4,000 Atlanta Families Get a Back-to-School Bash to Remember

The Grammy-winning rapper and local legend Lil Baby kicked off his fifth annual Back to School Fest over the weekend, which is organized by his nonprofit The Jones Project, and it was nothing short of amazing. More than 4,000 families were left with backpacks, school supplies, fresh uniforms, new shoes, and, perhaps most crucially, smiles that could brighten the whole block.

Held at West End Production Park, the event was an unapologetic mix of generosity and joy, part giveaway, part block party. Picture carnival rides spinning, bounce houses bouncing, music blasting, and the scent of Zaxby’s and Slim & Husky’s wafting in the summer air. Then add some face painting, free braids, a few haircuts, and Dr. Bombay’s ice cream, and this is more than a school supply event; this is a celebration.

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And there, in the middle of it all, was Lil Baby. Not just giving out gear, but making connections by hugging moms, dappling up kids, and letting everyone know they were important.

“I love them the way they love me,” he said, his words as grounded as his presence. “It means a lot to be able to give back, being able to come back for it, because I know a lot come behind not having shoes and school utensils and stuff for school.”

Lil Baby knows what it’s like to grow up without the stress, the distractions, the quiet pain of starting school unprepared. And so was born The Jones Project: to pick up those barriers before they start, giving families a chance at the school year without that extra burden that weighs on their backs.

“It’s just a good thing to know that the parents don’t have to be bothered with this part,” he said, posting under the Georgia sun with a subdued pride.

Local leaders came out in force, with many members of the Atlanta City Council and Board of Education nodding in respect for the work. But the true headliners of the day? The children each came out with a backpack full, a haircut close, and a fresh twinkle in the eye.

In a city too often in the news for what’s broken, Lil Baby just showed us all what’s still possible. A rapper with a platform and a neighborhood with soul. And a generation of students heading into the school year with their heads high.