song, titled "Change," hoping it will help the mother and son sexually assaulted at Dunbar Village three months ago.
"Why did they do that?" he says about the assaulters, "I don't know. But all I know is it's in our community and there's too much of this going on."
Butler says he and his friends grew up in neighborhoods similar to Dunbar, where crime can be a part of every day life.
"No one is going to help me get where I want to go until I start to do it for myself and that's what I want to portray on everybody else. You've got to want to change yourself first," says Butler.
Saturday night at the World Famous Restaurant on Northwood Rd, Jabo will perform along with other South Florida entertainers, all coming together to raise money for the rape victims.
"Come out here. Let's hang out. Let's do something positive," says Butler.
"Let people see that we can come together as a unity for something positive," says Randall.
Thirteen artists will be performing at the event as well as 4 poets. There's a $10 cover charge, or if you have a group of 3 or more it's only $5 a person. The show runs from 3-7 p.m. on Saturday.
