5th Annual DON Weekend activities include a 16-Bars Rap Battle sponsored by the Detroit Pistons, Community Block Party, DON Talks, Celebrity Flag Football Game, Skating Party and more!
DETROIT – August 9, 2023 – As momentum builds toward Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary on Aug. 11th, multi-platinum artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur Big Sean is also set to celebrate this milestone with his return to Detroit for the 5th Annual Detroit’s On Now (DON) Weekend presented by the Sean Anderson Foundation (SAF) in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michiganand Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield. The weekend will include activities that speak to Hip-Hop culture and highlights Detroit’s impact on it. Tickets are free and are now available here via Eventbrite
“It’s such a blessing to be hosting our 5th Annual DON Weekend, and I’m so thankful to everyone who has supported us so far,” said Big Sean. “I’m looking forward to celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop in the city that has given me so much love. LET’S GO!”
DON Weekend’s celebration of Hip-Hop will run from Friday, August 25 – Sunday August 27 and kicks-off with an intimate, invite-only VIP Reception featuring a 16-Bars Rap Battle sponsored by the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Saturday’s annual Block Party and City Council President Mary Sheffield’s Occupy the Corner is again being held at the Boys and Girls Diehl Club and will feature live music performances, a DJ battle, carnival games, community services, arts and crafts, a celebrity flag football game, and more. Sunday the weekend will close with a free community skating party with Big Sean at the Monroe Street Midway Skating Rink.
“Hip-Hop is not just music, but a culture that has impacted our community in so many ways—and to celebrate 50 years by exposing and engaging youth in its impact is something the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is proud of doing alongside Big Sean and the Sean Anderson Foundation,” said Shawn H. Wilson, president & CEO BGCSM. “We’re excited to be a partner in celebrating the city in unique ways every year during DON Weekend and we thank Myra and Sean for keeping youth top-of-mind in all they do for the city of Detroit.”
In addition to the community activities, a large donation presentation and a special announcement surrounding the strategic partners for the newest BGCSM Club locations including the latest Sean Anderson Foundation Content & Production Music Studio. Sean previously opened three other recording studios for Detroit’s youth at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan: Dick & Sandy Dauch Club, the Lloyd H. Diehl Club, and the Fauver-Martin Club. Sean also unveiled a recording studio at his alma mater, Cass Technical High School.
This year, attendees will also be able to participate in DON Talks. These panel conversations will include Monetizing the Culture now and into the Future, Mental Health: Harness the Benefits of Technology while Protecting Mental Health and Reimagine Neighborhood Development in Detroit. DON Talks and the Community Block Party and City Council President Mary Sheffield’s Occupy the Corner require registration via Eventbrite HERE.
“My office has been partnering with the Sean Anderson Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan for the past 5 years to drive resources into a community that needs upliftment and support. This collaborative effort has touched thousands of residents over the years, giving them access to city government, resources and opportunities to enhance their quality of life, while providing a fun and space environment to drive hope and happiness into the community.” exclaimed Council President Mary Sheffield.
Big Sean and SAF started DON Weekend in 2018 as a celebration of Detroit families, entrepreneurs, and long-standing institutions, who are the backbone of the city. Through neighborhood activations, entrepreneurial accelerators and fun engaging events, DON Weekend highlights what makes Detroit and its people the greatest in the world while empowering residents to achieve economic mobility.
DON Weekend 2023 Schedule
VIP Reception and 16 Bars Rap Challenge: Friday, August 25, 2023, 6-10pm (Invite Only)
Block Party: Saturday, August 26, 2023, 11am-6pm
Diehl Club, 4242 Collingwood St, Detroit, MI 48204
DON Talks 11:00am – 2:30pm
(All DON Talks are held inside the club and each one requires its own registration via Eventbrite)
- 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Monetizing the Culture now and into the Future
- Moderator: Damien Hooper-Campbell, Chief Impact Officer, StockX
- Cedric Rogers, Co-Founder & CEO, Culture Genesis Inc.
- D’Wayne Edwards, Founder, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design
- Nia Batts, General Partner, Union Heritage Venture Partners
- Louis Carr, President of Media Sales for BET Networks
- 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Mental Health: Harness the Benefits of Technology while Protecting Mental Health
- Moderator: Shaka Senghor, author, speaker, investor and President of Shaka Senghor, Inc.
