John Legend has partnered with housing payment platform Bilt to cover rent for 50 students on October Rent Day®.
The EGOT winner personally chose four different schools — Morehouse, Central State, Wilberforce and the singer’s alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania — to help students pay their rent.
The partnership comes ahead of the release of Legend’s 11th studio album, “Muse,” which is co-written and produced by Grammy winner Pharrell Williams. The album will be released on Oct. 23.
October’s Rent Day® program collaborates closely with the upcoming album release, offering exclusive opportunities for Bilt members to enjoy.
Members have a chance to win free rent through Rent Free™, purchase a member-exclusive “Muse” vinyl with custom cover art, enter to attend a private John Legend show in San Francisco on Oct. 21, or donate Bilt points to Scholarship America, which is a cause very dear to Legend.
Bilt members can pre-order the limited-edition “Muse” vinyl beginning today, while supplies last.
“John’s music has been the soundtrack to the pivotal moments of so many people’s lives: falling in love, moving in together and exploring a neighborhood, getting married, and coming home,” Bilt Founder and CEO, Ankur Jain, shared.
“It feels right to build this Rent Day around him and around Muse,” Jain continued. “It feels even more right that in the same month members can win rent and pre-order the album, they can also turn their Bilt Points into scholarships for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford college.”
Legend discussed his college experience during the announcement, sharing, “I lived on the quad [at Penn] my freshman year, and then I lived off-campus the remaining three years. So, I was paying my own rent, had a work-study job, and I had a job at a church.”
“I was hustling, and I was doing it so I could pay my rent, so I know what it feels like to be in that position where you’ve got to figure out how to do it yourself. I’m sure a lot of kids in school right now are in that same position.”
“Education has always been such an important thing for me. I know what it meant for me to be able to go to college and get a great education; it set me up for life,” The 13-time Grammy winner shared.
Legend discussed how he is partnering with Scholarship America to launch a Rent Assistance Program for students. “[Many of] these students are at risk of eviction and they need our help. Together with Bilt, we’re going to help cover off-campus housing costs,” the singer explained.
“Muse” releases on Oct. 23. “Fireflies” is available Friday, alongside lead single “Daylight,” which dropped on Sept. 8.
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