Kendrick Lamar gives back to a longtime fan.
During the Dallas stop on his “DAMN. Tour,” King Kendrick met with a loyal supporter, who happens to be disabled, and gave her a brand new modified van to help with her disability. Jennifer Phillips, a fan who goes by @msj3nn on social media, shared the news with her followers.
In a video posted online, Kendrick can be seen giving her an autographed jacket. It reads: “Thank you for always supporting me. Your a inspiration for me. You are strong and positive. Your kind and beautiful. For all the years of inspiring me, the least I can do is make sure your comfortable driving the city. A gift from me to you. Your always appreciated! — K. Lamar.”
On top of the jacket, K-Dot also gave her a customized Dallas Mavericks jersey with his given last name on the back: “Duckworth.” TDE President Dave Free also apparently gave her a “What Happens on Earth Stays on Earth” cap, as part of a gift package, that included the brand new van.
In a caption outlining the one-on-one meet-and-greet, Jenn explained her background as a TDE loyalist. “I am a huge Kendrick Lamar and TDE fan/supporter for YEARS,” she wrote. “I’ve been to every show Kendrick has had in Dallas including the first one that even he forgot about lol and one in Austin. That’s 8 shows and not including the other TDE artists shows. I was a big fan of music and concerts before my injury but I never supported and loved a label like theirs before. Of course they have great music but they are also great people.”
Phillips continued, explaining how moved she was by the gesture. “I never supported them for any benefits like this lol,” she wrote. “Their music and shows were enough for me. But this is amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all and always will. Thank God for you Kendrick and I will continue to pray for you. And like I said, next time I’m driving myself to your show lol. Thanks to the whole team!”
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In April, Jennifer launched a GoFundMe account in an effort to raise money for a new van. “July 26 of this year will mark 10 years since I became a quadriplegic after injuring my spinal cord in a car accident,” she wrote on YouTube. “Since then I have continued to live my life the best way I can with a smile. I’ve gotten my bachelors degree, traveled, skiied, gone to tons of concerts and much more. One thing is holding me back…MY VAN!
“I’ve had it since about October of 2006 and it was used,” she explained. “These past 10 years it has taken me back & forth to Denton a few days a week to finish school, out of town and to events/meetings/appointments around Dallas but it’s been on it’s last leg for the past few years. My family has done so much to keep us going but it is hard. I sometimes have to move appointments and miss meetings, events, church, family gatherings, etc. To travel we have to rent modified vans which are way more expensive than regular rental cars. Sometimes my mom has to take off of work to take me to appointments in her truck and transfer me back and forth from my manual chair (usually in the rain since my van does not run then) which I can not push on my own or sit in comfortably.”