- Chelsea Peterson-Salahuddin, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan School of Information
- Tiffany Abrego, Executive Director, Mentally Fit Program, BGCSM
- 1:45 – 3:00 pm
Reimagine Neighborhood Development in Detroit
- Moderator: Shawn H. Wilson, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
- Joshua Sirefman, CEO, Michigan Central Station
- Quentin L. Messer, Chief Executive & Economic Competitiveness Officer – Chair, Michigan Strategic Fund
Block Party 11:00am-6:00pm
(Block Party is outside and requires registration via Eventbrite)
- Carnival Games
- Kids Arts & Crafts BGCSM Sports League Youth Kickball Tournament
- E-Gaming Tournament
- Outdoor Art Walk
- Community Wrap Around Services
- Pony Ride Demonstrations
- Industry Clubs Demonstrations
- Celebrity Flag Football Game
Roller Skating Party: Sunday, August 27, 2023, 3pm – 6pm
Monroe Street Midway, 32 Monroe St. Detroit, MI
Open Skating for all.
For more information about D.O.N. Weekend visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-don-weekend-block-party-tickets-668433481537?aff=oddtdtcreator
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About Big Sean
Multi-platinum Artist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist, Big Sean, consistently asserts himself as an elite
rapper, a chart-busting force, and a vital voice for the culture, at large. To date, the Detroit-born and Los
Angeles-based artist has garnered six GRAMMY® Award nominations and achieved seven BET Awards.
Posting up 17 billion streams worldwide, his catalog consists of 15 RIAA platinum- or multi-platinum
certified singles as well as a string of notable full-length albums—the platinum debut Finally Famous
[2011], gold-selling Hall of Fame [2013], double-platinum Dark Sky Paradise [2015], and platinum I
Decided [2017]. In 2020, he logged his third consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and fifth
straight #1 entry on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart with the critically acclaimed Detroit 2
[Def Jam].
Beyond selling out worldwide tours, the Detroit native was recently appointed Creative Director of
Innovation for the Detroit Pistons. Sean has also made a successful foray into film/TV – starring in the
animated film Dog Gone Trouble, which hit #1 on Netflix, as well as appearing in Season 1 and Season 2
of Lena Waithe’s comedy series Twenties on BET.
In addition to his musical endeavors and an ever-expanding rolodex, Sean also makes time to apply his
boundless energy to continuing to help others. Attracting an audience of nearly 50 million across
channels, Sean leverages his platform to give back. He runs his own 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the
Sean Anderson Foundation, which assists in the education, health, safety, and well-being of school-age
youth and their families. The Foundation partners with established charitable organizations and
corporate sponsors to support its signature program, Mogul Prep. Every year, the Sean Anderson
Foundation hosts D.O.N. (Detroit’s on Now) Weekend to celebrate and give back to the Detroit families,
entrepreneurs, teachers and long-standing institutions who are the backbone of the city.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he hosted virtual fundraisers to benefit response efforts. And
for Mental Health Awareness month, Sean—who’s spoken at length about the issue’s
importance—teamed up with his Mother to launch a candid personal wellness video series. Sean’s
advocacy expands beyond the bounds of obvious crises, though. He has also recently partnered with
McDonald’s for their Black & Positively Golden mentoring program, an online series dedicated to helping
develop the next generation of leaders. He fulfilled a similar capacity when he partnered with Ally
Financial to create “Moguls in the Making.” Now in its fourth year, this entrepreneurial competition, in
partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Sean Anderson Foundation, tackles the issue
of economic mobility head-on, fostering opportunities for young, up-and-coming entrepreneurs from
our nation’s publicly supported historically black colleges and universities (HBCU’s).
About Sean Anderson Foundation
The mission of the Sean Anderson Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3, is to assist in the education, health, safety, and well-being of school-age youth and their families. The Foundation partners with established charitable organizations and corporate sponsors to support its signature program, Mogul Prep. Our vision is simply to make the lives of young people better.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
Founded in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) serves 21,000 youth, families, and entrepreneurs annually in neighborhoods throughout Southeastern Michigan. BGCSM has reimagined the future of after-school programming by focusing on the root cause of issues facing our community, which is poverty. BGCSM’s mission is to ensure youth leave our Clubs career, start up and homeowner ready.
About Detroit City Council President and Occupy the Corner – Detroit
Council President Mary Sheffield represents the 5th District, which covers the lower eastside, downtown, the riverfront and central portions of Detroit. She was first elected to office in 2013 and is the youngest person ever elected to City Council in the history of Detroit. She was elected as the City’s youngest Council President in January of 2022. Since its inception, Occupy the Corner – Detroit has occupied 30 Neighborhoods throughout District 5 and provided entertainment, family fun, and resources to produce healthy outcomes for over 80,000 residents, mostly children, in District 5 and Detroit and as a whole. Starting in the first part of June each year, Occupy the Corner – Detroit events are held every other Friday evening throughout the summer.
For Big Sean press inquiries contact:
Shannon Atran
For On-site inquiries:
Antonice Strickland