Jay-Z will be the first rapper to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall, in a concert series to benefit charity, he announced Thursday.
Proceeds from his hip-hop shows on Feb. 6 and 7, will raise money for the United Way of New York City and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation, organizations that support educational initiatives for public schools.
“It’s every artist’s dream to play a venue as legendary as Carnegie Hall,” the rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, said in a statement.
“The fact that I can use the arts and my talent to benefit the education of the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and great thinkers makes for a legendary night,” the Brooklyn native added.
The concerts will be held in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium, the iconic landmark that typically welcomes classically trained musicians.
The venue’s executive director Clive Gillinson said Carter will join “an illustrious list of top popular artists who have appeared at the Hall throughout its history.”
Private ticket packages will be offered Dec. 12 and prices will range from $500 to $2,500. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Jan. 30.
Carter, 42, created his non-profit organization in 2003 and runs it along with his mother, Gloria.