Atlanta rapper who threw money at graduation starts new foundation

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A metro Atlanta rapper who went viral after being removed from his own high school graduation says he's going to turn the criticism against him into something that'll help other local high school students.

Video of rapper Metro Marrs throwing money at the crowd during his graduation ceremony in South Fulton quickly spread across the internet.

Many in the crowd cheered, including some graduates who jumped for a piece of the $10,000, but the stunt landed Marrs in handcuffs.

"The school, they thought I was just trying to do something negative when I was really just trying to do something positive for my peers," Marrs said.

Although he was escorted out with his hands behind his back, authorities did not file any charges.

One South Fulton city leader quickly denounced the teen for tossing the wad of crash into the crowd.

"I just don’t want the one immature act of one student to spoil the greatness of the entire event," South Fulton City Councilmember Helen Willis said. 

In response to the criticism, Marrs decided to try a new way to spread the wealth to graduates by starting what he calls the Loner Foundation.

"We are going to be giving out like a scholarship called the 10K rainy day fund scholarship, it’s basically we’re going to give $10,000 to the valedictorian and salutatorian. Each class," he said.

Willis says that's an idea she can get behind.

"With the national pandemic a lot of people have been impacted financially, and school is not free," she says. "So I commend him for wanting to get back in that way."

Marrs said for now he's going to start at Langston Hughes High School, but he has his sights on growing his giving.

"Throughout all the schools, throughout Atlanta, Georgia, throughout the states, like bigger and bigger like no cap," he said.

Even after the blowback, the rapper said he doesn't have any regrets about doing the stunt. In fact, he told TMZ that next year he plans to toss out $20,000 for his brother's graduation.

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